Since matter is neither created nor destroyed, only transformed, composting is an ideal way to "recycle" organic matter. When seen from a scientific perspective, we are performing an organic chemistry experiment. When seen from a spiritual perspective, composting demonstrates the miracle of life and its cyclic renewal. Besides sounding brainy and mysterious, what is the point?
As a gardener, my goal is to have healthy abundant crops in the shortest amount of time. That is why I decided that composting just makes sense. When you consider every banana, potato, onion, and avocado peel, every egg shell and apple core, as well as leaves and grass contain the building blocks for food, it's crazy to just throw it away. And for those of us with chickens, their poop is one of the most organic by-products in the world. The question then is how to transform this garbage into delicious food without having to get too up-close and personal with the whole process. For us, this starts in the kitchen with this Full Circle Natural Cleaning Solutions Fresh Air Odor-Free Kitchen Compost Collector 1.3 Gallon, Green Slate
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Naturally we don't want things rotting under our noses. This desire has given rise to what are called compost bins. There are many varieties, both store-bought and homemade. Regardless of the type, the principles and outcome are the same. You need a contained area, open or closed, that is easy to water and aerate. A closed bin will turn the vegetation to usable compost faster than an open one. I know this from personal experience. Closing the container causes it to get hotter which speeds up the decomposition. Also, the amount of water matters. An open bin is subject to downpours of rain which will leach the nutrients from the composting matter. However, dry compost takes forever to decompose. This is why dehydrating foods preserves and hydrating causes stuff to rot faster.
Oxygen is necessary so the compost needs to be exposed to air. This is accomplished by mixing up the contents of the bin, which is one of the selling points to a barrel composter. The makers of these barrels tell you to give it a turn a couple of times a week and you're good to go. Some people even put handles on them. Aerating can also be accomplished by manually mixing up the compost with a pitch fork or rake. My sweet husband gave me the perfect tool on our last wedding anniversary. It's called an ames true temper 165117600 True Temper, 4 Tine, Forged Spading Fork,
and I use it twice a week to mix things up. Don't you love a man who knows what his wife really wants?
When I had one open bin, it seemed to take months to have usable compost. Also, I kept adding new stuff to the old so it never seemed ready. When I was planning my Florida garden, I also planned a compost bin. I wanted it close to the garden for obvious reasons. I didn't want to spend a lot of money. And I wanted it to work quickly. As you can tell by my criteria, I'm lazy, cheap, and impatient.
Here's what we used for our homemade compost bin:
1. 10 8ft untreated pine 2 X 4's cut in half
2. nails
3. wire (we used hardware cloth)
4. Tarp
We nailed the boards together in a box shape, alternating them to create openings. We then covered the sides with the hardware cloth and attached the tarp at the rear.
When adding kitchen scraps, we have a "new" side and an "old" side. I put scraps, leaves, grass clippings, egg shells, chicken poop, and wild mushrooms in one side. I continue to turn it twice a week and wet it once or twice a week, keeping it covered with the tarp otherwise. When this side is as full as I want it, I switch the "new" stuff to the other side. Meanwhile I continue to turn and water both sides. The "old" side turns to "black gold" and is ready to use in 6-8.
It makes me feel like a real Earth mother to turn something old, rotten, and smelly into something young, beautiful and delicious. Hopefully compost has now gained some new respect!
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