Exploring Bokashi- A simple Food Waste Reduction Process
Individual actions we take, and the choices we make have an impact on the environment. Collectively, our daily behaviors can contribute to improving the quality of life for all living things—in the Puget Sound region, our community, Preserve lands, and in our own backyards! That’s why aligning our goals and our behaviors is a core value for Friends of Miller Bay. Consider the environment when making decisions and taking action. This issue we’re highlighting a pre-composting process utilizing fermentation to speed up composting, reduce food waste and provide valuable nutrients to your garden!
In our household, we’ve been working on reducing our waste. We quickly figured out that our recycling is about 3 times more than our “garbage”. A closer look, revealed that food scraps constituted a large portion of our bi-weekly waste. Our yard compost area simply can-not accommodate all our food scrap waste—so we decided to do something about that!
Last Spring we took a Washington State Kitsap Extension Class on Bokashi! The evening was informative, motivating and with hands-on activities, we walked away with our very own homemade ‘Bokashi Bran’ (see recipe). Bokashi is a way to manage food scraps in a “Pre-Composting” method. It is an anaerobic process that actually ferments the scraps, which reduces the volume, is relatively odor-free and does not attract rodents or other wildlife to your garden. Bokashi works in small spaces and the “closed” airtight system can be used and stored in your home! It’s also pretty quick (2-4 weeks to collect & ferment, 2 weeks for soil integration) and accelerates material break down faster, which creates finished compost faster. Bokashi uses effective microorganisms that are beneficial to standard compost piles. Another key feature of Bokashi is it takes all food scraps including meat, bones, dairy, citrus, alliums, garlic, oily foods and even cooked food! It’s handy to use a countertop bin to collect daily scraps, and then, when full, move it to the Bokashi Bin. We keep our Bokashi Bucket in the Laundry room, right off the Kitchen, and use a smaller, charcoal filtered scrap pail next to the sink on the countertop.
Why Use Bokashi Composting?
Pros Cons
Takes all food scraps
The “pickled” bokashi does not attract
animals to your compost pile
Accelerator helps create finished compost
Minimal odor
Works in small spaces
Produces nutrient-rich material
Cons
Not a ‘stand-alone’ method of composting
Not a good solution for yard waste
Bokashi Bran can be costly/DIY takes time!
The Process:
A Bokashi Bucket is an airtight container with a lid, a grate to separate food scraps from the liquid produced, and a “tap” to drain the by-product liquid, called Bokashi “tea”. Bokashi Buckets are available for purchase from several sources online, or you can try making your own with a 5-gallon bucket (caution- the spigot must be tight and not leak!)
Step 1: Collect kitchen food scraps in counter collection bin
Step 2: Add a full “collection” bin of scraps to the Bokashi Bucket— Sprinkle with Bokashi Bran
Step 3 : Mash down the scraps to compress scraps and remove air
Step 4: Re-Seal airtight!
Every few days, DRAIN liquid using the spigot. This step will create a vacuum, further removing oxygen. The drained “tea” may then be used at a ratio of 1:100 to fertilize your garden plants, or soil.
Once the Bokashi Bucket is full, leave it to ferment for 4 weeks.
After Fermentation:
When your Bokashi is ready, there is one final step! It needs 2 weeks additional time for soil integration. There are several options you can choose:
Bury directly into a hole, covered with 15 inches of soil, and WAIT 2 weeks before planting, or mixing that soil into your garden.
Use a trench method, add Bokashi and WAIT 2 weeks before planting.
Add it directly to your compost pile.
Use in potting mix (after WAITING 2 weeks).
Bury a Bucket with holes drilled in the sides and let it seep into the planting bed. WAIT 2 weeks, then mix with soil and distribute.
Washington State Kitsap Extension offers an entire suite of courses on soil and decay, Composting, Vermiculture and Bokashi. Check out their listings at:
By Sheri Flynn
