Making Bokashi Bran on Lower Blakemere Farm

 

At Lower Blakemere Farm, making Bokashi Bran is a vital part of what we do, not just for the farm but for our company, Wiggly Wigglers, as well. It’s a key ingredient in our mission to help people live more sustainably, and we’re proud to produce it right here on the farm. Here’s how  we make it, from start to finish.

If you’re not familiar with it, Bokashi Bran is a type of fermentation starter for composting, used to help break down organic waste (especially kitchen waste) into rich, nutrient-dense compost. It’s a crucial ingredient for anyone wanting to set up a Bokashi kit at home, and we make it in bulk – around 3 tonnes at a time!

What’s in Bokashi Bran?
At its heart, Bokashi Bran is quite simple. It’s essentially wheat bran inoculated with effective microorganisms (EM). These microorganisms are the key players in the fermentation process. For the mixture, we use:

  • Wheat bran (locally sourced, of course!)
  • Molasses (this acts as a food source for the microorganisms)
  • Water (to bring the mixture to the right moisture content)
  • Effective microorganisms (EM1), a special blend developed by Dr. Teruo Higa in Japan during the 1980s, which plays a crucial role in breaking down organic waste.

Everything we need is mixed and prepared here on the farm. Since we’re based in the countryside, sustainability is always at the front of our minds. Using locally sourced ingredients keeps our carbon footprint low, and by making Bokashi Bran ourselves, we ensure quality from start to finish.

The Machinery – Mixing it all Together
To mix everything, we’ve got a hefty, industrial-scale mixer that does the hard work for us. This isn’t a kitchen blender we’re talking about – this machine is a bit of a beast! It’s designed for agricultural use, capable of handling a 3-tonne batch of wheat bran at once. The machine ensures that the molasses, water, and microorganisms are evenly distributed throughout the bran.

Getting the mixture just right is key. Too much moisture and the bran becomes sticky and difficult to work with, too little and the microorganisms won’t activate properly. Luckily, after making tonnes of the stuff, we’ve gotten pretty good at getting the perfect consistency.

Fermentation on the Yard
Once the bran is mixed, we move on to the fermentation process. The wet, inoculated bran is conveyed into 9 large silage bags. Each bag is vacuum-sealed, similar to how you’d pack something with a vacuum sealer, to remove any air and create the perfect anaerobic environment for fermentation. Once sealed, we place the bags onto pallets for easy handling and move them out onto the yard to ferment for 2-3 weeks. It’s during this time that the microorganisms come to life and start multiplying.

Fermenting 3 tonnes at a time is no small feat! It’s a bit like managing a small farm of its own – the microorganisms are our invisible livestock, and they need the right conditions to thrive. By fermenting in such large quantities, we can provide Bokashi Bran to plenty of local customers and eco-friendly households, keeping waste out of landfills.

Drying in the Grain Store
Once the fermentation process is complete, it’s time to dry the bran. This is done in our grain store, where we have plenty of space and controlled conditions. The drying process is crucial because it halts the fermentation at just the right point. If the bran stays too wet, it will continue fermenting, which isn’t what we want.

We spread the bran out and let it dry naturally over a couple of days. Once dry, it’s ready to be bagged up and sent out to customers. Making 3 tonnes at a time means we always have a good stock of Bokashi Bran ready for anyone wanting to set up their own Bokashi kit at home.

Several companies offer wet Bokashi Bran, which has its pros and cons. While the wet version is immediately active, it’s messier, harder to store, and has a shorter shelf life due to its moisture content. In contrast, dry Bokashi Bran is easy to store, lasts longer, and is simple to apply. Once added to your kitchen waste, the microorganisms reactivate and work just as effectively, making dry Bokashi Bran a more practical and user-friendly option for home composting.

Why Use Bokashi Bran in Your Kitchen Waste?

Now that you know how we make it, let’s talk about why you might want to use Bokashi Bran in your own kitchen. If you’re familiar with traditional composting, you’ll know that not everything can go into your compost bin – things like meat, dairy, and cooked foods are a no-go. But with a Bokashi kit, you can compost pretty much all of your kitchen waste.

Here’s how it works: you add a sprinkle of Bokashi Bran to your kitchen waste inside a special airtight bin. The bran ferments the waste rather than letting it rot. This means it breaks down more quickly and with less smell than traditional composting. Plus, it can handle tricky foods like meat and dairy that regular compost bins can’t process.
Once the bin is full, the contents are left to ferment for around two weeks. After that, you can either bury it in your garden, where it will break down even further, enriching the soil, or add it to a compost heap for extra nutrient-boosting power.

Benefits of Bokashi Bran for Home Composting
1.     Less Waste – Using a Bokashi kit helps reduce the amount of waste going to landfill. Since you can compost all your kitchen scraps, there’s less waste heading to the rubbish bin.
2.     Rich Compost – The end result of using Bokashi Bran is a nutrient-dense compost that enriches your soil, perfect for gardeners looking to boost plant health.
3.     Odour-Free – Because it’s an anaerobic process (no air needed), you won’t get that nasty rotting smell that can come from traditional composting methods.
4.     Eco-Friendly – Bokashi Bran helps you turn food waste into something valuable. It’s a simple step towards living more sustainably.
5.     Quick Results – Bokashi composting works much faster than regular composting. With just a couple of weeks to ferment in the bin and a little extra time in the soil, you’ll have usable compost in no time.

At Lower Blakemere Farm, we’re passionate about helping households cut down on waste and give back to the environment. Making our own Bokashi Bran and seeing how it’s helping people live more sustainably is incredibly rewarding.

If you’re interested in trying it yourself, why not order a bag of our farm-made Bokashi Bran from Wiggly Wigglers? We’ve got plenty – all thanks to that industrial mixer, a big yard, and a grain store full of the stuff!