Compost questions

[rides2far]

I just bought a compost barrel & so far I love it. Instead of throwing scraps away, I compost! I have a small can inside & when it's full I take outside & turn the barrel. You can tell it's working by the smell - moist & earthy - not stinky! I think you're right about needing 2 piles. If I keep adding new stuff it will never get done. If you decide to purchase a composter, make sure you go on line & read reviews. Cheap sometimes means poor quality. My composter was a beast to put together. A million parts & it took 2 people to hold the drum & attach parts. It took my husband & a friend most of an afternoon to put it together & they can put together anything!

 

[RichnSteph]

As others have said two bins are better than one. Having said that I only have one but our garden doesn't use soil so we don't have a need for it. We use our compost bin (about 3'x3'x24" tall, free from a local business) as a place to put kitchen scraps and the poop from the chickens. We're more inclined to use ours to keep as much as we can out of the trash and landfills instead of to make great soil for planting. Oh we'll use some of it when we put in the fruit trees next spring but for right now I just add in the scraps/poo, water it, turn it and water it again. *laugh* Every time I open the bin two things happen 1) The chickens come running over and want to dig in there for goodies and 2) I'm surprised how many seeds that got thrown in there germinate and start growing. I'll bet I've got two dozen pumpkin plants sprouted in there.


RichnSteph

 

[rides2far]

We're going to start a 2nd one in our garden, too. We need to quit putting scraps in the 1st one so it will finish "cooking"! We also like to recycle & that includes scraps. We live in the county & pay garbage fees; however, we don't have garbage service here! We recycle our stuff at my in-laws blue can & take our trash to a friends. If we want trash service we have to pay for a dumpster & pick up. No recycle available. Not very progressive, but we do what WE can

 

[RichnSteph]

We're going to start a 2nd one in our garden, too. We need to quit putting scraps in the 1st one so it will finish "cooking"! We also like to recycle & that includes scraps. We live in the county & pay garbage fees; however, we don't have garbage service here! We recycle our stuff at my in-laws blue can & take our trash to a friends. If we want trash service we have to pay for a dumpster & pick up. No recycle available. Not very progressive, but we do what WE can

You pay garbage collection fees but don't have the service??

RichnSteph

 

[lazy gardener]

A lot of rural areas charge an annual fee for use of the "transfer station." We have to buy a permit every year. Granted, it's only $5. Then we have to pay extra for any demo, white goods, furniture, etc. We would have to pay a private party to have our trash picked up.

 

[rides2far]

We have to pay sanitation / garbage fees. It's included in our property taxes. Because we don't live in the city, we don't have access to garbage service or sewer system. Stinks doesn't it? We still have to pay for it via property taxes.

 

[lazy gardener]

That's the way it is in almost all rural areas. we pay through our taxes for the amenities that the folks in town get to enjoy, and we get NADA.

 

[RichnSteph]

To my mind that's as stupid as paying school taxes when you don't have any children. Sometimes the tax system makes no darn sense.

 

[henless]

I've started work on my compost bin this week. I'm going the 3-bin route, using mostly scrape lumber that we have around the place.

I have one raised bed for my garden, and will be putting in a couple more this winter since I have my run completed on my coop.

I haven't composted since I was a kid. Any pointers would be greatly appreciated.

 

[RichnSteph]

I've started work on my compost bin this week. I'm going the 3-bin route, using mostly scrape lumber that we have around the place.

I have one raised bed for my garden, and will be putting in a couple more this winter since I have my run completed on my coop.

I haven't composted since I was a kid. Any pointers would be greatly appreciated.

I think you are smart going with a three bin system. I wish I'd have gone with at least a two bin set up instead of the single we currently have.