The beauty of growing extends beyond crop production, encompassing the plants, the environment, and the gift that allows it all – the soil. Andy Hewett’s journey into the microscopic world of soil revitalised his garden and restored his health.
Like many beginners, his initial attempts at composting yielded unimpressive results – ‘anaerobic slop’ as he described it. Then, he discovered the Bokashi method. This technique involves anaerobic digestion of food waste before mixing it with carbon sources like wood chips. Andy progressed to creating “inoculation-grade” compost, which builds fungal mass over time, allowing delicate fungal hyphae to develop complex structures undisturbed.
Andy is a tree surgeon and applied his professional knowledge to composting. He learned to balance quick-release bacterial decomposition with long-term fungal processes, using inputs like calcium, rock dust, and different grades of wood chips. Larger tree chips are a longer-lasting food source, and it’s best to avoid conifer species and let the woodchips age for at least six months.
As time passed, he adopted Johnson-Su bioreactors, which require no turning and produce superior compost. Using a handful of finished compost per bucket of water efficiently inoculates large areas, gently disturbing the soil before application to help microbes penetrate more easily.
While Andy mastered soil microbiology, his gut microbiome needed attention. His health struggles included multiple surgeries, skin infections, prolonged antibiotic use, a near-sepsis experience and dread that affected both his work and personal life. He came across fermented foods and linked them to correlations in soil. As he incorporated fermented foods like kimchi and sauerkraut into his diet, things began to shift.
The results were remarkable: improved skin condition, fewer infections, reduced hospital visits, enhanced mood, and improved quality of life. Today, Andy grows his food in his backyard “allotment,” producing tomatoes, courgettes, cucumbers, and microgreens year-round. He creates his pharmacy and prepares ferments in batches, further healing his gut. Andy’s philosophy centres on cultivating the healthiest possible soil, promoting his own health.
Composting is both prevention and cure—just as one can restore soil through beneficial bacteria inoculation, so can one rejuvenate the human body.