Composting in Amsterdam Nieuw-West
The Composting Site
At Kaskantine we compost garden clippings and food waste that can't be salvaged or is leftover from the food rescue and the Bokashi Club member bins.
Our composting methods vary depending on the time of year and the type of material that needs to be composted. We believe no one method is inherently superior. It's a matter of preference, climate, and physical capabilities.
At Kaskantine we compost garden clippings and food waste that can't be salvaged or is leftover from the food rescue and the Bokashi Club member bins.
Our composting methods vary depending on the time of year and the type of material that needs to be composted. We believe no one method is inherently superior. It's a matter of preference, climate, and physical capabilities.
What We Do
Our composting site serves 4 purposes:
We experiment with different ways of processing so people can learn how to separate organic waste or compost in Amsterdam on their apartment balcony or garden.
We give workshops focused on the situation of urban composting.
The compost is then applied to the garden.
Our composting site serves 4 purposes:
- Processing food scraps from Bokashi Club member bins
- Processing left overs from the food rescue
- Education - teaching urban composting methods through workshops and experimentation
- Compost production for the garden
We experiment with different ways of processing so people can learn how to separate organic waste or compost in Amsterdam on their apartment balcony or garden.
We give workshops focused on the situation of urban composting.
The compost is then applied to the garden.
Bokashi
Bokashi is a method of fermenting kitchen waste using specific types of micro-organisms, and is done in an airtight container. It can handle a wide range of food scraps, including skins of citrus fruits.
We use it mostly as storage for food waste before we can process it. Food waste rots and stinks super fast, but when added to a Bokashi bin, it gets fermented, so we decide when to process it. It creates less stress for us, doesn't attract rats, and doesn't smell.
Because the bin is airtight, Bokashi is an excellent method for composting in apartments. That's why we use it in our Bokashi Club program.
For Bokashi Club Members
We lend a Bokashi bin to our Bokashi Club members as part of the membership. Members ferment their food waste at home and bring the full bins to us. We clean the bins and handle the second stage of processing.
If you want to become a member of the Bokashi Compost Club, please visit this page.
The Challenge with Bokashi
The challenge with Bokashi is the second stage. That's when the fermented mass has to be composted. Many people are unaware of this second stage or don't have a way to process it. That's the problem our Bokashi Club solves.
We use it mostly as storage for food waste before we can process it. Food waste rots and stinks super fast, but when added to a Bokashi bin, it gets fermented, so we decide when to process it. It creates less stress for us, doesn't attract rats, and doesn't smell.
Because the bin is airtight, Bokashi is an excellent method for composting in apartments. That's why we use it in our Bokashi Club program.
For Bokashi Club Members
We lend a Bokashi bin to our Bokashi Club members as part of the membership. Members ferment their food waste at home and bring the full bins to us. We clean the bins and handle the second stage of processing.
If you want to become a member of the Bokashi Compost Club, please visit this page.
The Challenge with Bokashi
The challenge with Bokashi is the second stage. That's when the fermented mass has to be composted. Many people are unaware of this second stage or don't have a way to process it. That's the problem our Bokashi Club solves.
Bokashi Processing Methode 1 : Burying in the Garden
Ideally, ready fermented Bokashi gets buried in soil. But that's not always possible. If the garden is fully planted, or if the food waste isn't buried deep enough or not properly fermented, rats might come to dig it out.
We tried this method, and it's very effective, but not something that's useful for us in our situation.
We tried this method, and it's very effective, but not something that's useful for us in our situation.
Bokashi Processing Methode 2: Soil Factory
Soil Factory is a great method. It's similar to in-ground burial of ready fermented Bokashi, but this is being done in a closed container. Better for urban conditions.
We use the Soil Factory to process old container soil. Since we do not do crop rotation with our containers, we refresh the soil this way.
The worms will also find it if there are some holes for them to crawl in.
We use this method after the end of the season for most of the containers.
We use the Soil Factory to process old container soil. Since we do not do crop rotation with our containers, we refresh the soil this way.
The worms will also find it if there are some holes for them to crawl in.
We use this method after the end of the season for most of the containers.
Bokashi Processing Methode 3: Tumblers
Tumblers are insulated containers for compost that can be "tumbled" for aeration.
Although the volume of the container is much smaller than a hot compost pile, they also work for hot composting because their walls are heavily insulated so that the heat can build up easier.
The advantage of this type of composting is that it can be kept rodent-free easily because it is above ground and less heavy labor is involved in turning the mass.
This method is exclusively for food scraps as it's too small for garden waste. The downturn might be its high investment costs.
How We Use It
We use tumblers to process Bokashi Club member bins. To compost in this system, we always need to add a form of carbon (browns): wood chips or shredded cardboard.
Although the volume of the container is much smaller than a hot compost pile, they also work for hot composting because their walls are heavily insulated so that the heat can build up easier.
