Organic permaculture 04c2: Pioneer Masanobu Fukuoka with forest garden, prizes, lectures in India: mulching, fruit sequences rice and barley+clover, seed balls, forest garden of Dr. Save
 

1. The Orchard Organic Farm on Shikoku Island (Japan) 1998 - 2. Fukuoka in India 1997 - 3. The crops of barley+white clover + rice alone - 4. 1997 workshop in India: seedballs in the forest garden - on cereal fields - 5. 1998: Greece in Edessa with seedballs - 6th 1997: Workshop in India: virus diseases in plants - 7. With pesticide machine monocultures the desert comes - 8. Seed collecting - 9. India 1997: Press conference in Dahanu - 10. Nature makes food for the living beings - 11. Forest garden near Mumbai - water comes with big trees - 12. Mr. Save's organic forest garden in Salvad north of Mumbai - 13. The criminal lawn - 14. The seedballs with nature - 15. Living with the earth

Fukuoka's farm: White clover grows passing loose straw mulch - The crop rotation passes through loose straw mulch - Organic rice has white, healthy roots, pesticide flood rice from the neighbor has black and rotten roots - Seeds are washed and dried in the shade - Press conference with Fukuoka in Dahanu 01, the journalists put some seed balls between the fingers of his right hand             India 1997: Fukuoka shows soya bean plants with fungical disease without beans - Fukuoka collecting seeds - Fukuoka on his tour in India 1997  passing the organic forest garden of Mr. Save in Valsad north of Mumbai - India 1997: Fukuoka with a lecture on criminal lawn - Fukuoka on his farm at a barley field before the harvest

by Michael Palomino (2018)

1. Fukuoka and his organic forest garden farm on Shikoku Island (Japan) 1998 - awards -- 2. Fukuoka in India 1997 -- 3. India + Japan: The crop rotation barley+white clover and rice alone - at the organic farm of Fukuoka - doubling the harvest in 30 years -- Shikoku Island (Japan): seed balls - harvest - straw mulch - new crop rotation is growing up with new white clover -- Shikoku Island (Japan): Doubling the fertility of the soil in 30 years -- 4. 1997 Workshop in India: Making seed balls:  Making seed balls 01: for the forest garden - or for cereal cultivation -- Production of the seed balls: for cereal cultivation -- Making seed balls 03: By hand   -- Making seed balls 04: With a concrete mixer -- 5. 1998: Fukuoka in Greece in Edessa - sowing with seed balls -- 6. 1997: Workshop in India: Virus diseases in plants - orchard forest garden brings a stable ecosystem -- 7. Fukukoa says it clearly: With pesticide-machine monocultures the desert will come -- 8. Collect seeds -- 9. India 1997: Press conference in Dahanu -- 10. Nature has made the food for the living beings -- 11. India 1997: Fukuoka visits a forest garden near Mumbai:  Press Conference in Dahanu 02: Water comes with big trees - irrigation brings nothing: Permaculture does not need any irrigation - shadow of trees, condensation water with the mulch -- 12. India 1997: Tour passing the organic forest garden of Mr. Save in Salvad north of Mumbai: A little paradise:  Forest garden of Mr. Save in Salvad (India): The animals eat fruits and vegetables and are distributing the seeds with their excrements -- 13. The criminal lawn and court - criminal invention from England:  Much less ground animals in the lawn than in the meadow - earthworms and moles and many insects are missing completely -- 14. The seed balls with nature -- 15. Fukuoma in Japan with its forest garden biofarm: Living with the Earth

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The movie (1h):

Video: Natural Farming with Masanobu Fukuoka (1h0'36'')

Video: Natural Farming with Masanobu Fukuoka (1h0'36'')
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzs8iFGNdBo

1. Fukuoka and his organic forest garden farm on Shikoku Island (Japan) 1998 - awards

           
Film title 1 Fukuoka's natural farm in Ehime district [on Shikoku Island], Japan, April 1998 - Producer Salbong Tokyo - The tree garden of Fukuoma with many tree species 01 - Film title 2: "For Living on the Planet Earth" - Fukuoka 1998 ca.

