We teach people to grow using what nature already provides.
The Pure KNF Foundation is a small nonprofit with a big belief: that Korean Natural Farming — a practice where farmers make their own biological solutions from local materials — can feed the world without chemical dependency. We run education programs, support research, and build community around this work.
Our Roots
Korean Natural Farming was developed by Master Cho Han-Kyu over more than sixty years of research and practice in South Korea. His approach is simple but radical: farmers can make their own biological inputs — from indigenous microorganisms, plant extracts, and fermented solutions — using materials found in their own environment. No factory, no supply chain, no dependency.
Master Cho's work spread across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, reaching millions of farmers. But English-language resources remained scarce and scattered. In Hawaiʻi, a small group of practitioners who had studied directly with Master Cho began teaching his methods through community workshops and weekly office hours.
The Pure KNF Foundation was established in 2019 to preserve this knowledge and make it accessible to anyone who wants to learn. What started as informal gatherings at the Komohana Research & Extension Center in Hilo has grown into a structured education, research, and certification program serving practitioners worldwide.
We carry forward Master Cho's vision: that farming should be simple, self-reliant, and in harmony with life.
What we do
Monthly Meetings in Hilo
Free, hands-on gatherings every second Tuesday at the Komohana Research & Extension Center. Education, demos, potluck. Open to everyone.
Online Members' Meetings
Monthly Zoom sessions for Foundation members worldwide. Recordings available in the library.
KNF Office Hours
The longest-running KNF education program in English. Weekly sessions — hundreds of hours archived and searchable.
Research Program
Structured field research in partnership with UH CTAHR and County researchers — building the scientific case for KNF.
Certification
L1 and L2 certification programs that set a standard for KNF knowledge and practice.
Who we are
This work happens because people believe in it.
Every program is volunteer-run and member-funded. Join the Foundation and help us get KNF knowledge into more hands.