The advantage of this type of composting is that it can be kept rodent-free easily because it is above ground and less heavy labor is involved in turning the mass.
This method is exclusively for food scraps as it's too small for garden waste. The downturn might be its high investment costs.
How We Use It
We use tumblers to process Bokashi Club member bins. To compost in this system, we always need to add a form of carbon (browns): wood chips or shredded cardboard.
Vermicompost (Worm Farm)
Often referred to as the gold of the garden, we make worm compost in a worm farm made from an old cardboard box.
We feed them pre-digested scraps from the tumblers and the Bokashi pre-compost.
Worms are like pets and require careful attention. They can't handle certain types of kitchen scraps like onions and citrus. They shouldn't be overfed, and they need a certain humidity and temperature.
The worm compost is basically their castings, which are periodically sifted out.
Worm Tea
We also make "worm compost tea." We run our bins "dry," which means that there is no surplus liquid. We make aerated worm tea out of the worm castings.
This is an extract from worm castings and used as a powerful liquid fertilizer for our seedlings and in the garden.
We feed them pre-digested scraps from the tumblers and the Bokashi pre-compost.
Worms are like pets and require careful attention. They can't handle certain types of kitchen scraps like onions and citrus. They shouldn't be overfed, and they need a certain humidity and temperature.
The worm compost is basically their castings, which are periodically sifted out.
Worm Tea
We also make "worm compost tea." We run our bins "dry," which means that there is no surplus liquid. We make aerated worm tea out of the worm castings.
This is an extract from worm castings and used as a powerful liquid fertilizer for our seedlings and in the garden.
Hot Composting
Hot Compost in a Bay
Hot composting is processing organic waste in a way that is favorable for bacteria that thrive in heat. These bacteria can quickly heat up a compost pile until over 70 degrees.
The advantage of this type of composting is that it kills seeds, roots, and pathogens, so that you can use the compost safely in the garden.
The challenges are having all the materials available at once and turning the pile, which requires quite some physical effort.
The key for the optimum growth for these bacteria is to combine nitrogen-rich material (like kitchen waste) and carbon-rich materials (like wood chips) in a certain relation and make a pile of at least 1 m³.
How We Do It
This is our favorite way of making compost.
We build the hot pile all at once, then wait about 4 days until it heats up. Once the temperature rises, we start the first turn.
We turn the pile 5 times over about 2 weeks, keeping the temperature between 55 and 65 degrees Celsius.
After that, our job is done. Now it's up to all the insects, fungi, microorganisms, and worms to make it into compost. This stage, called maturing, takes the longest. We aim for a minimum of 6 months.
We have 6 bays. The compost gets moved through the first 3 bays during the hot phase, then further along, then it gets to rest for maturing.
This method is quite labor-intensive, but we found it to be the best way to process food waste and garden waste.
Hot composting is processing organic waste in a way that is favorable for bacteria that thrive in heat. These bacteria can quickly heat up a compost pile until over 70 degrees.
The advantage of this type of composting is that it kills seeds, roots, and pathogens, so that you can use the compost safely in the garden.
The challenges are having all the materials available at once and turning the pile, which requires quite some physical effort.
The key for the optimum growth for these bacteria is to combine nitrogen-rich material (like kitchen waste) and carbon-rich materials (like wood chips) in a certain relation and make a pile of at least 1 m³.
How We Do It
This is our favorite way of making compost.
We build the hot pile all at once, then wait about 4 days until it heats up. Once the temperature rises, we start the first turn.
We turn the pile 5 times over about 2 weeks, keeping the temperature between 55 and 65 degrees Celsius.
After that, our job is done. Now it's up to all the insects, fungi, microorganisms, and worms to make it into compost. This stage, called maturing, takes the longest. We aim for a minimum of 6 months.
We have 6 bays. The compost gets moved through the first 3 bays during the hot phase, then further along, then it gets to rest for maturing.
This method is quite labor-intensive, but we found it to be the best way to process food waste and garden waste.
Cold Compost- Passive Compost
Passive compost, or cold compost, is the compost that has not so much bacterial activity because it very rarely heats up. But with time, it also makes great compost.
If seeding weeds and plants or diseased crop residue is being added, the compost might show seeds or disease since there was no heating up.
This method of composting is the most common method in gardens because waste is rarely generated in a mass. If the material is being chopped small and if the pile gets aerated and kept moist, the process could be sped up.
How We Use It
This method we never use for food waste, just for garden clippings and leaves.
There always needs to be a bin of cold compost.
If seeding weeds and plants or diseased crop residue is being added, the compost might show seeds or disease since there was no heating up.
This method of composting is the most common method in gardens because waste is rarely generated in a mass. If the material is being chopped small and if the pile gets aerated and kept moist, the process could be sped up.
How We Use It
This method we never use for food waste, just for garden clippings and leaves.
There always needs to be a bin of cold compost.
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