Composting for fun and profit

OK, maybe not for profit unless you consider that you’re saving money by not buying fertilizer and saving the Earth by not putting perfectly good composting material into a plastic bag in the landfill. Fun is arguable too. I find it all overwhelming!

On a recent visit to a city-run farm, I wandered way back into the garden that is maintained by the local Master Gardeners’ group. Other than noticing that it was much larger than my last visit, I noticed composting bins.

Makes sense that they would have good examples of how to do composting! (Though I wish they had a sign that had more information.) This looks like the type I’m used to seeing with the stages. The first pile was manure, then there was an empty one that showed a grate. I guess that’s how they allow air to move around underneath. I’m not sure why that one was empty. The last one that is really tall had a lot of stacked plant pots. There were pots of plants on a tarp near the composting bins.

I read about starting a pile each year. When the new year comes, so does a new pile. Perhaps that’s their system? Seems easier than shuffling them down the bin line.

They also had the tumbling type that I’ve been thinking about getting.

I like that it is contained. Might be easier to move piles of dirt though. The idea of just doing a turn of a drum is appealing. Seems easy. I’m still confused, however.

I bought some organic apples this weekend. I hated tossing the core. I don’t do much outside except walk from my house door to the car door, but I know people that would love that apple core for composting! It’d be better put in a hole in my backyard than in the trash. What to do! How to start! Danger! Danger! Overwhelm Mode!

Not sure where to start. It’d have to be easy. In my research, the easiest seems to be to make a pile of stuff and leaving it there till it’s done. But if I keep adding to it, then it won’t ever be done! But I guess that’s where a pitchfork comes in handy for getting out the ready compost. Not so easy seems to be all those formulas like soil, brown (leaves), kitchen waste, at a temperature of X, with Y of water, for Z amount of time. Danger! Danger! – [insert brain explosion here]

Breakfast: Sin Sin Sin Sin Sin

“What’s wrong wit this picture?” is a game we all probably played as children. Let’s play it now, shall we?

• Sausage. That’s an easy one. It’s spicy and nummy but bad for the tummy!
• Biscuit. They were out of potatoes so I got a freshly made biscuit. Tasted fantastic but still not the healthiest choice in the cafeteria.
• Plastic utensils. Right to the trash.
• Paper napkin. Right to the trash.
• Styrofoam take-away container. Right to the trash.
• Diet Mountain Dew. At least, I will refill it with water from the fountain to drink today and recycle the bottle afterward. But, have you looked at what’s in Dew? Yeah. Scares me too. I am down to one diet soft drink a day on weekdays. Weekends are much easier because I can nap instead of reach for the caffeine. I vow to continue to lessen my dependence on this evil monster. The headache is less but I had a headache for a few weeks from something else, so it just may be that now there’s just a headache from caffeine withdrawal. I am weening so it could be worse!

Cost: $3ish, I think. I don’t get a receipt.

So. That is the breakfast of shame. Could be worse. Could be better. I brought my oatmeal from home before. I can do it again. That cuts back on fat, calories, cost, and waste. Must. Do. It.

At least the rabbits are eating healthfully tonight….

So. Yeah. Since I knew I’d be packing for the trip tomorrow and finishing my project before I leave, I stopped off at the local grocery store and picked up a …. pizza. What! Don’t judge. And since I cleaned up the fridge of veggies that meant no salad even! But when I emptied the trash as the oven preheated, I ran into two rabbits.

After conversing a bit, I went back inside and grabbed my camera. They munched away happily on the plants and let me photograph them though I didn’t get as close as I was when I took out the trash. I want them to continue to live there. Last year, I had a lot of rabbits in the yard and would love to have a family again.

I’m sure my neighbors thought I was nuts since I was taking pictures of my yard from the side and making little reassuring noises. Maybe that’s why the rabbits didn’t run — they thought I was nuts and were entertained.

After snapping pictures of the two, another appeared from under my shed. Three rabbits! He or she slowly joined the other two and I tried to get closer. I guess I got too close and — WHOOSH! Talk to the tail!

So. Yeah. I fixed pizza. I ate pizza. But at least someone in the “household” eat healthfully. Rock on, bunnies, rock on. You’re an inspiration.

Global Youth Service Day: Get your serve on

I feel like the volunteer numbers are down overall. Who has time to do stuff for free? Well, I believe we make time for what is important to us. That’s probably why I have “no time” for planning my week’s meals. ::cough:: But anyway…. We have Global Youth Service Day coming up on April 26, 2008 and wouldn’t it be great to infect our youth with the volunteerism bug? The great thing about a bug is that it spreads like, well, a virus. Go get ‘em!

Global Youth Service Day is the largest service event in the world. Millions of youth will participate in the 20th Annual Global Youth Service Day. VOLUNTEER Hampton Roads is coordinating the project at a local level on Saturday, April 26, 2008 throughout Hampton Roads. Hundreds of middle and high school students will volunteer in their community through environmental clean ups. – Volunteer Hampton Roads

Locally, Volunteer Hampton Roads is looking for youth that would like to volunteer. The deadline to register was April 18, but I bet there’s something to still do! Can’t hurt to try and find something for the family to do together to help our communities.