Celebrate “culture” in agriculture & share skills like growing, cooking, canning

Compost: Where it all begins.

I have a a deep and abiding love for my compost bin. It's quirky and hobbled together and perfectly suited to it's designated purpose of composition. My husband and I built this together with found objects: a bit of cement slab that we dug up out of our yard, pavers that we also dug up out of yard, and a lot of bricks that our darling neighbor lady donated to the cause. Sure, every now and then we need to rebuild a section. But it's a representation of collaboration and it was absolutely FREE.

Tags: collaboration, compost, love

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Comment by Aleah Weltha on June 13, 2011 at 2:44pm: That sounds great, David. My compost is filling up with table scraps and lawn waste. I also use Feline Pine cat litter, so (after removing the improper parts) have taken to adding that. It's compressed cedar sawdust that has been... um... watered by my cat. So long as I'm good about switching the litter out often this seems to be working amazingly well.

I've yet to take my compost's temperature... but I have stuck a finger in there to see if it's warm. I'm positive the neighbors think I'm nuts. (They're not incorrect.)

Comment by David Moechnig on June 13, 2011 at 10:52am: I used shipping pallets that I got for free. Used some short sections of 4X4s in the corners to hold them together and provide some structure. First bin is full of grass clippings, table scraps, and a couple of old straw bales that were rescued from a neighbor who left them outside all winter. Last I checked it was cooking away at 15o deg and I can feel the heat coming off the pile when emptying the scrap bucket from the kitchen.

Comment by Aleah Weltha on June 13, 2011 at 9:35am: I have similar memories relating to composting. My great-grandmother (who was born in 1902 and lived until she was 104) lived in town and her entire back yard was a garden. She had this huge compost pile surrounded by chicken wire. I remember being fascinated by that thing as a child...

Viva compost!

Comment by Sarah on June 11, 2011 at 5:46pm: Every day when I open the lid to my compost box I get a moment with my dad, who thankfully is still alive but doesn't live close. My husband is pestimistic of all ideas of growing our own food and is especially against composting. He doesn't get it and he never will. My dad who has had a compost pile for over 40 years helped me build my raccoon proof, easy accessible, strong, perfect compost bin. Each toss of compost fills me with good energy which I send back out to my dad.