effective microorganisms

Anybody have any experience with this?

I just learned about it at the washington state permaculture convergence.

We just need Chris Stearns to check this and answer. And Chris, I just talked to a water guy from city of tacoma who'd be interested. He has to deal with Thea Foss waterway and Wapato Lake (the recently dead lake that birthed an old car). I'd love to get you guys in contact!

I went to Chris's talk and I have to admit I got stars in my eyes and bubbles over my head. 

Which makes me cautious. 

I'm worried about the "too good to be true" factor.  My wicked, evil, cynical nature perhaps?

I visited with Dave Boehnlein and Marisha a little.  They both seem keen on it.  That's a powerful endorsement.

Wikipedia suggests that there are some folks with concerns.

It is OMRI certified ....

I guess part of what gives me a funny feeling is stuff like how in compost, we get better results with aeration.  Thus, aerobic activity, aerobic bacteria, etc.  And this EM stuff is anaerobic. 

But, well, yeah, i can see how the anaerobic world could have its good sides too, and how, in nature, the anaerobic stuff is generally not as nice.

I'm concerned about long term effects.  Oh sure, the folks in japan have been using it for 25 years and are happy campers, but folks in the US have been using roundup for even longer and the brochure says these people are happy - yet I know there are lots of folks that are not happy.

So I guess my position of the moment is:  this stuff is probably super excellent stuff and I should probably start tinkering with it right away to discover just how lovely it is.  Get my own little experiments going. 

I guess I cannot help but think there are down sides that need to be mitigated.  And a little more knowledge would make this a better experience.

Have just posted elsewhere on this topic. I used EM for several years while living and working in India and it is quite incredible. In fact my first thought when joining this forum was why is it not mentioned all over the place. There´s a great book written by the inventor called ´An Earth Saving Revolution" which is a good start. But in short, it radically increases growth, resistance to disease, and can be used internally for humans, animals with equally beneficial effects. We used it to treat human waste from eco toilets, and within three months you could rub the soil through your fingers like the cleanest compost imaginable. Veg sprouted up like Jacks beanstalk. All in all, a remarkable product and which deserves to be a household product along with washing up liquid. Obtaining it can be a bit difficult though, and itºs not free. What I´d love to see if someone combining a full permaculture system with mass EM use. The results could be magical...

Peace,

I love EM. I make a second culture (about a gallon) and use that to spray my food waste now instead of making the bokashi mix. It's very easy. And you can ferment and bury anything. There are no, no-no's. Maybe milk, but I bury my bad milk anyway. Other things that are too liquid I also just put right in the ground or around my plants. I use the compost tea as fertilizer as well. My trash doesn't stink anymore and I have free fertilizer for the garden and a soil enhance. You just can't beat that. I also make drinks out of it from honey and one time I used sorghum syrup and got a delicious wine/beer out of it. EM is definite on my favorite things list and everyone should have it. I also make fish fertilzer from it when I buy fish and gut the fish. I mix the fish with some EM and I have a product that will not stink up the place but will definitely ferment. It even bubbles up when you open it up.

Godbless,
Anwar