Compost pile

Where I am located I have now had four seperate compost piles. The last two being the best, the first was moved and I planted rhubarb in it’s place. If you look closely you can still some organic materials towards the back.

What remained of the first was mixed in with a bale of hay and about six inches of horse waste that was left in a stock trailer I’d bought to make the second pile. The second was partially relocated with a good chunk left it place as it covers where bindweeed was growing. Since it’s stopped it for now I’ll leave it be, I’ve planted a raspberry on the outter edge of it and it’s growing like crazy.

The 3rd is located in a failed flower bed I’d built for the wife while she was alive. I’m still not sure why it failed but after her passing I just left it be. However it’s now an ever growing compost pile with a blackberry growing in a corner. This pile was huge for awhile but it’s settling down as the material decomposes.

The 4th pile is located just in front of where the greenhouse is to be. I’ve had the greenhouse for awhile now, I just haven’t gotten it set up as I want it to be on a solid base.

There are wood vine and tree branches at the bottom. It was originally up at the top when I started dumping in the mowed grass and weeds on top. It is settling down fairly quickly. The white spot you can see in the middle is our kitchen waste.

My grandma Marie had a paper half gallon milk container that she kept on her counter in a back corner, all of her kitchen waste would go in and the top was folded back down. When it was full or developed an oder she’d have grandpa run it out to thier compost pile which was a good sized pit lined with cinder blocks that sat in the back right corner of thier yard behind the garage.

I adapted my own version of her milk jug, I use an old Hamilton Beach blender that sits on my counter next to my dehydrator.

The lid holds in oders fairly well and it makes short work of all I put into it, including cereal boxes and anything else organic that I decide to stuff inside. Since it’s broken down before going out it decomposes faster and is less likely to attract critters looking for a quick meal.

I will of course keep adding to both piles and will turn both before it turns cold. I add things that many probably never consider, like, cardboard boxes and waste paper from the house etc. I figure if it decomposes it’s fair game.

Happy composting! There are many are many articles to found online about the subject and if you garden or otherwise grow plants you should definitely learn about and try composting yourself.