suncasttumblingcomposter-blog

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How to Choose Your Compost Ingredients for Your Compost Pile

When starting down the road on your composting journey, it is very important to choose the right combination and ratio of your compost ingredients when making compost. Yes, decomposition naturally happens all around us, but we can control it to some degree in our own composting efforts by making sure we select a good ratio of organic matter. Organic materials that you can add to your first batch of compost come in two general categories. The first category is called “Browns” and are known as our carbon rich organic materials. They can include things such as woody bush and plant trimmings, dried leaves, all sorts of paper products such as newspapers and paper towels, sawdust, pine needles, and straw. The other category of organic matter is known as “Greens”. Greens are nitrogen rich organic matter and they can include organic materials such as coffee grounds, coffee ground filters, vegetable scraps, fruit scraps, tea, tea bags, nut shells, still or moldy bread products, fruit rinds and quarters, fruit pits, eggshells, cut flowers and vegetation, corncobs, and more. In this green category you can also consider manure, fur, feathers, and hair as green nitrogen sources as well. The key to mixing up a great batch of compost is getting the right ratio of carbon to nitrogen correct. The little critters known as microorganisms who are the decomposing stars, need both nitrogen and carbon rich materials to complete their jobs. The majority of these microorganisms need more carbon rich materials than they need nitrogen rich materials and this need works out to be about a 30 to 1 ratio. What this means is your batch of ingredients needs to be about three parts carbon to one part nitrogen organic matter. Now, the actual nitrogen and carbon content in various organic matter varies. Meaning, some “Browns” contain more carbon than other Browns. The same thing goes for your Greens. Some “Greens” contain more nitrogen than other Greens. Ideally, blending both nitrogen and carbon organic ingredients in the lower ranges is a good starting point. We have put together a chart below that shows how much nitrogen is contained in the common Greens and how much Carbon is contained in the common Browns. One other thing to consider when starting your first batch is knowing which ingredients you should not throw in to your batch or any aerobic composting batch. Chemically Treated Wood Products: Do not add any sawdust or wood chips from any pressure-treated wood or chemically treated wood. Wood Ashes: Wood ashes can be tricky as they contain alkaline. Depending on where you live in the United States depends on whether or not you should add any type of wood ashes. If you live in the western and southwestern United States you would not want to add wood ashes as your soil are ready has a high alkalinity to it. But, if you live where the soils are acidic, a small amount of wood ashes would not hurt. I just assume avoided unless you know for sure what type of soil you have! Feces: Your waste from your pet friends such as cats, dogs, cat litter, pigs, birds, and humans may contain little critters called parasites. These little critters can be transferable to humans and infectious to humans and therefore should be avoided in your composting ingredients. Charcoal Ashes: your barbecue bricks contain sulfur oxides and other chemicals that you do not want to transfer to your lush garden and therefore you should avoid adding needs to your composting ingredients. Dairy Products, fats, oils, grease, meet, and bones: this selection of organic matter actually turns very “rotten” or rancid and smelly and should therefore be avoided in your composting ingredients. Also, if you want to have all your neighborhood dogs, cats, rats, and raccoons after your composting ingredients, this is a sure way to attract them! What about weeds? There is a way to construct a “hot compost pile” that will thermogenically kill all weed seeds so that you can include them in your composting ingredients, but it is a complete skill that you will need to learn to do and is called hot composting which is not covered in this article! Therefore, to keep things simple for those of you are just beginning to compost, keep weeds and weed seed heads out of your composting batch! Now that you know what should go into your batch as far as compost ingredients goes, visit our post on how to construct and add your composting pile ingredients! Also, you may want to visit our posts on compost tumblers, such as the Envirocycle Composter and the Tumbleweed Composter, to determine if you will mix your first batch of compost using a tumbler! http://ping.fm/KmFVY

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What Is The Best Compost Tumbler?

