After about six months, this tuna head became fermented fish fertilizer. Photo courtesy of Sarah Gribbin.
Cape Cod Ferments is launching fermented fish fertilizers, which are available through Delicious Living, and the first few batches are made from fish heads and fish carcasses that, since they couldn’t be used for bait, were just going to waste.
Now, thanks to Nicole Cormier and Nicholas Frechette, the fish waste from Salt Seafood Company and Hatch’s Fish Market is working on its second life as a fertilizer for farms and gardens across the peninsula.
We love the idea because it’s even better than grassroots, it’s born of fish and turns the idea of waste on its head. Plus the idea of local fish helping local farms appeals to us. Check out this gallery showing how the fermented fish fertilizer is made using Korean Natural Farming practices.
Fun! Nicole Cormier says she is “super geeked out” about her new adventure, seems that Kathleen Gribbin of Salt Seafood Company is too. Photo Courtesy of Nicole Cormier.
Nicole points to locally collected microorganisms, cultured on grain, that make up one of the ingredients in fermented fish fertilizer.
Another essential ingredient is panela, raw cane sugar, which helps decompose the collected waste into fish aminos.
The Gribbins, Sarah and Kathleen, met Nicole at one of the many Farmer’s Markets they both sell at. Photo courtesy of Sarah Gribbin.
The nutritionist has always been fascinated by gut microbes, now her interests have expanded.
Fish juice, this batch is from Arthur “Boz” Bosworth of Out There Grown Farm in Truro.
Tuna gills on the way to becoming fertilizer for plants.
Nicole spent part of her summer picking up fish waste from fishermen and Hatch’s Fish Market.
The first batch of fermented fish fertilzer is expected to be ready in November.