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A month or so ago Bruce and I attended our first free horticulture workshop at Christchurch Polytechnic Institute called “EM (effective microorganisms) and Bokashi”. This half day workshop, highly promoted by the Christchurch City Council, encourages folks to embrace this fascinating composting method which allows for the decomposition of food waste to take place in three weeks instead of three months. Too good to be true?
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Bokashi is a Japanese term meaning ‘fermented organic matter’. Food waste is placed in a dual bucket set, periodically splashed with some compost-zing bokashi mix (a bran-based material that has been fermented with EM liquid concentrate) and left to ferment in an airtight container before being buried in the ground. The juice produced from the fermenting food waste can be used to fertilize the garden and clean surface areas (the instructor swore it was great for cleaning toilets and kitchen counters).
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We eagerly bought a Bokashi bucket set along with some EM Concentrate and rushed home and started composting our food waste. It took about six weeks to fill up one bucket. Once a day we’d pour the days’ scraps into the bucket, sprinkle some mix on it, then squash it down. Every other day we’d pour off the liquid into one of the many drains or toilets. Ideally, we should have left the filled bucket to ferment for another two weeks before burying, but since we’re heading overseas, we skipped this process and just buried it into the ground. It should decompose into soil within3 - 4 weeks.
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A successful fermentation process will have a smell similar to that of pickles or cider vinegar. The food won’t look any different; it’s just been pickled. We didn’t mind the smell; Ken thought otherwise.
The Bokashi method of composting is being embraced in something like 100+ countries. It’s being used on huge produce & livestock farms to control pests and smells; successful implementations are doing away with the need for chemical fertilizers. I’d been wondering why we’d never heard about it in the States, but I did some snooping around and it looks like it is being used on a small scale level; it certainly hasn’t been embraced or promoted by the government like it has by the goverments of other countries. Hmmm, wonder why……..
Some resources for further exploration:
bruce Says:
June 13th, 2006 at 12:02 pmVisit bruce
There are a couple of interesting ways EM differs from normal composting methods. First, it’s anaerobic– without oxygen. Second, it’s not a heat producing process (ostensibly leaving more energy in the compost). Third, it uses lactic acid producing bacteria, among others (a complex of 90 or so different microorganisms) to produce an acidic environment that retards the growth of “putrefying” bacteria, the kind that smell. The acidity quickly goes neutral once it is buried in the ground.
We’re quite keen to see how it all works out! If it goes well, it’s a quick, smell-less (though less smell-aware people still tend to associate the odor with that of normal garbage — I think the smell is quite different, but I also like Durian), fly-less composting method.
Kung Foodie Says:
June 13th, 2006 at 9:21 pmVisit Kung Foodie
Excellent post. We really need to start some sort of sustainable living board to share more info like this.
I’d just been talking with D last month about finding a way to compost our food scraps. There was a great article I found on how to start a regular compost bin using a ‘no turn’ method (good for lazy busy folks like me). When I find it I’ll send you the link. It involved layering green yard waster with brown matter that included dry leaves as well as some dirt.
Kathy Says:
June 13th, 2006 at 11:06 pmVisit Kathy
Yeah, I’ve read a little about the no turn composting and we’re signed up for a class on other composting methods in September. I think an issue with no turn is that it takes months to make a good compost and it’s not good for meat scraps as it will attrack pests. Bokashi allows for meat scraps (no bones though). Doesn’t matter which method one uses, it’s just good sustainable practice to do some form of composting since most of our waste generated is organic matter. Diversion from landfills is good!
Looks like EM America is licensed to sell EM products in the States. Each country has their own concoction of EM liquid made from the good microorganisms found in their particular country. Generally there is one org/company within a country that mades the EM and distributes it.
PeterNZ Says:
June 27th, 2006 at 8:33 pmVisit PeterNZ
Hi guys,
great to hear from another EM lover in NZ. Just one thing I would love to clarify, bruce says in one of the comments:
PeterNZ Says:
June 27th, 2006 at 8:34 pmVisit PeterNZ
Sorry, the quote got lost in my above comment. Here it is:
“There are a couple of interesting ways EM differs from normal composting methods. First, it’s anaerobic– without oxygen. “