Chapter 14: Early Spring Preparations(2)
TL: Hanguk
“Air fertilizer pack?”
“Yes. To put it simply, you can think of it as a kind of inoculant.”
What I am trying to make now is an inoculant(starter) with the long name of Biological Nitrogen Fixation(BNF) Microbial Consortium 2.0.
“Inoculant... you mean that starter, right?”
As expected, all the studying Dad has been doing paid off.
“That’s right. Simply put, as Dad already knows, what’s important to plants is a nutrient called nitrogen in the air, but plants can’t use the nitrogen in the air directly. There are microorganisms that make it usable, and if you mix those microorganisms well and supply them to the grapevine roots, you can use much less chemical fertilizer.”
At this point, Mom asked.
“What’s an inoculant?”
“Ah, well, there are microorganisms that are beneficial to crop growth, doing things like supplying nutrients, fixing nitrogen, and suppressing harmful bacteria, right? Products or materials made centered around those microorganisms are what inoculants are. If you compare it to a game, it’s like when you start and they give you five gacha pulls and stuff like that... Or like when someone sets up all the various seasonings Mom needs when she cooks. I guess that’s the kind of feeling.”
“Oh, I get what you mean. So it’s like a nutritional supplement?”
“Th~at’s right.”
“But that charcoal thing, you know. Biochar. What’s the difference between that and this?”
I clapped my hands and grinned.
“Great question! If you think of biochar compound fertilizer as making the soil into a kind of... Ah! A piggy bank, then it’s about making that piggy bank sturdy. But the air fertilizer pack is like putting allowance into the piggy bank every day.”
“Then the effect must be amazing?”
Amazing indeed. There are research results showing that in corn fields in the Midwestern United States, nitrogen fertilizer was reduced by 30~40% and yet yields actually increased using this method. But it’s not something I can say out loud.
“Of course~”
That was as far as I could talk about it.
“That’s incredible. So you’re making that now?”
In response to Mom’s question, I confidently pointed at the plastic container I had prepared.
“That’s why I went out with Dad and prepared this in advance. Inside this container, I mixed microorganisms like nitrogen-fixing bacteria(Azospirillum), Bacillus(Bacillus), and fluorescent bacteria(Pseudomonas). I specially obtained them from the agricultural science department laboratory at school.”
Dad looked at the container with suspicious eyes.
“Does this... really work? It just looks like water.”
“It looks like water right now, but if you culture it for about 48 hours, an enormous number of microorganisms will grow. Now, watch closely.”
I opened the container and took out a bottle of molasses to show them.
“From here, you add molasses at about a 1% ratio, and if you mix the water and the microbial culture well, the cultivation starts. And the important thing is aeration, supplying oxygen.”
I put the small aquarium pump I had prepared beforehand into the plastic container. To get this aquarium pump, I had gone downtown and bought it cheaply secondhand myself. As bubbles started to rise, Mom smiled and said
“What is this, it’s just like an aquarium? Does this make the microorganisms come alive?”
“That’s right. To be precise, the microorganisms actively proliferate. If you maintain 28 degrees for about 48 hours, they grow enough to supply nitrogen to the grapevines.”
Dad asked while diligently filming with the camera.
“Hm, then do you spray this directly on the Vineyard right away?”
“No. First, you have to mix it with compost or irrigation water before using it. If you mix it with compost, it’s best to let it mature in the shade for about 12 hours before use. That way, nutrients are supplied directly to the roots without initial nitrogen deficiency.”
Mom nodded, looking like she was deep in thought.
“Then how often do you need to apply these microorganisms?”
“Exactly twice a year is enough. The first time is once when you turn over the soil after the grapevines’ dormancy ends, and the second time is when the new shoots grow to about 5cm, supplying it through drip irrigation. Since it’s early spring now, it’s exactly the time to do the first application.”
“Our son is really the best!”
“It’s something I learned at school, but when I looked into it, they say there aren’t any nearby grape farms using this technique yet. So just like the biochar compound fertilizer, please don’t tell anyone about this either.”
Dad nodded while holding the camera.
“Of course, of course. You’re not supposed to casually tell people your trade secrets anyway. But why aren’t the other farms using it?”
“They stick to the existing methods because the current pesticides are enough. Trying something new is a hassle, and they’re not sure how effective it really is.”
“But is it really certain if we try this?”
“Of course it is. Just like I told you before, how did things turn out with the pest control?”
Mom broadly gestured toward the Vineyard.
“Don’t even get me started. It healed up completely. Just doing things the way our son said made things unbelievably better.”
“Hahaha! Exactly. For now, let’s leave this as it is and go check the really important thing.”
“Woo-Seok, Mom’s heart is already fluttering~”
“Oh come on, it must have turned out well. Why are you already so nervous?”
