Comments on: Lazy Landscaper #2: In which I achieve compost http://victormilan.com/blog/2008/05/06/in-which-i-achieve-compost/ Fun, freedom, and adventure with Victor Milán Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:41:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Victor http://victormilan.com/blog/2008/05/06/in-which-i-achieve-compost/#comment-541 Victor Thu, 08 May 2008 19:10:23 +0000 http://victormilan.com/blog/?p=136#comment-541 I spread a tarp on the ground and basically just tip the Rolling Composter's contents out onto it. Using an old-fashioned hoe (insert Miss Kitty joke here) I pull out the stubborn stuff onto the tarp. Then I shovel it all back in in reverse order. A little labor-intensive, but it serves. To sift it, I roll up the wheelbarrow and put the Big Nasty Compost Filter over top of it. Then after dumping the composter contents on the tarp I shovel it onto the screen in increments, stir it around with a hoe, shake it some, and then dump what remains back in the composter. I expect to refine these processes somewhatly with experience and inspiration. There are myriad methods; this one I picked because it's Easy and Cheap. Basically to get even easier - such as the composters that are basically oil drums on their sides set on mountings so that they can be turned with a crank to turn the compost - gives you a hit to the "cheap" side. I've seen some of the oven-style things, I believe. They look pretty small. On the other hand that means it'd be easier to pick 'em up and dump them into a second container, and then back, to turn the contents. Iron Man could probably do that with the currently half-full 50-gallon bin I use; I cannot. Good luck on getting your own space soon! I spread a tarp on the ground and basically just tip the Rolling Composter’s contents out onto it. Using an old-fashioned hoe (insert Miss Kitty joke here) I pull out the stubborn stuff onto the tarp. Then I shovel it all back in in reverse order. A little labor-intensive, but it serves.

To sift it, I roll up the wheelbarrow and put the Big Nasty Compost Filter over top of it. Then after dumping the composter contents on the tarp I shovel it onto the screen in increments, stir it around with a hoe, shake it some, and then dump what remains back in the composter. I expect to refine these processes somewhatly with experience and inspiration.

There are myriad methods; this one I picked because it’s Easy and Cheap. Basically to get even easier - such as the composters that are basically oil drums on their sides set on mountings so that they can be turned with a crank to turn the compost - gives you a hit to the “cheap” side.

I’ve seen some of the oven-style things, I believe. They look pretty small. On the other hand that means it’d be easier to pick ‘em up and dump them into a second container, and then back, to turn the contents. Iron Man could probably do that with the currently half-full 50-gallon bin I use; I cannot.

Good luck on getting your own space soon!

]]> By: Sara Harvey http://victormilan.com/blog/2008/05/06/in-which-i-achieve-compost/#comment-539 Sara Harvey Thu, 08 May 2008 18:20:24 +0000 http://victormilan.com/blog/?p=136#comment-539 When you turn the compost, do you dig in with a rake or a shovel or something? Or do you turn the thing on its side and roll it around? My neighbors have this little oven-looking metal thing, I don't know how they turn it or sift it. That sifting thing is news to me, I never would have thought about that! I guess, well, I guess I didn't know how one would remove the completely composted material from the pile. It is something I am very interested in doing as soon as I have my own space to do so. When you turn the compost, do you dig in with a rake or a shovel or something? Or do you turn the thing on its side and roll it around?
My neighbors have this little oven-looking metal thing, I don’t know how they turn it or sift it. That sifting thing is news to me, I never would have thought about that! I guess, well, I guess I didn’t know how one would remove the completely composted material from the pile.
It is something I am very interested in doing as soon as I have my own space to do so.

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