Many of you who visit Compost Soup are in the process of purchasing a compost tumbler to help your making compost efforts a bit more simpler and easier! But, what is the best compost tumbler? In order to answer that question, we have thoroughly combed the Amazon Customer Reviews and we will let actual customers help us decide! The Top 5 Best Compost Tumblers: Best Compost Tumbler#1 Envirocycle Compost Tumbler: The only composter to make the Best Sellers list in the Patio, Lawn, & Garden Category is the Envirocycle Composter. Keep in mind that the Best Sellers list includes all types of products in the patio, lawn, and garden categories, so it is impressive that this tumbler is the only composter in the list. The Envirocycle Compost Tumbler received a 4.8-Star Rating out of 5 Stars and was the highest rated tumbler by actual customers. There were a total of 22 reviews and 19 of those reviews gave the Envirocycle a 5-Star Rating. The Envirocycle Compost Tumbler is number one for several reasons, as expressed by actual customers. The most common customer comment was the fact that the Envirocycle is super simple to assemble and pretty much arrives with little to no assembly required. The second most common comment from customers is the fact that the tumbler is also very easy to turn. Several customers have commented that they have had this tumbler for several years and a few have also commented that they own two! Compost Wizard Jr#2 Good Ideas Compost Wizard Jr.: The number 2 composter to make our best compost tumblers list is the Good Ideas Compost Wizard Jr. The Compost Wizard Jr. has a total of 51 reviews to date. Out of those 51 reviews, 22 customers gave it a 5 Star Rating and 21 customers gave it a 4-Star Rating. This particular Compost Wizard model is the “Junior” size. Many of the actual customer comments discuss the fact that it was the perfect size for smaller households and for folks who are limited with backyard space. Lifetime Compost Tumbler#3 Lifetime Compost Tumbler: The next composter to make our “Best Compost Tumblers” top five list is the Lifetime Compost Tumbler. This particular composter has had a total of 54 customer reviews to date. The average star rating is 4.1 Stars. Out of the 54 reviews, 20 customers gave it 5 Stars and 24 customers gave it 4 Stars. There were also 8 customers who gave it a 3 Star Rating and 2 more customers who respectively gave it a 2 Star and1 Star Rating respectively. The most common comment about the Lifetime Compost Tumbler is the fact that it is very affordable and reasonably priced. Sun Joe Compost Tumbler#4 Sun Joe Tumbleweed Compost Tumbler: The Sun Joe Tumbleweed Compost Tumbler is #4 on our Best Compost Tumbler’s List. The Sun Joe only has 4 Customer Reviews to date. However, this particular tumbler might be a rising star due to the fact that out of the four reviews, three customers gave it a perfect 5 Start Rating. There was one customer who only gave it a 1 Start Rating, but this was due to the fact that their composter arrived as such, “disappointed to receive all 3 boxes ripped and beat up, with parts literally sticking out”. Tumbleweed Compost Tumbler#5 Tumbleweed Rotating Compost Bin: The last composter to make our top 5 list is the Tumbleweed Composter. This particular tumbler or rotating bin is actually the older model of the Sun Joe Tumbleweed Compost Tumbler we featured in position #4! This “older model” received a total of 54 reviews. Out of the 54 reviews, 23 customers gave it a 5 Start Rating and 17 customers gave it a 4 Start Rating. The remaining 14 customer reviews were sprinkled throughout 3, 2, and 1 Star Ratings. The actual customer reviews were sprinkled with “easy assembly”, “saves my back”, “wonderful”, and “buy two”. The most common “con” is the fact that it is a bit hard to turn when it gets over half full. It looks like the new model called the Sun Joe addresses this! The above Top 5 List is all based on actual customer reviews gathered from Amazon US. All of the above composters and their full customer reviews are available at Amazon by clicking their respective links above. The above covers a diverse range of compost tumblers, especially in respect to how they are constructed and assembled. They also very on size and how much compost you can create with each particular model. When searching online, the Best Compost Tumblers above are available at incredibly low prices via Amazon. Another great point to mention is the fact that Amazon offers “free shipping” on many of their products and this would help out greatly when shipping a compost tumbler! http://ping.fm/8gl2k

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The Suncast Tumbling Composter-Is It Worth a Tumble?