        

Fukuoka tree garden in Japan with many tree species 02 - In India in 1988 Fukuoka receives the Deshikottam Prize - On the Philippines in 1988, Fukuoka receives the Ramon Magsaysay

2. Fukuoka in India 1997

In October 1997, Fukuoka was invited to India for the Gandhi Jubilee. This became an impulse for many farmers to switch to organic agriculture. In 19 days Fukuoka visited many places with lectures and workshops - this was the year of the 50th anniversary of independence (8'6''). The seminar in Wardha 650 km from Mumbai became the impulse location (9'18''). Fukuoka: "I can grow all my vegetables and fruits without pesticides, sciences does not work, it's just a matter of distributing seeds." (10'3'') - "Industrial machinery will collapse, water, green, energy, oil will come to an end, and by the year 2000, it will all come to an end." (11'4'') - "The Earth perishes." (11'52'')

          

Fukuoka in Mumbai in India 1997 with Mototaxi 1,2 - Workshop of Fukuoka in India 1997 - Workshop of Fukuoka in India 1997 with seed balls

3. India + Japan: The crop rotation barley+white clover and rice alone - at the organic farm of Fukuoka - doubling the harvest in 30 years

Fukuoka on his farm on his fields alternately plants barley and rice, and the ground is always covered with white clover. Before the harvest, seed balls are scattered for the next crop rotation (24'26''). Even before the harvest, the next crop rotation must be growing (24'52''). Plow, fertilizer or pesticides are not needed at Fukuoka's farm (25'32'').

       

India 1997: Fukuoka explains the crop rotation with barley, rice and white clover - Fukuoka on his farm on a mature field with a scythe - Fukuoka in a barley field of his farm - Students at Fukuoka Organic Farm on Shikoku (Japan) distribute seed balls just before harvest

Shikoku Island (Japan): seed balls - harvest - straw mulch - new crop rotation is growing up with new white clover

One month before the harvest, the new crop rotation is sown with seed balls [barley with white clover]. After harvest, the straw is mulched and the white clover and barley grow passing the straw (26'18''). Too much flooding in the paddy field provokes weakening of the roots and infections (26'40''). One more time: Two weeks before the rice harvest, the seed balls of white clover and barley are scattered (26'48''). Then comes the harvest and the straw is mulched and the soil is fertilized with the nutrients of the straw. The white clover and the new crop rotation grow through the loosely laid straw (27'12''). Everyone can realize this method of cultivation, it is simple and safe (27'33''). The roots of Fukuoka's organiz rice are white, fat and healthy (27'51'').

          
Fukuoka's farm: Mulching with straw - white clover grows passing the loose straw mulch - The crop rotation breaks through the loose straw mulch - organic rice from Fukuoka's biofarm before harvest 1,2

        
Fukuoka's biofarm: Loose mulching with straw - Fukuoka in front of a barley field before harvest - Fukuoka in front of a rice field before harvesting - The organic rice from the Fukuoka organic farm has white and healthy roots, but the pestizid flood rice from the neighbor has black and rotten roots

Shikoku Island (Japan): Doubling the fertility of the soil in 30 years

Within 30 years, the soil has imprived by consequent mulching and planting white clover thus the earth has become twice as deep (28'3''). The rice eras now give 200 to 300 grains per year (28'10''). 1 hectare previously yielded 5 to 6 tons of rice, now 10 tons of rice. Barley of before used to be only 5 tons (28'20'').

     
Fukuoka's biofarm with organic bio rice ear units - an organic rice field before harvest

4. 1997 Workshop in India: Making seed balls

Making seed balls 01: for the forest garden - or for cereal cultivation

The seed balls were reinvented by Fukuoka after years of trials and failures. Birds or insects have no access to the seeds in the clay balls, and there is no need to plow the field. The only thing one has to do is to make these seedballs (28'51''). The materials for making the seed balls are:
1. Clay
2. A sieve
3. A wash tub
4. Water
5. Seeds (29'00'').

          

Workshop in India 1997: seed balls are made from clay and seeds 01 - close up - The materials for seed balls, the list - The seed mixtures for a tree garden with vegetable seeds (over 20 species), fruit seeds (over 20 species) and tree seeds (over 10 species) and green manure plant seeds such as clover, alfalfa (alfalfa) etc., a list

Fukuoka makes two types of seed balls,
1. Vegetables, fruits, tree seeds and green manure plant seeds for the forest garden, and
2. Barley balls [with white clover seedballs] and rice balls for growing cereals (29'16'').

