Make your own Bokashi Powder

Today I attended the Bokashi course run by my local council...Shellharbour Council....I encourage you to check your local council and see what FREE courses they offer....Yes FREE!! This Bokashi course was totally free, and we got to bring home a whole heap of Bokashi Powder that we made on the day. You can't get any better than that. 

Notes from the course...
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THE BOKASHI BUCKET

You can compost almost every kitchen food waste including:

• fresh fruit and vegetables
• prepared foods
• cooked and uncooked meats and fish
• cheese
• eggs
• bread
• coffee grinds
• tea bags
• wilted flowers 
• tissues

 MAKING YOUR OWN BOKASHI MIX (EM Bokashi)  
((Any italics is my own words))

Original Recipe Bokashi Mix from Stephen Willis.

There are 3 mixes to prepare: 

a lactic acid, a wet mix and a dry mix.

HOW TO OBTAIN LACTIC ACID  (this was prepared ahead of time.)

• White Rice
• Wheat Bran 
• Water

1. Let water that has come from rinsing white rice (homebrand) sit for 5 days until it smells sour.

2. Mix some rice bran or wheat bran with the sour water and leave to float to the surface.

3. Remove floating bran or wheat. The Remaining Liquid is the LACTIC ACID.

To use lactic acid in Bokashi preparation: 

1. Mix one part lactic acid to two parts milk.

2. Leave for a few days until the milk protein separates from the water which can be removed from the top.

3. This leaves a creamy yellow water which you can use.

4. To keep, add equal parts of molasses or brown sugar and store in the fridge.

HOW TO MAKE THE WET MIX   (this was prepared ahead of time)

(In a milk carton add the following......)

• 2 litres water (pure rainwater or filtered water. Chlorine will kill the bacteria and fungi)
• 20 mls molasses or brown sugar (dissolved in the water)  
• 20 mls lactic acid

MIX THE FOLLOWING TO MAKE YOUR DRY MIX

In a large tub of about 80L size....Wearing garden gloves mix the following......

• 10 Litres of Rice Bran or Wheat Bran...(We used Wheat Bran...you can see the large 25kg bag of Horse Bran from the Produce Store for $14)
• 5 Litres of Fish Meal or Bone Meal or Chicken Manure (We used a bag of Chicken Manure from the Produce Store for $6)
• 5 Litres of seed remains after oil extraction of either Canola Seed or Soya, Sunflower, Sesame or Linseed (We used Linseed from the supermarket or health food store, but don't buy organic as it is not needed...Linseed is the cheapest option)

1. Mix dry ingredients in large bucket or crate

2. Combine with wet ingredients

3. Knead together until mixture becomes crumbly yet sticky, like a biscuit base

4. Put into a heavy duty garbage bag, remove all the air, seal and store for about 1-2 weeks inside a plastic tub with an airtight lid. Check after 5 or so days. When it is ready it will crumble to the touch. It will smell sweet and fermented when finished, even without opening the bag. Do not use if it is still fermenting. 

HERE ARE SOME PHOTOS I TOOK

WHILE WE WERE MAKING THE BOKASHI POWDER

Everything you need to make your own Bokashi Mix

Wheat Bran: Also sold as Horse Bran.

Adding the chicken manure

Taking turns mixing

Another happy student with her Bokashi Powder

L to R: Wet mix in Milk carton, plastic bags,
Linseed in 3 packets,
Jam jar lying down with sugar water mix &
Chicken Manure

HOW TO USE THE BOKASHI BUCKET

1. Place a 3 to 4 cm layer of organic wast on top of the grate before coating evenly with a layer of EM Bokashi.

2. Use approximately one handful of EM Bokashi to every layer of waste. Use more EM Bokashi when adding high protein foods such as meat, fish, cheese and eggs.

3. Press down to remove air after every application. A plastic Potato Masher from the op-shop is good for this.

4. Ensure that the lid is closed tightly after each application.

5. Repeat this layering process until the bucket is full, and top-up with a generous layer of EM Bokashi.

6. Frequently drain the Bokashi Juice that has accumulated in the bottom of the bucket.

7. Once the fermentation period is over, you will see that the food has been preserved and now has an appearance similar to pickles. This indicates The Bokashi Bucket composting process has been a success.