Making Fish hydrolysate

Fish hydrolysate is an awesome product for promoting plant growth. It’s high in Nitrogen, can be naturally produced, and is an awesome food for microbes. Fungi love it and it is easily produced at home.  We use it as straight fertiliser, animal supplement and an ingredient in compost teas (Fungi: Bacteria balanced- Fungi orientated).

Fish hydrolysate is composed of fish and glucose based sugars and uses lacto bacillus to break everything down using enzymes. Fish hydryolysate doesn’t undergo the heating and skimming process that you get with fish emulsion products.  Heating breaks down beneficial amino acid chains and this cold process also retains the fats and oils that microbes love.

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How to make it; 

1. Get some fish, you might as well use fish discards like fish heads, guts, etc.  We use whole fish as there are naturally wider range of nutrients present.

2. Cut fish into chunks then either blend or run through a meat mincer.  The finer the fish bits, the more effective the fermentation.

Cut fish into chunks

Blend or mince fish

 3. Add water.  We're adding 3 parts water to 1 part ferment material.  (1litre fish mince: 3 litre water) ALWAYS USE NON-CHLORINATED WATER.  Chlorine kills microbes. 

Add sugars 3:1: here 750g fish:250g Sugarcane Molasses

4.  Add 3:1 Fish: Sugar.  Sugarcane molasses or Raw (unrefined/ unbleached) sugar is good.

5. Add lacto bacilli to blended fish mixture.  Approx.  2tbsp per L.  We used liquid from a Lacto ferment, eg, Kimchi/ Sauerkraut. 

6. Now you have liquefied fish, sugar, and lacto.  Pour this mixture into a container to ferment.  Cover with a cloth/ mesh to stop insects, etc. The process takes anywhere from 2 weeks to over a month.  You know its finished by the smell.  During fermentation there is a pungent smell, but once completed there should be little more than a faint vinegar smell.  

7.  Transfer it to a smaller container.

How to use;

Mix 0.5tbsp/litre for applications.

 Plants
·       Use as a soil drench as opposed to foliar spray.
·       Inoculate compost to boost fungal population. 
·       Use in compost teas to boost fungal growth, add Nitrogen.  Use at ¼ strength for this application
·       Mix in water when watering plants, as a natural fish fertilizer and to enhance populations of micro-organisms in the soil

Animals
·       Mix with water for an effective protein/lacto boost for your animals.  They'll love or hate it

Lacto bacillus going into the mix...

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2 months of regenerative systems work at the farm

We're partnering with nature to transform an old Swedish farm into a dedicated Regenerative Agriculture & Permaculture hub. ridgedale PERMACULTURE is designed as a pasture and perennial crop based beyond-organic local food producer and dedicated educational hub in Värmland, Sweden. Welcome to the heart of Scandinavia! A flagship project for the region, ridgedale PERMACULTURE is Scandinavia’s first Keylinedesigned farm & dedicated Regenerative Agriculture/ Permaculture education site.  We offer world class trainings with some of the leading global figures in the field. We also aim to demonstrate viable regenerative economy & livelihood; ridgedale is a government subsidy free farm.

ridgedale PERMACULTURE’S primary responsibility is regenerating landscapes, ecosystem processes and soils through resilient, replicable, scalable and profitable symbiotic farm enterprises. Our secondary responsibility is to educate, facilitate, inform and empower people into action through regenerative design, enterprise and holistic decision-making that fosters and stimulates local community, economy and resilience. 

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Upcoming Trainings at Ridgedale Permaculture

Permaculture Design Course 18th July- 2nd Aug

This 2 week intensive Permaculture Design Course empowers participants with the effective design solutions, skills and a methodical scientific approach to create resilient, synergistic systems that are ecologically sound, economically profitable and meet human needs, regardless of the site and circumstance. Our Permaculture Design Courses are highly regarded internationally, led by one of Europe's leading designer- educators, with 90 hrs+ of curriculum based learning & internationally accredited via P.R.I. (Aus)& P.C. Assoc (UK) here is a chance to take a fully up to date PDC with one of Europe's most active Permaculture Professionals. 
Details & Booking

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10 Week Professional Permaculture Internship 18TH JUL - 26TH SEPT 2014

Our 10 week accelerator Internship program is specially designed for people wanting a fast track intensive immersion into project initiation, working alongside a professional designer accredited by P.R.I. (Aus) & P.C. Assoc (UK).  Are you are farmer or land-manager wanting to use regenerative design to overhaul your enterprise?  A pre- professional or professional designer wanting to broaden your skills and get practical project initiation skills?  Want to start a project and farm in the future and don't know where to start?  This is a unique opportunity and learning experience in Europe, with 5 certificate courses and intensive hands on experience implementing diverse systems at the first Keyline designed farm and dedicated professional Permaculture education center in Scandinavia.  This accelerator training is designed to fast track your Permaculture pathway. You can read through the information pack below.

The 10 Week internship includes over 530hrs of curriculum based learning & 5 Certificate Courses;

• 90hr+ PDC certified by PRI (Aus) & PC Assoc (UK)
• 5 day Forest Gardens & Perennial Cropping
• 5 day Regenerating Soils
• 5 day Keyline® Design & Holistic Management®
• 5 day Teaching Permaculture Creatively

You will also have time each week to be working on a detailed personal design project, with regular feedback from a professional designer and your peers.  You are also encouraged to keep a daily Learning Journal to build up a portfolio.

Details & Booking

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