Newspaper Bokashi

Bokashi composting is great for converting otherwise uncompostable food waste into fertility. Essentially, if I can convert stuff I've already bought (and am going to throw away) into nutrients for my garden instead of buying in, that's got to be good.

I promised instructions on how to use newspaper instead of buying inoculated bran to ferment the bin contents.

Dried inoculated newspaper, ready to use

I used the instructions here but use whey strained from live yoghurt rather than procuring my own wild lactobacillus. There is a limit to my willingness to DIY!

It's very straightforward-

Mix 1 part live yoghurt whey with 1 part molasses (energy for the bacteria) and 6 parts water.

Cut the paper to a convenient size. Use paper packaging, whatever you have. I cut the tabloid-size newspaper sheets into 4 and layer them in a roasting tray. Pour the whey and molasses mix over making sure all the paper is well soaked then drain well. (I put them on a cake rack on the draining board). They will tear a bit once wet but don't worry, just handle them as carefully as possible whilst making sure any piles are soaked all the way through,

 Then put them in an old sealable plastic bag, pushing the air out before sealing, and keep it in a cupboard for a fortnight. It needs to be in a cool dark place for 10-14 days.

Ready to ferment

Separate the sheets out and dry them and they'll keep in an airtight container indefinitely.

Any leftover whey mixture can be frozen.

Layer the food scraps in the Bokashi bin with enough newspaper to cover, press down and continue layering until full. 

Seal the bin and leave to ferment before using as here.

Happy pickling!