For the forest garden, the seed mixtures consists of
-- over 20 different vegetables,
-- over 20 different fruits and
-- over 10 tree species, and
-- seeds for the green manure plants with white clover, alfalfa (alfalfa) etc.
-- and one can add more seeds (29'29'').

Fukuoka: "In this way, one can even green the desert." (29'32'') - Seeds are washed and dried e.g. on newsprint (29'40''). Everybody can harvest the seeds of the plants in the garden, no shopping trip is necessary (29'45''). In organic farming, collecting seeds from plants is a daily routine (29'50'').

     

Fukuoka's biofarm: Seeds are washed and dried in the shadow e.g. on a newspaper - a seed mixture in a cake bowl

Production of the seed balls: for cereal cultivation

1. Barley seeds and white clover seeds are combined in a ball - 2. Rice seeds are in balls alone (29'56'').

 
Fukuoka's seed balls for cereal cultivation: barley seeds and white clover seeds are together, and the rice seeds are scattered alone

Making seed balls 03: By hand

Clay earth is crushed, all little stones, leaves and twigs are filtered out, the clay earth is sifted and ground into powder (30'21''). Then the seeds are mixed into the soil dust in the ratio 1: 7 - one part of seeds with seven parts of clay earth (30'31''). Watered, swollen beans are an important element in the seed balls and prevent the break-up of the seed balls (30'40''). Then water is added and the seed balls are formed (30'52'').

           

Making the seed balls of Fukuoka: Clay earth is crushed - is sieved - seeds and clay earth dust are mixed in a ratio of 1: 7 - The seed-clay earth mixture is mixed with water 1,2

The big seed ball is kneaded and beaten on the ground, so that no air bubbles remain inside (30'57''). Then little quantities are taken from the big mass and formed to little balls (31'4''). Then they are dried in the shade (31'35''). Germination in the forest garden takes place in a warm, moist place (31'43'').

          

Fukuoka's seed balls: The seed clay earth mixture is kneaded - The seed clay earth mixture is repeatedly hit on the ground - There are the seed balls - Fukuoka's seed balls: There are the fresh seed balls on the ground - close-up

Making seed balls 04: With a concrete mixer

For larger quantities of seed balls you need
1. a concrete mixer
2. a compressed air cleaner (spray)
3. a gigantic amount of seeds (a lot of seeds)
4. Clay earth powder
5. Plastic film as a backing (plastic carpet)
6. a big washtubs (31'55'').

The concrete mixer must be totally clean and washed with a high-pressure cleaner (32'10''). Then the whole seed clay earth mass is done in the concrete mixer (32'15''). The seeds are moistened, sprinkled with ground powder and placed in the blender (32'27''). More and more earth mass is added to the concrete mixer until the mass has doubled, then mix for 3 to 4 minutes (32'40'').

          

Seedballs made with a concrete mixer: The materials for seedballs made with a concrete mixer, the list - the concrete mixer is washed out with high-pressure cleaner - the mixer is filled with the seed mixture, the clay earth, and water - there are the seedballs from the concrete mixer

5. 1998: Fukuoka in Greece in Edessa - sowing with seed balls

        

Fukuoka in Greece: Seedball sowing in Edessa, Greece, March 1998 1,2,3

6. 1997: Workshop in India: Virus diseases in plants - orchard forest garden brings a stable ecosystem

          

India 1997: Lecture by Fukuoka on seed balls - lecture on virus infestation: leaves shrink - lecture about virus infestation: leaves are striped yellow-green - Fukuoka with virus plant 3,4

Fukuoka is shown a field where half of the harvest is virus-damaged. The virus problems have existed for 100 years, since 50 years the problems are getting stronger and have become the worst plant pest (34'39''). One virus causes the leaves to shrink (34'48''), another virus causes yellow-green striped leaves (35'1''). Some plants grow gigantic, others shrink (35'7''). The viruses come through infected seeds, and when infected leaves fall to the ground, or when the infected leaves remain in the crop, everything becomes infected (35'25''). These viruses spread all over the planet, incurable like AIDS (35'44'').

There is no remedy for the viruses (35'52''). The three main causes of plant diseases are virus, bacteria and fungi (36'10''). Here are soybeans, a plant with fungal attack, no beans are present (36'30''). Fukuoka recommends seed balls, mix everything together, and then nature decides where will grow what, and many big trees must stand there [for green manure by falling foliage and long roots provide nutrients and water], and then everything grows safely, such as green manuring plants such as white clover (37'13''). This structure takes 10 years to grow, and then the thing runs by itself (37'17'').