“Dad’s nervous too.”
Dad, holding his phone, also had quite a tense expression. I chuckled softly and headed toward the storage building with them.
After passing through the Vineyard and arriving in front of the winery building connected to the storage, Mom stood there anxiously with her hands clasped together.
“Woo-Seok, it’s going to be okay, right?”
“Of course. There won’t be any problems.”
I nodded reassuringly to my parents and opened the storage door. As the door opened, the uniquely sour and deep aroma of aged grapes gently flowed out of the storage.
“Oh my, it smells nice?”
Mom already smiled brightly, full of anticipation. I quietly walked over and stood in front of the large stainless steel fermentation tank. Memories resurfaced of how I had steadily checked the air vent at the top of the tank over the past few months, managing it so that acetic acid fermentation would proceed smoothly.
Carefully opening the small air stopper at the top of the tank, a rich and sharp fragrance unique to grape vinegar instantly rose up from above the sediment and the dark purplish liquid below.
“Wow... the smell is incredible.”
Dad said in an admiring voice while sniffing the air. Mom also peered into the tank with a face full of expectation.
Calmly, I inserted a long stainless steel spoon deep into the tank. I stirred gently, scooped up some vinegar, and poured it into a glass. Sunlight passed through the clear glass, illuminating the vinegar’s clean and vivid color. The deep ruby hue of the grapes, intensified by long aging, was extremely impressive.
First, I carefully brought the glass to my nose and inhaled the aroma. Within the sharp, sour scent of acetic acid, I could sense the subtle spread of sweet and complex grape notes.
‘This is excellent.’
My heart started pounding, but without showing it, I lightly held the vinegar in my mouth. The moment it touched my tongue, a crisp and clean acidity pricked it slightly. But soon after, the rich grape aroma and the gentle sweetness of fruit spread throughout my mouth.
Without realizing it, I closed my eyes and savored the taste of the vinegar.
“Woo-Seok, how is it? Is it okay?”
At Dad’s urgent question, I slowly opened my eyes. When I smiled brightly, my parents let out sighs of relief at the same time.
“It’s good. No, it’s much better than I expected. I didn’t even imagine it would turn out this high in quality, even though we used grapes with low commercial value.”
At my words, Dad excitedly raised the camera closer and said,
“Really? Let me have a sip too.”
Mom immediately picked up two more glasses, and I smiled as I poured the vinegar so my parents could taste it. The two of them tasted the vinegar from their glasses with tense expressions, then immediately opened their eyes wide.
“Oh my, it’s much tastier than I thought. I expected it to be just really sour, but the aroma is so good.”
“Our son really did it! This is really good!”
Seeing my family’s joyful expressions made my heart swell, but at the same time, I gave a slightly awkward smile. I had been confident in myself, of course, but I hadn’t expected the finished vinegar to show such outstanding quality.
“That’s a relief. Honestly, we were lucky. Managing the temperature and air contact properly during the acetic acid fermentation process wasn’t easy, so I’m really glad the results turned out this well.”
“With how meticulously you took care of it, how could it not turn out well? You came and checked it every single day for months without missing a day.”
Mom patted my shoulder with satisfaction and praised me, and I slightly turned my head, feeling a bit awkward.
“I’m a farmer, so of course I have to keep checking whatever I put my hands on. Dad, Mom already did the pruning and vine organization, and even reinforced the supports and wires. Do you think I’d just sit around?”
“Just listen to how our son talks. So does that mean we’ll be selling this now?”
“It’s good as it is now, but I’m going to let it age for exactly two more months. Then the flavor will deepen and the taste will become smoother.”
“Even more than now?”
“Yes. And until then, we also need to think about the bottle design and make the labels. I’ll try handling that at school, so don’t worry. Once everything’s decided, Dad and I can approach the department stores together.”
Dad turned off the camera with an excited expression, brought the sour vinegar to his mouth once more, and said with a thrilled look,
“Even drinking it again, it’s incredible. Absolutely incredible.”
Watching my dad happy made me wonder what I had been doing before my regression. He was this happy over such a small success, and yet he hadn’t rested all winter...
“Soon, a lot of people will get to taste it.”
Saying that, I closed the winery door and sent a message to Chloe.
-Do you think you can beat your brother?
After bottling the finished vinegar and thoroughly cleaning the winery, if we brew a batch of cherry wine, I figured we could keep the winery running for about five months until the grape harvest.
Of course, that’s assuming Chloe wins. Well... wouldn’t she obviously win?
But then,
Wooooong-
The message that arrived along with a vibration strong enough to make my butt cheeks tremble snapped me out of my complacency.
- I was just about to contact you too. Can you come to the farm right away? There’s a strange pest spreading!
***** TL: Merry Christmas to each and every one of you! 🎄🎅
*****
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