Compost is nature’s recycled material. By combining organic materials with oxygen, nitrogen, carbon and water, gardeners can obtain the nutrients in the form of compost. Usually, this compost takes many months or even a year to make. Technology has finally come to the ancient gardening art of composting and the people who love to grow vegetables and flowers couldn’t be happier! One of the composting tools that poses a solution is the Suncast Tumbling Composter. Is it worth giving it a “tumble”? As noted by our Customer Star Review, the Suncast Tumbling Composter did not score as well the Envirocycle Composter or the Tumbleweed Composter. It seems the main reason for the lower rating is the time it takes to assemble the unit and the supplied parts and tools. We will take a look at the Pros and Cons of the Suncast. Pros of the Suncast Tumbler: As with many innovations, the brilliance of the Suncast Tumbling Composter lies in its simple premise. It’s designed to allow the compost enthusiast to easily add organic materials to a revolving container which can then be turned for aeration. This “tumbling” mixes the decomposing materials with oxygen, creating heat that further enhances the process. With daily turning, the material can be turned into useable compost in 3 to 4 weeks rather than months or years. Suncast Compost Tumbler Features: • 6.5 cubic feet of capacity. • A galvanized steel frame (1-inch in diameter) that is sturdy enough to hold the composting materials while turning. • The container is constructed of durable resin material allowing it to withstand the elements of any weather while insulating and maintaining the heat of the materials. • Latching lids on each end allowing for easy addition of organic materials and unloading of compost. Pronged “mixing” bar. This feature is unique to the Suncast and the prongs help “mix” and break up your decomposing organic materials. The benefits of this tool include the convenience of being able to turn the material and the speed of the process. Even the most adamantly traditional gardeners agree that the physical labor involved with weekly turning of a compost pile can literally be a pain in the (pick a body part)! This tumbling unit allows this turning process to be completed with ease. There is also the question of how much time it takes to create useable compost. Since the aeration function of this tumbling unit allows for daily oxygen infusion to the process, it goes much faster, resulting in more compost and therefore more useable fertilizer. Cons of the Suncast Tumbling Composter: Assembly Required: While the directions for assembly of the Suncast Tumbling Composter are concise and simple to understand, some online reviews have noted that the assembly process requires more than one person to complete. Even though it is not suggested in the directions, it is advisable for purchasers of this unit to have a “trusted assistant” on hand to lend a hand in the assembly. This seems fair. Also, some customers suggested that you will need additional tools than the ones provided to make the assembly easier. One reviewer also stated that the included “wrench” needs to be thrown out and that a 7/16 and 9/16 socket ratchet would be easier to use. One reviewer also suggested just using pliers! I think this customer review shows us that everyone is focusing on the assembly…but what about how the unit works AFTER it’s put together: I read a lot of reviews of this product before buying and decided that the one-star reviews are focusing on the wrong thing–putting it together. You only put it together once. Once it’s together, I can recommend it highly. With the right tools and some patience, it goes together without a lot of fuss. Hint–a socket wrench to hold the nuts is a must. My grown daughter put it together by herself up until the end, when a second pair of hands is needed. Don’t try to put it together outside in the grass because you’ll lose small parts. As a composter, it works very well. The stand is sturdy, it is easy to flip, and the lids on the ends go on and off without any fuss. I took away one star because there are a couple of things I would want a little bit of redesign on: the sliding clip on each lid–to prevent accidental opening–is pretty stiff and hard to open. But I hope it will loosen up with time. Also, the spring-loaded pin that holds the bin in position is pretty small so I’m waiting to see how long it holds up–but so far, so good! It’s an excellent price for this type of composter, it was delivered promptly, and it is now proudly working in my back yard. I might even get another one. As you can see, the Suncast Tumbling Composter does have mixed reviews and most of the negative reviews surround the assembly process. To read all of the Customer Reviews, click here: Suncast Composter Reviews. http://ping.fm/4nKdr

