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What I didn't explain in the video was how I made the worm bin. It started as a big plastic bin. 30 gallons is roughly a good size for the amount of kitchen material that 2 adults makes, so we got a bin that size. Then I drilled holes along the bottom for drainage and near the top for ventilation. I covered the bottom with screen to keep everyone who should stay inside inside and everyone who should stay outside out (centipedes love to eat worms). The whole bin went up on blocks, with a tray underneath. The majority of the bin in filled with moist paper. The moistness should be equivalent to the moistness of a wrung-out sponge.

This is the chart I made to help us remember what goes where!

Composting Changes

In about as many days this week, we changed our composting system 3 times. First, I had wanted to turn my pile, and decided that I would try turning it on the Berkeley method despite not having the right ratio and construction. It supposedly makes a very nice compost. Four days later, when I should have turned the pile again, I worked late and didn't do it.

So then I thought I'd forget that in favor of going full-in on letting the chickens turn it. So I emptied out the bins, carted all the material over near the chicken run, made a new pile, and popped one of my hoophouse tractors over it. I let the chickens in on it two separate afternoons. They seemed happy, and I thought this would be much easier than turning the pile every few days myself.

Then I hurt my knee. I hurt my knee because the chickens weren't cooperating with their frequent transfer, and I dove to catch one, landing on the frozen ground knee-first. It still hurts, and the birds got all frazzled. The conclusion was to then move all the compost material straight into the chicken run- no moving, no turning.

Only a few days after that, we got some really strong rain. I was worried about leaching out all the best stuff from the compost, so today I piled it up again- still inside the run, and walled it off with cinderblocks. I fully expect that the chickens will scratch the pile down, and I plan every so often to go in and pile it back up. We'll see how this goes for a while.

The King and Queen of Corn

On Saturday, there was a surprise wedding shower for Naomi and I, and it was state fair themed! Naomi and I received crowns of corn, and sashes that said "King/Queen of Corn" respectively. We ate corn dogs, baked potatoes, fried dough, and all kinds of other stuff! It was really great. There was a chicken, a rabbit, some "vegetables" (like a paper mache giant pumpkin!) amongst other things.

One of the gifts we received was a pitchfork, which I've wanted for some time now. You see, I've always neglected to turn the compost; the main reason being that it's harder than hell to do with a shovel. This evening as it was getting dark, I went out and forked out the contents of the compost bin onto the ground, picked it up, moved it over a few feet, and as I lifted the black goodness and mucky half-composted stuff, I mixed in a good amount of leaves. Much to my surprise, the pile was steaming in the middle! I didn't think it was actually heating up, mostly from its lack of oxygen (no turning, you see). Next time I see Roger, a proper thanks will be given to him.