Michael's Humble Compost Bin on Day 1
If we are going to have a conversation about sustainable agriculture it just makes sense to start with composting.
While we bemoan the current state of the economy, we throw away more food in a week than people in some parts of the world have to eat in an entire month. All that food waste that’s going into landfills could be creating nutrient rich compost that will rival nearly any of the expensive soil amendments on the market today and you could have it all for free.
Ready to get started learning to compost? The most important step is change how you see trash.
Kitchen Scraps
In most households, everything you see in the photo to the left would be tossed out with the trash. The problem is that everything you see is perfect food for your hungry compost pile! In addition to the egg shells, leftover rice, coffee grounds & onion skins seen here, you can – and should - compost dryer lint, old black & white newspaper, even hair!
The basic rule to follow when asking what you can compost is if it is vegetable-based is is generally okay, but animal-based items aren't usually a good idea. Leftover steamed veggies are fine, but leftover beef stew isn't. Stale bread is good while old cherry pie, not so good. A good phrase to remember when you’re learning to compost is “No Meat, No Sweet”.
Yard Waste
Want to see a diehard composter cringe? Watch them drive down the street on trash day. Don’t waste your money on expensive lawn bags for those grass clippings and leaves. The compost bin is where they belong. Yard waste adds important elements to the compost pile that are missing in the kitchen waste.
Once you learn to see trash for what it really is you are well on your way to creating nutrient rich compost that will make your garden the envy of the neighborhood. Learning to compost is easy and while your neighbors are shelling out big bucks for bagged fertilizers and garden soils, you'll be laughing all the way to the compost bin.
Still not convinced about the whole composting thing? Modern Homesteading Examiner Chris McLaughlin offers some sage advice in "Six great reasons to compost at home".
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