Re: Composting: I Feel Like I'm Missing Out..

63mkm · ‎09-05-2010

I've been composting for about 5-6 years. It's just the two of us and honestly it's not such a burdensome process as some have stated here. I have a small vegetable garden and typically what is composted goes into the garden in the fall. I compost all my fruit and vegetable scraps, moldy bread, pasta that has gone bad but without sauce or oil. I add the dried blossoms from peonies, potted plant soil from plants that have died, coffee grinds, tea bags, corn husks. They key is to cut the food scraps so they break down quickly. For the dry I shred in my shredder the Safeway grocery add which is printed with soy ink. I purchased my compost bin from the city I live in and it's made from recycled material. It's locked therefore no wildlife can get in and the lid helps to heat it up. I turn it once a week and check it every other day to see if it needs moisture. I feel good knowing we're helping to reduce green house gases and I don't have to purchase fertilizer. For the person who started this thread, maybe a neighbor has a garden you can give your compost to? Or you can spread your compost under trees and shrubs too.

lolakimono · ‎03-29-2012

@63mkm

We have an association, so there are lots of rules. You did give me a good idea though. We have an elementary school behind us (currently being remodeled) and I wonder if they would partner up with us so that we could "dispose" of our scraps and the kids could see the process of how composting works? I'm sure that there are a lot of STEM lessons and labs that could be done. Maybe they would even get on board with a community garden.

DREAMON · ‎03-09-2010

We don't compost but do recycle and have a very large recycling facility in our community. We also have solar panels...maybe composting is in our future.

Snowpuppy · ‎03-09-2010

We are just getting into composting but we live rural and have acreage.

I found a 3x3x3 bin on Plow & Hearth I think we can dupe by using wood pallets. Starting with yard waste.

Lehman's has some composting crocks on their website if you are looking to just begin with kitchen food waste. You can easily dupe those for less $.

Be aware that composting with food waste outdoors will draw the critters for a late nite snack!

AuntMame · ‎10-16-2010

@Snowpuppy wrote:
We are just getting into composting but we live rural and have acreage.

I found a 3x3x3 bin on Plow & Hearth I think we can dupe by using wood pallets. Starting with yard waste.

Lehman's has some composting crocks on their website if you are looking to just begin with kitchen food waste. You can easily dupe those for less $.

Be aware that composting with food waste outdoors will draw the critters for a late nite snack!

DH uses wood from old pallets to build and maintain a large bin. He has one side which he can remove so he can more easily turn the pile. Seems like he's constantly rebuilding the bin.

We don't put food scraps in the compost heap because it does draw coons and rats. And the dogs will dig through it hunting for such savories as rotten carrots and old celery--things they would surely turn their nose up at if I gave them to them in the house, but they eat like rare delicacies when they dig them out of the compost pile.

Our city composts yard waste that is picked up at the curb. And sells the compost by the tractor-trailer-full to farms. It's actually a major source of revenue for our city. So I'm not sure how much we are personally aiding the environment by our composting efforts. But we are improving the soil around our house which is (was?) that nasty builder's sand.