BEDFORD—A Bedford County farmer has discovered a natural farming technique that transforms decomposing organic materials into what he calls liquid gold for his crops.
In February, Jay Faucher opened four large 60-gallon containers filled with fermenting organic matter on his 38-acre farm. The mixture slowly breaks down into a potent liquid fertilizer known as JADAM, which gets diluted and sprayed across his vegetables and pastures.
JADAM, which translates to “people that resemble nature” in Korean, was developed by Dr. Youngsang Cho in 1991. The natural farming approach transforms organic materials like compost, forest fungi, weeds, straw and plant clippings into a concentrated fertilizing solution and natural crop protection.
The fermented liquid gives off a distinctive aroma that combines beer, damp hay and wild mushrooms.
“That smell means it’s ready,” Faucher explained. “See the bubbles? That is alive, baby! This tub was a real thick goo last fall. Now it’s full of liquid.”
The process uses sealed containers where microorganisms work without oxygen. Once exposed to air, these microbes die off and make way for beneficial soil organisms to flourish.
Faucher creates two different versions of the nutrient-dense mixture.
The first type serves as a liquid fertilizer made from aged plant materials fermented in water, designed to feed soil and plants while mimicking natural soil development.
“It’s like you’re creating a soil biome,” Faucher described.
The second variety combines cooked potatoes, sea salt and forest soil to produce a powerful blend of native microorganisms that improves soil health while providing natural pest and disease control.
According to Cho’s 2017 presentation, rising costs for fuel, energy, chemicals and labor are pressuring farms everywhere. He believes JADAM can cut chemical expenses down to “pennies an acre.”
“I don’t care what you plant in the ground,” Faucher said. “With JADAM, it’ll pop up. But I wish I would have known how to control it better last season.”
Faucher treated his entire property with diluted JADAM, covering rows of beans, chiles, corn, peppers, pumpkins and tomatoes.
“I could not believe the size of my golden russet potatoes!” he exclaimed.
But he discovered that applying JADAM everywhere created unexpected problems.
“The vegetation took over everything,” he admitted. “I was killing myself with the weed eater! So, this season I’m just going to spray each individual row.”
JADAM practitioners exchange advice and experiences through various social media communities. The complete article appears in the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation’s spring Cultivate magazine.
For more information, contact Faucher at 540-425-4203.
