Literally "fermented compost", bokashi has it's origins in the natural farming methods traditionally practiced in Korea, and in the discovery of essential microorganisms in Japan by Dr. Teruo Higa in the 1980's. Dr. Higa's special blend of EM (efficient microorganisms) came out of studying the ways that microorganisms were beneficial to plant growth by allowing minerals and nutrients to become bio-available to plants. His blend was first used in 1982 in Japan and now is marketed in 120 countries worldwide. As bokashi compost is a fermented or anaerobic compost, products such as meat and dairy products can be added to the mix, unlike traditional compost. 

Bokashi compost is a great way to recycle organic scraps, particularly in gardens where size is an issue. After 2 weeks fermentation in the buckets, the fermented scraps can be added directly into the garden and planted on after another 10 to 14 days. This allows for the nutrients in the food scraps to be directly added to the garden, rather than diluted through the process of decomposition. The result is an efficient composting system which delivers high fertility for the garden.