Compost Happens

My compost pile is seriously the most redneck thing you've ever seen - but it works and I've been composting consistently for about 13 years.    What is composting?  Well, it's basically taking your vegetable, fruit scraps, and adding them to a pile to decompose into rich, black soil.

Redneck composter
So there's four 2x4's pounded into the soil and a 10 foot fence nailed to the 2x4's which encloses the compost pile.
In the Spring, I open the bottom of the fence and shovel out black dirt.
Seriously, look at all the weird things growing out of my compost pile.
Might be time for a new one soon.

 

Instead of throwing fruit and vegetable scraps in the non-compostable plastic garbage bag, just throw your scrapes in a bowl and bring it out daily.   Now, some serious composters worry about turning their pile, aerating the materials, adding moisture but I just throw everything into our fenced in pile, over a period of time it turns into black dirt and every Spring time the compost can be used in our gardening projects.  Composting is nature's ultimate recycling project.

To get to the black dirt, I open the bottom of the fence and start digging out AMAZING black dirt.  We live in sand so black dirt is a hot commodity.

Here's what can be composted:

• Egg shells
• Veggie scraps
• Fruit scraps
• Coffee grounds and coffee filters
• Tea and tea bags
• Paper towel
• Noodles
• Leaves, pine needles, grass clippings, etc.

Here's what can not be composted:

• Dairy scraps
• Grease
• Meat scraps

You would think that we'd have problems with the smell or with animals - but generally the compost does not have a strong odor and other than the occasional bear, we haven't had issues with animals.

Here's the compost bin I would like someday:

With this composter, you throw in your scraps, add water if it needs to be moistened, and turn daily and in a short time you will have black dirt, cool huh?

So, why not consider composting?  Yes, you can make it complicated, but my SIMPLE method has worked for our family for 13 years, so why not consider recycling your scraps versus sending it to the landfill?

Hey, it's a Saturday night and I'm knee deep in applesauce - quite literally.  I think I bit off more than I can chew.  I remember when my Saturdays were a little more adventurous, but I'm not complaining.  What are you doing this Saturday night?

 

Thanks for reading,

 

Kristin