Effective Microorganisms (EM)
EM is a relatively new development in agricultural production. The idea behind it is to cultivate microorganisms to decompose, regenerate, or add value to organic matter. Organic matter, if you remember your high school biology class, are things than contains carbon. Life on Earth is based on things that contain carbon, such as you!
EM can be traced to Teruo Higa, a professor at the University of Ryukyus in Okinawa, Japan, in the 1980s. He claimed that the combination of microorganisms used on organic matter could speed up the process of breaking down organic matter in agriculture production in a positive way, which could be of benefit to farmers.
There are microorganisms everywhere, floating in the air. Initially, Higa sold his EM without saying what was in it, but showed people how to use it. Those curious tried it out with some success. Those even more adventurous tried to cultivate their own EM.
There are two types of microorganisms: those that live on oxygen (aerobic) and those that don't (anaerobic). Generally speaking, aerobic microorganisms are the ones that produce beneficial byproducts that smell good and taste good. Anaerobic microorganisms tend to smell bad and are not really good to eat. Think of the difference between yogurt, which is tasty and smells good (aerobic), versus the smell of a septic tank (anaerobic). Both exist and have their use, but for eating purposes, aerobic microoganisms are the ones to cultivate.
Here at Pun Pun the folks have been experimenting with EMs for about 10 years. They've developed their own methods for producing EMs which are used for two purposes: to make tasty drinks and vinegar, and to use on plants to supplement the action of fertilizer.
Today Pi Jo showed us some edible liquids he made using EM.
First was a bucket containing fermenting bananas. The bucket was filled to about a quarter the way up, and left to sit for about 15 days, and loosely covered with a lid, allowing the air to get in. That's it. No other special process. No extra water, nothing else added. They were just left alone.
Looking into the bucket, you see decomposing bananas. Some were black and others really mushy. It didn't look very appetizing. If you looked even more carefully, you actually saw worms; some dead and some still alive! Who would eat such a mix?! The worms were from fruit flies that laid eggs in the bananas. The worms can be eaten and according to some Korean guests at the farm, have a nutty flavour (I didn't try it… ugh!).
The liquid produced by the microorganism break-down was like a juice and had a surprisingly sweet, vinegar taste. Very yummy! It was like apple cider vinegar, only tasted sweeter! The length of time of the fermentation process determines the taste of the juice. The longer, the more vinegar taste. There was one bottle that had been processed for 5 years, and it tasted like Balsamic vinegar and was just as nutritious and delicious. It is used as a great salad dressing.
There were other fruits that were used for the EM process. Bananas being the exception, where they are left in a bucket and nothing else done, the formula to produce EM is 1:3:10 - one part sugar, three parts fruit or plants, and ten parts water. The mixture is left to sit in a bucket with a loosely fitting lid to let the air in, and the microorganisms do their work!
Almost all fruits, and even herbs and other plants, can be used to produce delicious, nutritious sweet tasting juices and vinegars. Again, the longer it is left to sit, the more vinegary. We tried green apple vinegar (the malice acid is good for the gall bladder) and another made from a mix of bitter herbs... and wow! Really tasty, You could feel it hit your stomach and start the digestive juices flowing!
Pi Jo went on to show us another form of microorganism fermentation: kombucha. Kombucha is popular in Asia, perhaps having its roots in the Caucasus. Sweetened black tea is often used to make kombucha, although other bitter or sour things with an acidic nature can be used. The sweetened black tea is left in a bucket to ferment and it produces a layer of yeast, which is the kombucha. It is very acidic (pH3), but it is a delicious drink that is claimed to be very healthy.
Over the course of the next six months, we at Pun Pun are going to experiment with EM production, using a variety of fruits and plants, to see what we can create.
One thing that is great about this Pun Pun experience is that we are not using any textbooks: all learning is experiential. We try things out to see for ourselves what works and what doesn't. In the case of edible EM, the juice that tastes yummy will be the ultimate test.
More later on agriculture Em; whether they are of great benefit to growing things, or not.
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