Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Compost Bin - Project 16 Complete!

Project 16 completed.

Last Friday night I finished my first compost bin. We are only a family of 3 but can really put away the fruit and veggie scraps. There may be a few sad woodland critters in the woods tonight because it is fenced off now.

This wasn't my original plan but it will work much better than what we were doing before, anything was better!  I have plans for a larger scale compost system but there were so many mosquito's and flies that I got up what I could without having a panic attack... So I'm thinking in the late fall/early winter when there are no bugs, I will finish the 2-bin system. For now, just one 'bin' area.  Now that we have the bin set up I can start layering the kitchen scraps with the greens from our woods and grassy areas and really get it going!

I reused 4 metal posts and chicken wire given to me by my mom.  
(Cost = $0.00)
 Easy-peasy! 

Our compost pile already had a nice layer of composted kitchen scraps so I threw a few ferns down and then more kitchen scraps to layer it.

I added more ferns, but only enough to cover the kitchen scraps. I'm going to have to watch it more carefully now...


My original plan was to use the pallet behind the bin, but that will be used somewhere else. I really don't know what chemicals have been used in or on the pallet. I'm not comfortable with anything leaching into the compost I plan on using in our vegetable garden. It will get used somewhere though, I guarantee it!

This is my 'side pile' with greens from the woods. Our trails leading back to the compost pile is always in need of some raking or clipping. This pile will be my layering greens. There definitely won't be a shortage!

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