Edible Blue Ridge Fall 2022

SHARING THE BOUNTY Please make a point of supporting these locally owned businesses in our community

Microbial Awakening Kenkashi, “small life doing big things”

dairy). e food waste ferments and then can be dug directly into the soil, where it breaks down at an accelerated rate. is age-old process originated in Korea and Japan and results in rich earth that is diverse in organic matter. Wilson had the idea to inoculate hemp with microbes as opposed to the traditional bran. Hemp is highly absorbent, readily available and less expensive than bran (bran is in high demand due to its use in animal feed), making it the perfect substrate. Although Wilson passed away in 2020, his daughter, Cassie Wilson, and her husband, Jason Anderson, now run the business. HOW ITWORKS Wilson and Anderson harvest the microbes out on the mountain sides of Copper Hill, selecting sites of old-growth tree stands far above any po tential for run-off contaminants. ey plant a “seed culture”: a rice ball contained in a cloth sack. e sugary starch is buried beneath the forest floor and left for ten days, allowing for microbial growth to take place. Wilson and Anderson then take the now-microbe-rich rice ball back to the “brewery,” where the microbes are harvested from the rice ball and fed molasses. e addition of water and heat provide the perfect environ

A healthy gut equals a healthy person. For years we’ve read about gut health in articles and watched TikTok videos on brewing your own kom bucha or making sourdough or pickles. Just as we need microbes for our digestion, the plants and animals we consume need a healthy biome as well, so we must turn our attention to where those microbes are found: the soil.

Kenkashi is here to help with the process.

No matter the size of plot or pot you grow your plants in, the soil must be tended to. At the basic level, microbes feed the earth around us, so let Kenkashi help you feed your earth. Using their products, a composting additive, foliar spray and soil treatments, you can be part of the depleted soil solution, all while using microbes harvested and preserved right here in the Blue Ridge Mountains. HOW IT STARTED Founded by John Wilson in Copper Hill, Virginia, Kenkashi employs the centuries-old process of bokashi in new and innovative ways. Bo kashi composting is an anaerobic fermentation process where bran is inoculated with microbes and applied to food waste (including meat and

8 | EDIBLE BLUE RIDGE FALL 2022