Bokashi

We got a couple of Bokashi buckets today.



What's a Bokashi bucket? I hear you say. It's a 20 litre sealable bucket for composting kitchen scraps. Where it differs from normal compost bins is that it ferments the waste, making it easier to break down when it goes into your garden, worm farm, or normal compost bin.

Most importantly, you can put meat scraps into it as well. Try that in a normal compost bin and it'll start to smell very quickly, as well as wriggle with maggots, etc.

It's very simple to use, you just tip your scraps in, sprinkle a layer of EM (effective micro-organisms) Bokashi over the top and put the lid on.

Now you could probably do the same in a normal bucket as long as you could seal it, something like a wine fermenter for example. If you did you'd have to put some kind of strainer at the bottom for the fluid to run out. You'll notice in the picture above that it has a tap at the bottom. The fluid that comes out can be used as a liquid fertiliser, or and get this, a drain cleaner. Honest, it says so on the website.

You need to buy a bag of the EM Bokashi regularly. The only source I've found it so far is the shops that sell the buckets online. Hopefully there'll be local sources for it eventually, or even an alternative that you can make up yourself.

I'll keep you posted on whether or not it works as advertised. I might even take some photos of the stuff inside if I get enough requests.

If you do decide to get one yourself, I suggest you order it from the website above. The other places selling it are resellers and seem to have a bit of a markup.

Oh, and one thing I didn't realise when I ordered the buckets last Thursday afternoon, The Queensland state government offers a rebate for them up to $50. Bargain!