Composting

Composting - Outside

We decided to make our own compost bin using wooden pallets. Off to the local hardware store ~ they had an abundance they were HAPPY to let us have. Found a friend with a truck. Bribe friend with homemade bread. :-D Delivery of pallets complete. Wooden pallets can serve an array of needs (more on that in another blog).

We arranged our pallets in a square with no opening. Took baling wire and wired the corners together. The original idea was once the first bin was full, add three more pallets and build a row of composting bins in various stages of 'cooking.'

This is similar to ours:

You can throw a variety of items into the bin ~ most of our food scraps go to the chickens ~ a few items NOT to include are:

• Ashes from coal - or processed lumber;
• Colored paper;
• Diseased plants;
• Inorganic materials - metals, foil, plastic, glass;
• Meats, bones, fish, fats, dairy;
• Pet droppings; and
• NO chemicals

A few items you can include in your outdoor compost pile:

• Fruit waste/Vegetable stalks
• Straw
• Newspaper - shredded
• Garden waste
• Coffee grounds
• Leaves
• Corn stalks
• Pine needles
• Grass clippings (only NON-chemically treated)
• Manure
• Cardboard (shredded)

Obviously this is not an exhaustive list, but gives you an idea of some of the common items that can be used in a compost pile. This benefits the community by reducing the amount of solid waste in the landfills, helps provide habitats for micro-organisms and provides good mulch for future needs.