Chef Barry Anderson
editor@classactmedia.co.th
But as an enthusiastic, holistic organic chef in Phuket, I have a dream and vision that I want to share – to help Phuket to become green and organic again like she once was 30 years ago, when the whole island was 100 per cent organic in agriculture. Together, we can make this dream come true.
How to make your own compost
The first step is simple – just save your biodegradable kitchen scraps in a waterproof bin with a lid on it. Tip: you can gently sprinkle some “Mai Pang” baking soda or sodium bicarbonate over each layer of kitchen scrap, which is a good deodoriser. Next, transfer the organic material to a larger waterproof container outside. This can be open air with no lid. Be sure to lightly spray the dry leaves and kitchen scraps with water from your garden hose.
Make sure that the sides of the bucket have numerous holes for air circulation and for a faster breakdown of the compost into humus or dark carbon earth. An “escape” larger hole positioned on two opposite sides of the trash can plastic or metal will allow more drainage and break down.
All dead dry leaves scattered across your lawn goes into a second compost bin and same treatment for this as well.
The third stage is to combine the two biodegradable elements – the kitchen scraps and dry leaves and mix together into a much larger holding, shallow cement round coil about one meter high. With a pitch fork, every two to three days, turn the dark loamy compost over, topped with a light water sprinkling. Or what chef Barry has – a metal tumbler hand crank machine that turns the compost over several times manually. Within 15 days to 30 days you will have useable compost to amend the food forest on Phuket island.
On a grander scale
Want to be part of my vision to bring back Phuket’s organic forests? We need more large scale composting operations on large open land space, with a wood chipper or some kind of milling wood machine, some heavy equipment to turn over the accumulated biodegradable waste, and, a clean water source. These locations can be near the heavy equipment sponsored operators and fruit garden trees can be planted near by to receive the compost amendments for whole sale and retail and to the public direct.
Transform the nurseries
Currently all the garden nurseries are cultivating mostly ornamental trees and plants that may look nice but you cannot eat them as they’re not edible fruits. But why not change that? Bangkok nursery suppliers can join the upcoming “Phuket Yes Organic Tour” sponsorship programme with select Phuket sponsor nurseries and start to order in more organic fruit and Thai herbs from Bangkok and less inedible ornamentals to feed the growing population of Phuket.
The regional hospitality industry will benefit from the influx of more organic edibles and eventually increased supply would see food prices drop. Today much of our disposable garden waste is either being buried or incinerated in Phuket Town. This is costly and creates atmospheric air pollution on the island so a better solution to the problem would be to return and to keep this biodegradable garden waste into the ground turned into compost amendment for growing more food organically on the island.
About the author
Holistic Chef Barry aka Barry Anderson has worked in the Cartoon Animation Industry professionally for 20 years all around the world and found himself becoming obese. Chef Barry learned the culinary arts of working with foods from nature and managed to drop more than 100 pounds of excess weight from his 5’ 4’’ inch body frame. The next 20 years Barry conducted intensive research of the weight loss industry, our current food supply system, the environment, social Issues and natural health with fitness and longevity living. Barry has lived with his Thai family at the Garden Villa Phuket Good Earth Health Residence for the last 20 years. For more information, visit gardenvillaphuket.com