| Building a compost heap is easy and cheap, since | | | | ground up. You don't want to attract unwanted |
| most of your ingredients are already being created | | | | rodents to your pile as the items mentioned above do |
| right in your kitchen: Items such as egg shells, coffee | | | | not break down well nor as quickly. Once you've got a |
| grounds, and pieces of vegetables that normally would | | | | substantial amount in your bucket you'll be ready for |
| go down your disposal or in your garbage can. | | | | the next step. |
| Before we begin I'd like to make it clear that my | | | | Step #2 |
| experience with building a compost heap is targeted at | | | | Take some freshly cut grass clippings and make a |
| those who live in a warm climate and have lots of | | | | layer about 4 inches thick. The area you cover will |
| sunshine and a constant source of green grass. That | | | | depend on the size of your pile or the size of your bin |
| while the ingredients will be the same, no matter what | | | | and of course the amount of fresh grass clippings you |
| part of the country you live in. The actual breakdown | | | | have at your disposal. (The Author had a pretty good |
| of those ingredients will depend entirely on the amount | | | | size garden and had a local landscaper drop off |
| of sun, water and warm temperatures your compost | | | | several large garbage bags full of clippings, whenever |
| heap receives. | | | | he was in the area.) |
| Having said that, Let's begin. | | | | Step #3 |
| Fresh compost is some of the most fertile and nutrient | | | | Using either a scoop or your hands, spread a healthy |
| filled fertilizer that you can use to create sweet, juicy, | | | | layer of kitchen garbage from your bucket onto the |
| healthy fruits and vegetables. I don't believe there is a | | | | grass clippings. |
| store bought fertilizer that even comes close to what | | | | Step #4 |
| you can produce right in your own backyard. | | | | Apply a fine dusting of steer manure on top of the |
| The size of your vegetable garden will determine the | | | | garbage and lightly water the entire surface. |
| amount of compost you'll want to produce. Adjust | | | | Repeat this process over and over until your heap is |
| your amounts accordingly. | | | | approx. 3 to 4 feet high. |
| If you want to contain your compost you can build | | | | Step #5 |
| yourself a compost bin. This can be achieved by | | | | Keep an eye on your heap making sure it hasn't dried |
| sinking 4 two by fours or four by fours a couple of | | | | up and stopped cooking. Every couple of days stick a |
| feet into the ground to for a square and wrapping | | | | pitch fork in the center and lift. You should be able to |
| them on 3 sides with chicken wire, leaving the front | | | | see it starting to darken or you'll see steam or smoke. |
| open for easy access. If not, a simple pile works | | | | The size of the heap should also be shrinking. If you |
| equally as well. | | | | think it stopped cooking add a small amount of water |
| Step #1 | | | | and it will resume the composting process. |
| Using a clean 5 gallon bucket with a lid, begin saving | | | | You should also be able to detect a rich, pungent |
| your kitchen garbage in it. Dump items such as coffee | | | | aroma from your heap, alerting you that it's just about |
| grounds, egg shells, and parts of vegetables you | | | | ready to use. This will occur in 4 or 5 weeks. |
| normally would throw away when making a salad etc. | | | | Step #6 |
| A friend use to say when cleaning her vegetables, | | | | Turn the pile over at 4 weeks time, water lightly. |
| "Here's one for the pot and one for Mother Earth." | | | | When ready apply generously to your plants. Don't |
| Nothing got past the compost bucket. There are some | | | | cover them up. Just use enough so that it comes up to |
| things you don't want to put in your compost bucket, | | | | the second or 3rd branches on the baby plants. Water |
| such as meat and grease. You can put bones in | | | | Generously. |
| provided they've been stripped clean of meat and | | | | |