All,
I want to set aside a portion of my small yard for a compost pile. My father-in-law simply started a heap on the back part of his property and lets it expand as necessary. However, since I do not have much yard space, I am looking for ideas on how to create a relatively compact compostpile that can be secured so my dog and toddler do not distrub the pile.
Any suggestions? The cheaper the better since I have a set of twins on the way and diapers are eating away at the paychecks.
Thanks!
I've owned these Soilmaker compost bins for many years, and they work beautifully.
A couple of friends have not been impressed with the tumbler type units, but others report good results. Without knowing how someone's feeding their compost (types of scraps, size of scraps), there's no way to say one unit's better than another.
If you think you'll be collecting a day or two worth of scraps in the kitchen before bringing them outside, head to a tackle shop or sporting goods store and get an inexpensive small bait bucket. They have a perforated lid. If you don't have ventilation, you'll get anaerobic decomposition which stinks like crazy. Give the scraps some air, and they can be indoors for 2-3 days before getting smelly.
Use free wood pallets on edge and tied at the corners to construct a bin.
Use Google to find plans to build your own.
Congratulations on the coming Great Event.
Re: diapers, I guess this isn't any of my beeswax, but how about just using cloth diapers and laundering them? That's how I did, and that was abroad, with a helper but without a washing machine or recourse to a laundromat.
Today, with a washing machine, should be no pain no strain. Just flush the, er, solid matter in the toilet, rinsediaper lightly, deposit in pail of soapy water, and do a batch daily in washer. ily.
Suggestion is because (a) keeps ENORMOUS QUANTITIES of throwaway diapers out of the landfill and (b) much easier on your paychecks.
HTH
Heres a site that has some suggestions
The message from Persephone contains these words:
I agree. I speak as a ma who had two babies (11 months apart) in cloth nappies at the same time for well over a year, and no helper; just a washing machine. The nappies were soaked in a nappy-sterilising unit, cold wash in the machine (no soap), dried. It took barely any effort.
The cotton nappies were snowy white and so hygeinic the babies never had any rashes. Contrary to what disposable-nappy companies claim, this method is far, far cheaper than disposables and MUCH healthier for the baby. The chemicals in disposables are rather suspect and if you look on the net, you'll find a lot of research into their possible effects on babies who wear them a lot.
Janet
How about not having children one can't afford.
"Travis M." expounded:
Nice judgement/indictment.
Trying to economize hardly means you shouldn't have children. Nor does trying to use a better solution to diapering than expensive, everlasting disposable diapers. I used cloth diapers on both my boys. It was a bit of work, but worth it.
Nominated for non sequitur of the millennium.
Persephone
Persephone wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@adelphia.com:
Has Travis ever said anything useful or is that just his mating call?
I use a very simple bin, The Presto Hoop. About 20 bucks and it's easy to turn the pile with this low tech design.
I suggest just digging a hole in a new place, everytime you have a batch to put away. Did that with my first small garden and it had numerous effects. There wasn't a "pile" to turn or otherwise take care of. The clay soil got mixed in with the compost. Even during the winter, I would dig holes and had very little garden prep in spring. The garden had excellent results. Even the next door neighbors who I considered experts in the field, were amazed. A long narrow shovel did best.
I salvaged an old fence a mate was pulling down and used the posts and slats to build a double bin compost system. I used beading from the fence on the inside of the front posts and simply slide planks in or out as the compost heap grows or gets dug out. A spade, some nails, a hammar and a saw was all I needed.
Other people I know have used old car tyres stacked 3-5 tyres high.
rob
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