Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[saysfaa]

About compost piles. I started building one yesterday. I think I put too high of a percentage of chicken poop in it. How much does it matter? If I fork it over every other day, will I be able to add brown as I do that? And will I be able to see when I have enough?

I assume it will be a slimy, wet, stinky mess until I get it right. Right?

My brown is mostly piles of lawn clippings from last year. And some garden debris, like asparagus tops.

I have bags of maple leaves but I want those for bedding. I could rake up some leaves from the woods but I would rather not.

 

[IttyBittyBirdy]

Hello everyone! Sorry for falling off the face of the earth again. I have been busy!

 

[aart]

If I fork it over every other day, will I be able to add brown as I do that?

Yes.
If you want to do a hot compost I highly suggest using a compost thermometer.

 

[saysfaa]

Wow, the compost pile dried really fast. When I went out today to add to it and check it, it is already not soggy like it was yesterday.

Dh thought it a little fitting to be starting a method of dealing with the chicken poop today. The septic people called at noon to say they could be out this afternoon.

We've never not had city sewer so we didn't know the settling tank needed to be pumped. I came across it randomly a couple of months ago and scheduled it for "spring". Thankfully, it wasn't causing problems yet, but it was pretty full.

 

[aart]

but it was pretty full.

Full of solids?
How long have you lived there...with how many people?

When I went out today to add to it and check it, it is already not soggy like it was yesterday.

Often when you turn it it will need some moisture added.

 

[saysfaa]

Full of solids?
How long have you lived there...with how many people?

Actually, I'm not sure it was all solids. I didn't think about maybe it is supposed to be full of liquid if not solids. I'll look up how they are supposed to work.

He said it was very consolidated (I forget the word he used) on the bottom. And that it is sometimes like that it it has been a long time.

I'm sure the people we bought from didn't do it. They didn't do ANY maintenance except change the "iron" filter; she told us that.) Between us and them, it has been at least five years.

They had three people. We have been two about half the time and three about half the time.

 

[saysfaa]

Oh. Maybe it wasn't as full as I thought. It is supposed to be fairly full of solids on the bottom, effluent in the middle, and scum on the top. Hm, learn something every day.

 

[aart]

I didn't think about maybe it is supposed to be full of liquid if not solids.

Yes, always full of liquid.

He said it was very consolidated (I forget the word he used) on the bottom.

That's what counts, if the solids get too deep they can plug the drain field.

 

[saysfaa]

...Often when you turn it it will need some moisture added.

 

[1muttsfan]

I watched a small flock of Chickadees harry a Barred Owl a few weeks ago - chased her right off into the woods. So cool.