KNF CHEAP & EASY

New beginnings and sustainable gardening.

Recently, someone asked me this question:

“If JADAM is ultra low-cost and simple, how are you doing something cheaper and easier?”

I am going to tell you what I do differently and why it's not expensive or complicated.

Yes, KNF is cheap and easy. In this article, I show how little is required to practice KNF. I'm peeling back the layers of confusion and over-complication down to what is essential for the system to work. It is not expensive. And it is not hard.

WHAT I DO DIFFERENTLY

1. I Don’t Brew Large Liquid Fertilizers

I do not make large batches of liquid fertilizer or compost that require:

• 20–300 Gallons of water

• Barrels, Bucket

• Pumps, Pipes, Infrastructure

• Frequent Stirring

• Timing making to applying

Most KNF inputs (like FPJ):

• Can be made in small, reusable containers, especially for small operations and new practitioners. Users can scale up input resources as needed.

• Require no added water and only limited water when diluted for use.

• Sit quietly once made

• Store for Years

Results: 

• Less water, less infrastructure, less ongoing labor.

• Water is heavy and bulky, and moving it requires infrastructure and labor.

• In dry climates and during droughts, water can be insufficient or absent altogether!

• An input does not require timing for its application.

• Inputs are stable.

• Not only that, but they are all safe to consume.

2. I Install Soil Biology Once Instead of Continuously Feeding

Using KNF, most of the work and results come from installing Indigenous Microorganisms (IMO) into the soil.

This can be as easy as:

• one collection, one application, possibly reinforced once a year

• You can also apply it once or twice a year for the first three years, and some people like to add a collection once a year after that.

After that, the soil becomes the engine of fertility.

I am not constantly replacing fertility through liquid feeding or fertilizing.

Results: 

• Front-loaded effort. Long-term simplicity.

• A single application of IMO can be enough to establish a fully functioning Soil Foundation.

3. I Direct Growth with a Foliar Mist

I use a foliar mist with Biochemical Signaling Technology (BST) to guide plant growth and improve quality, yields, and health.

Simplified Use:

• Some never mist and still get excellent results—the Soil Foundation does the work.

• Some mist only at key stages, like just before flower buds appear.

• Commercial growers and serious practitioners mist weekly for best results.

Results:

• Minimal effort, maximum impact.

• Better growth, quality, and yields without constant feeding.

• Plants stay healthy and responsive, relying mainly on the Soil Foundation.

Even weekly, misting is easier and less labor-intensive than making and moving large batches of liquid fertilizer. Each session takes no more than an hour by design, and can be scaled across multiple people or days if needed.

KNF can look complicated when practiced at maximum intensity. It scales down very easily.

4. I Buy Almost Nothing

In its simplest form, KNF requires only:

• raw sugar

• a small amount of rice

• local plant material

That’s it.

Results:

• No constant mineral purchases

• No purchased nitrogen or fertilizer sources

• No repeated brewing input

• Composting is not necessary

Once established, farmers practicing KNF often spend almost no cash. Sugar and rice are cheap commodities, available even in extremely remote areas.

Oriental Herbal Nutrient (OHN) is an important tonic, but it can get expensive. Start with small batches, skipping ingredients you don’t have. Practitioners in the Philippines tend to use only garlic and ginger. If alcohol for extraction is unavailable or costly, simply make an FPJ from the ingredients instead. One more alternative is to make your own alcohol with any fruit or starch. Stills can be homemade for this purpose.

5. I Don’t Treat Pests as a Separate Program

JADAM has extensive pest-control protocols. In KNF, pest management is not a major ongoing expense or labor demand because plant balance is the priority. Nutritionally balancing plants through soil biology dramatically drops pest pressure.

That means:

• fewer pesticide sprays

• fewer emergency reactions

• fewer formulas to manage

Result: 

• Less complexity over time.

• Less labor and cost in treating pests and disease.

• Better quality

• Higher yields

• The best ways to treat pests and disease are to prevent them.

6. The System Gets Easier Over Time

Once soil biology is established, a KNF system becomes easier to manage than JADAM-style systems, which require constant brewing and application.

How it works:

• The system stabilizes on its own

• Fewer inputs are needed over time

• Management becomes observational rather than reactive

Results:

• The first year requires the most attention; after that, effort declines.

• Integration of animals simplifies management, as counterintuitive as that may seem.

• Long-term maintenance is minimal, freeing time and labor.

My Experience

I work with subsistence farmers in a least-developed nation and see firsthand how KNF can succeed on just a few dollars a year. These farmers cannot afford JADAM, yet KNF works for them.

I’ve also worked with commercial farmers with razor-thin margins who cannot afford fertilizers or compost, but they can implement KNF.

I’ve seen droughts and harsh climates where JADAM is impossible because water simply isn't there.

KNF was designed for people with little to no money or resources. It has been overly complicated, making it seem expensive and difficult, but it can be very simple and becomes easier each year.

If you think KNF is complicated or costly, think again. And it’s 100% safe and edible!