Comments on: Bokashi Update – Feb 21, 2008

By: Compost Guy

Compost Guy — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 14:47:00 +0000

Hi Sophe,
Apologies for your comment getting lost in the shuffle! No clue why it was held for moderation!

Thanks for the kudos, Al. The interview was an interesting experience!
8)

By: sophe

sophe — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 19:59:09 +0000

Can I suggest someone design a bokashi bucket that is a thing of beauty?
Something like the bokashi version of a Brabantia bin?
And with an more ‘snappy’, one-handed lid… those “ice cream tub” lids are a pain.
Not that I am complaining, I love Bokashi, but just as I like the earth beautiful, I like my kitchen beautiful, and I want the bokashi bin to be the object of desire that it deserves to be.
Perhaps this could harness our natural acquisitive tendencies to do good instead of harm?
Sorry if I’m shallow, but surely it can’t be a bad thing to harness my 21st century consumerist tendencies and turn them into something that helps, not harms the environment!?
I paid Â£60 for my pair of bokashi bins and and if I find a pair that are beautiful if a little more expensive, then I’ll pass the old ones on and thus convert more people to bokashi… sound fair!?

Re. the fur – my bokashi leaflet says that white fur is good, green fur is bad. Even using the ‘proper’ bokashi bucket, you still get air exposure when opening the lid. The mixture doesn’t get the chance to ferment properly (i.e. anaerobically) until the three week ‘rest period’. This is why the bokashi kits supply two buckets, so you can fill one (since you can’t avoid adding air during the fill process) while the other is fermenting anaeroically.

By: Simon Sherlock

Simon Sherlock — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 06:27:04 +0000

I get the white fur sometimes at the end of the fortnights ‘pickling’ and especially if I leave it any longer. I look at it as a sign that things are active in the bin.

By: Mark

Mark — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 21:54:33 +0000

Hi Compost Guy,
When you asked about the furring f the bokashi liquid I said I would find out why. After consulting with the oracle at Wiggly Wigglers, they said it would do this as it’s not meant to be stored and once air gets to it the micro things start producing the white fur.
Hopes this helps.

Cheers Mark

By: Al

Al — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 16:37:39 +0000

Ooops! Tracy, not Kate. Sorry about that

By: Al

Al — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 16:35:36 +0000

Kate B,

Here I am. Yes, holes are drilled in the bottom of the bucket, so liquid drains through to the bottom one. One of the reasons I decided to use that method was to provide a low cost option to the official bokashi bucket design. Fortunately, there are now lower cost bokashi buckets available – I have one – which I will be making available in the near future.

Congrats Bentley on your interview at GreenerBusiness http://www.greenerbusinessshow.org/ about composting
http://youtube.com/watch?v=k4RbhP_KHqo . Well done. They even included some of my images that appear on Flickr.

By: Compost Guy

Compost Guy — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 20:05:19 +0000

Tracy,
Al (Bokashiman) from Great Day used to stop by here quite a bit, and is in fact the person who supplied me with the liquid ‘friendly microbes’ I used to make my bokashi mixture. I’m not familiar with his 2 pail system though. I’m sure he’ll be able to help you out.

By: Tracy B

Tracy B — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 19:42:10 +0000

Hi,
I was looking at this site http://www.greatday.ca/ and if you look at the kit he is selling it consists of 2 pails and 1 lid. I have the exact same pails (recycled) and I was wondering if he has drilled holes. I will pop him an email and ask. Ever frugal (Scottish) I don’t want to buy a $75 dollar bucket and then find out that it doesn’t work for my situation 🙂

Thanks again for your help and suggestions.

Tracy

By: Compost Guy

Compost Guy — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 18:59:42 +0000

Hi Tracy,
I agree that bokashi has a lot of potential simply in terms of providing odorless, temporary storage for future worm food. I’m currently trying it out without a fancy spigot – we shall see how it turns out though. I added lots of shredded cardboard at the bottom of the bucket, but I imagine there will still be lots of smelly liquid pooled in the bottom when I finally empty it out.

Thanks for chiming in Simon – I definitely appreciate having experienced bokashi users share their wisdom.
8)

By: Simon Sherlock

Simon Sherlock — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 17:44:58 +0000

Tracy, Bokashi works anaerobically so if you did use two buckets it would need to be totally air tight or the process won’t work correctly. Plus, the liquid really , really stinks, which is a great reason for it all being tightly sealed in the bucket.