Extreme Bokashi - make your own innoculant

[TheLorax]

I read this thread and was excited. I made a bokashi bucket out of 5 gallon paint buckets. I'm glad you posted here. It came up in my watch threads to remind me I need to do this with all of you.

[Equilibrium]

Mine isn't as milky looking as yours. I let it sit for 15 minutes and drained it. I have it out in my garage where the temps are in the 40's to 50's. Are the garage temps too cool?

[biigblueyes]

Honestly, I don't know. But in general, yeast, bacteria, mold, etc grow faster when it's warmer. I'd say if it's cooler, go with the longer time frame. This step suggests 4-8 days. Go the full 8 days.

[Equilibrium]

I will move my rice water into the cabinet underneath the kitchen sink.

[biigblueyes]

Yesterday afternoon I took my rice water, which had been sitting in a dark place for a week or so and drained it. I measured it (5 oz)and added 10 times as much milk, transferring it to a pitcher and put it back in the dark place.

I peeked this morning, and it's already solidifying. It's much thicker than buttermilk already - you can see bubbles trapped along the side as it thickened. I'll leave it there 2 weeks to separate the solids from the liquid.

[Equilibrium]

I can't wait to have a bubbling buttermilk looking concoction. I moved mine inside. I'll give it another 5 days.

[biigblueyes]

Who here makes homemade yogurt, cheese, etc? This concoction started with water drained off from rinsing rice, was allowed to collect natural lactobaccillus and ferment a while, then milk was added, more fermenation time and it's starting to solidify,then the liquid will be drained off as Lactobaccillus serum, and I'm to throw away the milk curd. The alternative was to use the whey left over from making yogurt cheese.

My assumption is that the milk curd may be similar to a yogurt cheese. Can anyone think of a reason it wouldn't be safe for me to taste it?

[havalotta]

I had thought curds and wey was cottage cheese. Some press the curd into a more solid (but soft yet) brick. The whey just drains out.

[doccat5]

Mine isn't as milky looking as yours. I let it sit for 15 minutes and drained it. I have it out in my garage where the temps are in the 40's to 50's. Are the garage temps too cool?

Needs to be about 60-70 degrees to work. I put mine next to my propane water heater. Works like a charm.

Biigblueeyes, how are you going to measure the ph of your homemade bokashi? It needs to be about a ph of 3 for optimum growth of the microbes.

[Equilibrium]

Won't the acidity rise to the appropriate level when the lactic acid begins being produced by the bacteria? I have a pH meter. I can test it.