       

India 1997, Fukuoka on a field - Fukuoka shows soybeans with fungal disease without beans 1,2

Seedballs are made by hand, then one can feel that there are enough seeds in them and that the clay earth sticks well enough (37'33'').

 

Fukuoka in India 1997: A workshop group is making seedballs

7. Fukukoa says it clearly: With pesticide-machine monocultures the desert will come

Fukuoka: "Planting a field with just one type of vegetable, the field may become sterile (38'1''), and without rain, it will cause problems (38'5''). In Oregon, California, and everywhere, everything is going in the wrong direction (38'11''), using modern farming methods turning the fields into a desert, or the crop is very poor (38'21''). There exist fruits plantations, but without equipment they can not harvest any crops there - they use sprinklers, heaters and ventilation fans (38'31''), all because of profits" [because industry wants to sell machinery. Therefore they are manipulating the peasants for bying machinery on credit] (38'39'').

     

India 1997, Fukuoka at the lecture: Pesticide machinery farming destroys soil provoking deserts - The 21st century will be the century of returning to organic agriculture

"Organic farming uses manure and compost, it does not need chemical fertilizers, even no organic fertilizers." (38'50'')

Fukuoka: "Cars, machines and planes are the ruin, so civilization will eventually destroy itself (39'16'') .The 21st century will be the century when people will return to nature, so that's the decision then responsible for whether there is still life on earth or not." (39'33'')

A dance in Mumbai

 
Fukuoka in Mumbai 3,4

8. Collect seeds

Everyone can collect seeds themselves, you just have to cut the vegetables and scratch out the seeds (44'20'').

     

Fukuoka collecting seeds 1,2,3

9. India 1997: Press conference in Dahanu

Map 3: India with Mumbai and north of it is the town of Dahanu [karte03]

Press conference in Dahanu on organic agriculture of Fukuoka: Journalists put him seedballs between the fingers of his right hand - and the next day the photo comes in the newspaper (44'38'').

  
Press conference in Dahanu 01: Journalists put Fukuoka seedballs between the fingers of his right hand - Press conference in Dahanu 02:  the next day the photo with Fukuoka with the seedballs between the fingers of his right hand comes in the newspaper

10. Nature has made the food for the living beings

Fukuoka about daily food of mankind: "You can eat all things, but this should be in a natural balance, so never too much meat (45'18''). Religions and philosophies should not pronounce food bans, as here in India, otherwise everything gets out of balance and the whole life becomes crazy (45'48'').

 
Fukuoka in Dahanu, India 1997

Bei Dahanu hat ein Bauer Mr. Save auf Bio umgestellt, ohne Düngung, und alles gedeit prächtig (47'15''). Die Frauen tragen dabei grosse Lasten auf dem Kopf herum (47'23''). Fukuoka an einer weiteren Pressekonferenz: "Mit Pflug Pflanzen anbauen wollen ist ein grosser Fehler, also die Menschen können ja nicht mal ein Blatt technisch nachmachen, das macht alles die Natur. Die Pflanzen wachsen nicht durch die Menschen, sondern durch die Natur (48'11'').


11. India 1997: Fukuoka in Dahanu visits a forest garden near Mumbai

Press Conference in Dahanu 02: Water comes with big trees - irrigation brings nothing

At Dahanu, a farmer has switched to organic, since 3 years without fertilization, and has done well (47'15''). The women carry big loads on their heads (47'23''). Fukuoka at another press conference: "Cultivating plants with a plow is a big mistake, so people can not even reproduce a leaf technically, that's what nature does, because plants do not grow by humans but by nature (48 '). 11'').

       

In 1997, Fukuoka visits a forest garden near Mumbai in Dahanu which is working now 3 years without fertilization - the women carry heavy burdens on their heads - Press conference of Fukuoka in Dahanu 2-1 with plant

Fukuoka goes on: "Where are big trees must be also water, therefore when there is only one long root reaching the water level one does not to have to give water any more (48'33''). The agricultural machinery irrigates plants with sprinkler systems in the fields, but that does not help much. After one week you have to water again (48'45''). So one should not even water, but apply all tecniques but watering. Irrigation? No thanks." (48'53'')

[Permaculture does not need any irrigation - shadow of trees, condensation water with the mulch
The shade of the trees and the mulch are protecting the soil from dehydration, so the sun can shine as long as it wants! Every night, new condensation water is added from the bottom of the mulch to the soil. Therefore, a permaculture garden or a permaculture field does not need any irrigation].

