Ta-da! I actually started my composting!
It's not fancy or even terribly creative, but it was free, and I think it will work, and that works for me!
Preferably, I would like to get a "real" composter, made of metal, that does all of the mixing for me. :) I wish I had a metal garbage can, and I definitely thought about setting up a wooden bin in the backyard, but decided against it as we are only renting right now and didn't want to have to take it all down at some point.
In the end, the Rubbermaid won out because I already had several of them unused in the garage, and if it didn't work, well then it would cost a grand total of $15 to replace the two that I ruined. You can't really see it in the photos, but I had my brother-in-law drill small holes all throughout the bin and in the lid, to create a bit of air flow. I still need to add some dry yard material from the backyard, but it snowed yesterday, so I'll have to wait for the snow to melt.
I'm keeping my kitchen waste in the large yogurt container on my counter, and then transporting it to the bin on my porch. I have a second bin as well, which I will use when the first is full, so that I can have one that is seriously composting, while the other is being added to daily.
I hope this works! Any tips or suggestions for me, the completely novice (but excited) composter?
And, my daughter and I have started collecting toilet paper rolls, for our spring project- seed starting! I found the idea at You Grow Girl, where there is a very simple photo tutorial for turning your toilet paper rolls into fantastic little seed starters!
This was an awesome reminder of compost piles and getting the best organic foods available! Thanks for this post.
Thanks for the awesome tip for the toliet paper roll seed starting!!!
I see no reason why it wouldn't work! I remember as a child (we lived next door to my grandmother and great-uncle, who was an avid gardener -- a HUGE garden by today's standards), we'd dump our kitchen scraps into a margarine container, and then either me or my brother would dump that in the "garbage pail" which was a metal pail buried in the ground with a foot lever. When that was full my uncle dumped those scraps into his compost pile, which was nothing special - this was the late 70s/early 80s, so no real "technology" - but it worked. Every year his garden was amazing! Best of luck!
Lady Why, I'd love to hear how your composting works out!
Thanks so much, Rebekah!
Stacy, I'm so glad to hear that this is working for someone and that it's not a strange idea! I'm encouraged!!!
This is exactly what we use for composting, too. We went out looking for a "REAL" composting bin a few years ago (the type you can rotate or spin), but refused to pay what they were asking for them. So my resourceful husband came up with this idea. We dump everything in and occasionally stir it up. It has worked GREAT for us. WORMS galore!
~Stacy
i'm not brave enough to compost yet but thanks for the toilet paper roll link...i'm so psyched for my first foray into vegeetable gardening!
Hi, I just wanted to say I love your blog it is so informative. We deal with food allergies and trying to eat whole and organic foods. I also have 2 children a 2 1/2 year old girl and 8 month old little boy. Keep up the great work!!
Oh, I so want to learn composting too! I've got a little pile started in a wooden type thing my husband built. We'll see how it goes!
This is a great idea! I think it will work. I haven't composted in a long time because I didn't have a fancy get-up, but this just may work for me too! Thanks!