Since living in New Bern, we have been recycling. (I have just been corrected. I just started recycling, Adam has been recycling "for years...") What an easy way to be kind to our beautiful Earth. All you have to do is put all recyclables in a container and a company comes and picks it up on Thursday's for you. I actually enjoy this chore. I remember trying to establish this habit as a child, but it just didn’t work out. Our next adventure in our environment-friendly lives became composting. When Adam asked if I would be game for a compost pile, I gave him two supporting thumbs up. I actually had a friend once who had his own compost pile and I would help him feed it occasionally with left over foods when I was around. That makes me an expert, right? So, why not a compost pile? We had left overs every night and a large flower pot. We composted for about three months.
Below is a diagram of how compost works.
Well, the compost pile had to go today. The smell was so putrid it instantly activated the gag reflexes. (At least mine.) We dumped it in a patch of woods near our home. I would like to apologize to the residents down wind. The smell is going to be horrible for a while. Hence the reason we had to get rid of it. The pile was just too close to our apartment and others. One day, when we have a house of our own, with a huge backyard, I would like to compost again and actually use it. We did end up with some good looking soil at the bottom. One day.
Signing off with:
Tips for successful composting
~ Activate your compost. 'Activators' can be added to your compost to help kick-start the process and speed up composting. Common compost activator materials are: comfrey leaves, grass clippings, young weeds, well-rotted chicken manure.
~ Flying insects attracted to your compost? Small fruit flies, especially, are naturally attracted to the compost pile. They can be discouraged by simply covering any exposed fruit or vegetable matter. Keep a small pile of grass clippings next to your compost bin, and when you add new kitchen waste to the pile, cover it with one or two inches of clippings. Adding lime or calcium will also discourage flies.
~ Unpleasant odors from your compost pile? This can be a concern in urban and suburban areas with small lots and neighbors living close by. Odors can be reduced, or eliminated, by following two practices: first, remember to not put bones or meat scraps into the compost; second, cover new additions to the compost pile with dry grass clippings or similar mulch. Adding lime or calcium will also neutralize odors. If the compost smells like ammonia, add carbon-rich elements such as straw, peat moss or dried leaves/
~ Is your compost pile steaming? No problem. A hot, steamy pile means that you have a large community of microscopic critters working away at making compost.
http://eartheasy.com/grow_compost.html
PS My husband just found out I was blogging about “his” compost pile, if you read this, just pretend you didn’t and check his blog out.
http://adrockscafe.blogspot.com/
1 comment:
hey y'all can buy our house and compost all you want in the backyard!! :)
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