  

1997: Fukuoka press conference in Dahanu 2-2 - India 1997: Press conference makes seedballs

12. India 1997: Tour passing the organic forest garden of Mr. Save in Valsad north of Mumbai: A little paradise

Forest garden of Mr. Save in Valsad (India): The animals eat fruits and vegetables and are distributing the seeds with their excrements

Assistant: "Mr. Save lets the seeds spread through animals and insects, just feeds the animals and insects, and the plants spread through the dung." (49'41 ''), Reporter: "There is no irrigation, no irrigation, no pesticides (49'51 ''), and there are many indicator plants that show water resources." (50'35 '')

  

Salvad (India) 1997, Fukuoma visits Mr. Save's organic forest garden in Valsad north of Mumbai - close-up

Fukuoka: "During lectures in the "USA", I always mentioned that rain does not come from the sky and not from the earth, but the plants cause the rain, so when more plant species are planted, paradise is possible." (50'53 '')

       

Fukuoka on his tour passing the organic forest garden of Mr. Save in Valsad north of Mumbai 1,2,3,4

Fukuoka: "So here is a little paradise, the paddy field looks very good too." (52'30 '') - "This organic farm is the best I've ever seen, and I've seen many, in Africa, India, Thailand, Vietnam, "USA", so this organic farm is the best." (54'13 ''). Applause (54'16 '').

        

Fukuoka on his tour passing the organic forest garden of Mr. Save in Valsad north of Mumbai 5, 6 with rice field, 7 with a fan leaf, 8 applause

Fukuoka: "The animals, the insects and the earth organisms have created this paradise, not man, and the fruits fall directly into the mouth (54'58 '') from above, but you just have to be careful with coconuts that they do not harm you falling on your head. " (55'35 '')

Fukuoka on his tour passing the organic forest garden of Mr. Save in Valsad north of Mumbai, banana trees

Reporter: "Life on earth is realized by life on earth, so living means living on earth, and now the question arises of how people should live correctly on earth?" (56'30 '')

India 1997, final photo of Fukuoka's tour

13. The criminal lawn and court - criminal invention from England:

Much less ground animals in the lawn than in the meadow - earthworms and moles and many insects are missing completely

  

India 1997: Fukuoka with a lecture about criminal lawn and court

Fukuoka about lawn: "The invention of lawn and court was the beginning of European "civilization" [being invented in England in the 17th century]. Installing a lawn, earthworms and moles disappear (56'55 ''). Also when a king lives there, earthworms and moles should be considered (57'2 ''). On a lawn live the most harmful insects for rice crops, which are so numerous because other insects are missing. So, if other insects were living there as well, the balance would be installed (57'25''). The lawn looks "beautiful", but there is a contamination with harmful insects. That's the desert (57'38 ''). To the human eye the lawn looks "beautiful" but for other animals and insects the creation of a lawn is a tragedy [suffering extinction in this territory] (57'49 '').


14. The seed balls with nature

Commentator: "With seed balls you give all seeds the opportunity to germinate, and nature decides what germinates and grows, and from that part that grows a natural portion of food is given to the humans (58'52 '').

        

India 1997: Fukuoka with seed balls - Seedballs are produced - India 1997 press conference with Fukuoka: seedballs are produced

15. Fukuoma in Japan with its forest garden biofarm: Living with the Earth

Fukuoka: "One has to try to observe exactly how life is working, and how life on earth is working (59'5 ''). So you will discover new things, for our children, for the future, to live with a positive light on this earth." (59'21 '')

     
The organic forest garden of pioneer Fukuoka in Japan, a flowering fruit tree - Fukuoka in its forest garden [on Shikoku Island], Japan - The rapid-transit railway under construction passing his farm was never completed

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Sources
Video: Natural Farming with Masanobu Fukuoka (1h0'36'')
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzs8iFGNdBo

Photo sources
Video: Natural Farming with Masanobu Fukuoka (1h0'36'')
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzs8iFGNdBo

Map 01: Japan mit Insel Shikoku: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shikoku
Map 03: Indien mit Mumbai und Dahanu: http://www.indmaps.com/

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