Composting Bin

[peterk123]

Finally built a bin. The one I had in Mass was a machine. It produced great soil. It had three sections, so I could move the compost through stages. Starting simple here. Just one bin for now. Curious how it will do because it's just so dry here.

On another topic... slightly.... any of you saving veggie peels,etc and making vegetable stock? I've been filling a bag and keeping it in the freezer. Figure, make stock, then compost it. Kind of a two for one. I make chicken and venison/beef stock, just never tried veggie. Does it work with just the scraps?

 

[chuckules]

just never tried veggie. Does it work with just the scraps?

Veggie scraps work great. Onion skins, bell pepper core, fresh herbs wilting (which sometimes produce random herb flavor in stock…we don’t care), anything vegetable.

We mostly the use the stock to cook rice in and it’s great.

 

[Fritz the Cat]

Pallet bin is a great way to go. Simple to build and easy to use. That is what I used until chickens took over my composting operation.

 

[MisterHappy]

If anyone is local to the Natick area, and wants to get a few pallets for a composting bin, let me know.

 

[EMTDAD]

our trash fees just rose again.. one "free" 35 gal bin, plus buying bags.. so wife and I are gonna try to reduce our trash use by composting.. just gone the kitchen bin.. now looking at outdoor composters.

I had one at our last house that looked like a large plastic bell.. given where it was in the yard, it was not very handy, and we let it lapse.. Now thinking of one of those tumbler things. Anyone have any experience with these.

 

[mousegunguy]

I usually grow squash and potatoes in each of the compost piles once they cool off a bit.

 

[Uzi2]

At my former residence I built one of these (with a couple of modifications)

I used black iron pipe with flanges to connect to the ends of the barrel and for the stand and crank handle.
Drilled 3/8ths holes in the body of the barrel for aeration instead of a perforated tube running through the center
Used two small dead bolt locks to secure the door
The thing worked really well and would break down vegetation/kitchen scraps in a very short time, just add to it and rotate a few times, then rotate it a couple of times once a week. It produced excellent results if you're working with small amounts.

Now I use a front end loader for turning 20,000 cubic feet of woodchips and bury my kitchen scraps in a spot closer to the house.

 

[Fritz the Cat]

our trash fees just rose again.. one "free" 35 gal bin, plus buying bags.. so wife and I are gonna try to reduce our trash use by composting.. just gone the kitchen bin.. now looking at outdoor composters.

I had one at our last house that looked like a large plastic bell.. given where it was in the yard, it was not very handy, and we let it lapse.. Now thinking of one of those tumbler things. Anyone have any experience with these.

The tumblers work well if you keep animal protein out of it (meat, cheese). I have had a couple. My current one is 35 gallons. The bears like to roll it around the yard for me. It is just a fill in option until i get chickens again next spring.