Natural Fertilizer. Bocashi in Central America

The soil’s second chance

One strategy to replenish and maintain soil fertility involves the creation of bocashi. This highly effective and inexpensive natural fertiliser can be made from readily-available materials, including manure, coffee pulp, or rice hulls, together with yeast and molasses. These are then mixed with healthy soil. The yeast feeds on the molasses during a 15-day fermentation and decomposition process, aided by mixing manually twice-a-day. The bocashi mix is then added to crops, and yields either match or improve upon those obtained with chemical fertilisers – at a fraction of the cost.

A young farmer inspects his maize crop, which has benefited from the application of bocashi

 

Source: Learning not to burn – transforming land and livelihoods in Central America

(Note: This is another example of “cutting the EM hype”, as the method described is a simple farm compost recipe. It involves fermenting to avoid putrefaction. No more, no less. In this case, using yeast.)

Bokashi Compost (Nicaragua)

ABONO BOCASHI

INGREDIENTS:
ingredients for making 16 sacks of compost in 15 days.
5 sacks rice hulls or dried grass or leaves
5 sacks fertile soil
5 sacks cow or chicken manure or both
1.5 sacks carbon (charcoal from fire)
23 lbs. semolina
10 lbs. lime
5 lbs. sugar
172 lb. yeast
optional: spent coffee grounds

CONDITIONS OF COMPOST SITE:
choose a spot protected from the sun, wind, and rain or prepare outdoors and cover with black plastic. Work in a site with firm ground bemeath.

PROCEDURE:
Layer the materials, keeping in mind a good mix between green and brown materials. Water should be added to drier layers, not building the pile higher than 50 centimenters.
Mix the sugar and yeast in water and pour lightly and homogenously over the top of pile and mix to spread the mixture to all parts of pile, thus beginning the fermentation.
Once finished, begin to turn the pile twice daily for 5 days and then once daily for 7 days.
Let the pile sit for 3 days.
The pile should always feel moist and warm in the center.
Test pile to make sure everything is well mixed and decomposed.
Place compost into sacks, protected from sun and rain until used.
The compost should not be left for more than 3 months.

Source: Puddle Jumping in Nicaragua Abono Bocashi

(Note: This is another example of “cutting the EM hype”, as the method described is a simple farm compost recipe. It involves fermenting to avoid putrefaction. No more, no less. In this case, using yeast.)