Tiaki Promise
As part of our commitment to the Tiaki Promise and being sustainable, we use the Bokashi composting system to manage food waste at Awatuna Sunset Lodge.
Having implemented Bokashi composting at a holiday park 8 years ago, we have been using the Bokashi as a way to eliminate food waste in both our personal and work life. The system, developed in Japan, involves fermenting organic matter using a sealed anaerobic system. The beauty of Bokashi is that you can compost basically all food scraps, apart from liquids and fats. This includes fish, meat, citrus, and small bones making it easy for guests to add all of their food scraps into the one composting bin in the guest kitchenette. Between veggies scraps that we give to our chooks (chickens), we have been able to eliminate all solid food waste from going to landfill.
Zing Bokashi
A grain mix called Zing Bokashi is added to all layers of the bucket which promotes the breakdown of the food. We collect food scraps in a sealed bin which we empty daily into the Bokashi bin which lives in our garden shed. The bucket is made up of two parts, the top bucket where you add food scraps has holes that drains all fluid. The bottom bucket is sealed and collects the Bokashi-rich juice. This juice can then be used every few days in a number of ways as a potent fertilizer for your plants and vegetables. It can also be added to your septic tank undiluted to keep the good bacteria breakdown the waste.
You start by sprinkling some Zing into the bottom of the top bucket, then adding a layer of food scraps. You then use an implement to squeeze out as much air and moisture and then seal the lid. This is repeated daily until the bucket is full. Once full, leave for 7-10 days to ferment. The process is then as easy as digging a hole and burying the matter with 75-100mm of soil to again keep any pests out. After about 4 weeks, you then have nutrient-rich compost. We generally dig it straight into our veggies beds and then grow delicious vegetables.
To find out more about using Bokashi at your home go to:
https://www.zingbokashi.co.nz/
