Here are two videos I made to introduce the new version of the do-it-yourself BSF bucket composter. I plan on making more videos as I operate this unit through the summer. For details about how to construct it see this page.
(click photo to navigate to the complete BSF Bio-Composter page)
I referred to my previous bucket composter as a “no frills” approach. This new version features everything needed for efficient and convenient BSF composting. The design is based on a typical 5 gallon bucket with lid, and other easy to find hardware items. I limited myself to new materials that I could find in national chain stores, but you can modify the design to take advantage of what you already have or what you can salvage.
I think the size of this composter is ideal for someone just learning about BSF composting. It can easily be moved as you find the best location, and there is less temptation to overload it with food scraps, something that I believe is a very common mistake with larger units. If you do feel like you want a larger unit you can simply apply the concepts for this bucket to a larger storage container. Later this year I will also design and publish details for a larger unit.
To learn more about constructing this composter navigate to the BSF Bucket BioComposter page. Please use that page for comments and questions.
(Virtual Scratch n’ Sniff v6.2)
It’s more accurate to say that a black soldier fly composter has a subtle, earthy aroma, plus the smell of whatever waste you’re processing. Some people compare the basic odor of a BSF colony to wet straw, but the main point is that it is not an offensive odor. If you’re smelling something foul in your BSF composter it’s not the larvae or their castings, it’s something else such as anaerobic bacteria and you need to change how you’re managing the system.
If you added the food shown above to a properly functioning BSF composter it would smell like those foods more than anything else. I realize you won’t be processing fresh food like that pictured above, but the point is that if you did then the aroma would be very similar to the fresh product. For example, once I added an entire loaf of stale cinnamon bread to my 5 gallon DIY bucket composter which I keep by the back door of our house. I walked by the composter a few hours after adding the bread and I was surprised by the delicious aroma of cinnamon. It’s not that the odor was just tolerable, it was appealing. Most of the time you probably won’t be adding something as aromatic as cinnamon in large quantities, so for the most part you shouldn’t notice anything but the subtle odors of the food scraps you’re processing. If you add bad smelling waste to your BSF unit it will smell similarly bad until the waste has been consumed.
Chronic bad odors can occur in a BSF unit, but it is a sign of imbalance which can usually be remedied fairly quickly. I know that some people reading this will be skeptical, especially those who have tried working with BSF with limited success, but I assure you I’m not exaggerating. I’ll be working on this post more in the near future and I will list several references to back up my assertions. I will also cover the causes of bad odors in detail as well as the remedies. For now I’ll add a quick quote from Kelly Slocum, a lady who has worked extensively with earthworms and also has considerable experience with black soldier fly larvae:
“I’ve worked on a few BSF waste processing systems, two of which were designed so that raw waste (usually hog manure) was processed initially by the BSF larvae, the poop from which (pretty liquid-y stuff) was stabilized by earthworms. These are remarkably efficient systems that process massive volumes of material each day and render the smelliest waste materials essentially odorless in just a few hours. I cannot emphasize enough the benefit of these flies or their suitability for working in conjunction with earthworms!” – Kelly S (SOURCE)
If you have experience working with BSF and can confirm my claim that foul odors are not a necessary aspect of it I hope you will post a comment below describing your experience.
That’s all for now, but please check back soon!
Agroinnovations.com is a great source of information regarding sustainable agriculture. In addition to this podcast you can find 77 previous episodes that I think you’ll find very interesting.
“The Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) has many remarkable characteristics that make it useful to human beings. In this episode, I am joined by Jerry of blacksoldierflyblog.com. Jerry and I discuss the lifecycle, morphological characteristics, and population dynamics of the Black Soldier Fly. We also discuss strategies for attracting and managing a healthy colony. This is Part I in a two part series.”
“In the second part of my interview with Jerry from blacksoldierflyblog.com, we discuss use of BSF for decomposing manures, including human manure, the quality and volume of compost produced, fly larva as the primary product of BSF composting, biological racism against the Black Soldier Fly, and BSF with California Red Worms.”
Harvey Ussery recently authored an article titled “Black Soldier Fly, White Magic” first published in Backyard Poultry Magazine
The article in the October/November issue fills 4 pages and includes photos of a BSF adult (from this site), BSF larvae and a few of the BioPod™. I especially liked the title “Black Soldier Fly, White Magic”. In addition to my photos Harvey also used photos by Bonnie Long.
Harvey describes the basics of the BSF life cycle and how the BioPod is designed to take advantage of it. I’m happy to say that he directs his readers here for more information about this new and fascinating technology. Thank you Harvey, for a very well written article.
With Harvey’s permission I have published his article on this blog which can be found here or by clicking the link in the right hand column under Black Soldier Fly Pages.
Stumble upon it!
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