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How To Start Composting

ou are here because you are wondering how to start composting at home! Yes, “compost happens” naturally all around you but you can also learn how to compost yourself so that you can take advantage of the benefits of composting. How To Start Composting-3 Simple Steps: Step #1- Choose A Composting Method First, you need to choose a composting method before you start making compost. There are basically two composting methods which are called above the ground or underground. Above the ground composting is called aerobic composting, and below the ground or underground composting is anaerobic composting. Aerobic means “air” and anaerobic means “without air”. The most common type of composting is an aerobic composting, which is above the ground, and most folks who want to learn how to start composting choose this method, as it is the easiest to start with. Aerobic composting is accomplished by using the “air”, organic material, and the little critters who do the composting work such as bacteria, fungi, and a variety of other chemical and physical decomposing “critters”! The most important part of aerobic composting is the air! Step #2- Choose a Composting Container Next, you need to choose whether you will start your aerobic composting efforts using an “open” compost pile or a compost bin or compost tumbler. It is simple to start composting using a pile, but most folks who use this type of arrangement often live in rural areas where an open compost pile is not a matter of esthetics. If you are an urban composter, you will most likely have to keep your composting efforts contained, and therefore you will want to choose a compost bin or compost tumbler to compost in. Visit our post on compost tumblers to help you decide on how to choose the style of container that is best for you. We also have several posts on various compost bins such as the Compost Wizard, the Aerobin 400 Composter, and more. Step #3- Choose Your Composting Ingredients Thirdly, when learning how to start composting kitchen scraps and yard waste, you will need to choose your composting ingredients carefully. Decomposition does happen to all matter that was ever living, but we can help speed up the process by selectively choosing between carbon and nitrogen materials that go into our first batch of compost. Carbon materials are basically your “Browns” and we call them that because most of them are some shade of brown! Carbon materials can include matter such as pine needles, various types of paper products, straw, sawdust, and the most important or most common ingredient of dry leaves. Nitrogen materials are called “greens” because most of them are some shade of green with the exception of coffee grounds and manures. Nitrogen materials can include matter such as vegetables, tea, tea bags, corncobs, fruit pits, fruit rinds and cores, old and moldy bread and grain products, eggshells, cut flowers, your grass clippings, your leafy plant and/or Bush trimmings, manures, nut shells, just the shells from shellfish, and even hair, fur, and feathers! The key to successfully producing a nice batch of compost is to use the right balance or ratio of nitrogen to carbon ingredients. Please see our post on Choosing Your Composting Ingredients” for a handy chart on using the right balance of carbons to nitrogens! Once you have chosen your method of composting, your type of composting container, and your composting ingredients, you will be well on your way to learning how to start composting! http://ping.fm/3AGMZ

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Tumbleweed Composter Review- A Compost Tumbler Worth Turning?

Today we are looking at the Tumbleweed Composter in this review. Is it a compost tumbler worth turning? There’s a long list of benefits of making compost and most gardeners can recite them on demand. It’s recycling at its most basic. Compost contains the nutrients and microorganisms that plants go nuts over and it can even serve as a natural pest control. However, for all of these benefits, there are quite a few problems too. Composting requires constant management and labor to keep the organic materials aerated, and this is usually accomplished by manually turning the debris with a rake or shovel. An open compost pile can be a magnet for hungry critters and when it’s not turned correctly is can stink to high heaven. Plus, it seems to take forever to get useable compost. These challenges and benefits have acted as a stimulus for companies who use technology to solve problems associated with drudgery. In the case of composting, one of the most interesting and simple solutions can be found in the Tumbleweed Composter. Drifting Along With a Tumbling Tumbleweed… The Tumbleweed Compost Tumbler is one of the best in breed of efficient composting tools. There are other brands of tumblers that are “barrel-style” and you rotate or turn them by “rolling” the barrel. One such model is the Envirocycle Composter. The Tumbleweed is a bit different in the sense that it is still barrel-shaped but it rotates more “end-over-end”. Below is a video of this “end-over-end” rotation! http://ping.fm/PaQa7

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Compost Tumblers-Organic Waste In, Rich Soil Out

Here at Compost Soup, we encourage people everywhere to start composting, both for the environment and also for our families. But, a lot of people just think that composting is too hard, and it would be just another task to add to their already busy schedules. Enter technology and the “invention” of compost tumblers! Upon my daily scouring of the web, I came across an inspiring article about a family of six with busy lives who have incorporated making compost into their schedules, and their composter of choice was one that would self-aerate or “tumble” or turn like a barrel. Here are some of Madyn Gwynne Byrnes experiences, benefits, and tips for using their tumbler and for adding composting into their lifestyle, which reduced their family’s garbage to just one small plastic bag a week… http://ping.fm/jDB3u

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Aerobin 400 Composter-Turn Organic Waste into Rich Fertile Compost

Compost, in one form or another, has been around since the “beginning”! The natural process of a compost pile has given way to more organized and scientific methods, and the process is now simpler than ever with “inventions” like the Aerobin 400 Composter. It may have taken a few “years”, but technology has finally caught up with composting and it’s in the form of the Aerobin. Turning organic waste into rich fertile compost that is jam-packed with nutrients, without the drudgery of constant turning or aeration and the disgusting aroma, has never been this easy. We have prepared a thorough review of the Aerobin to help you in choosing a tool to make composting easier than the traditional pile. We have also included several comments or suggestions from current customers and their experience with this particular composter. http://ping.fm/6QBD6

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Brewing Your Own With A Compost Tea Maker Compost tea has been hailed as a powerhouse liquid fertilizer and you can actually brew your own with a compost tea maker. The question is, “Is it worth the effort?” and if so, “What is the best brewing method?” The scientific community actually has two sides to the argument of the power of compost tea and its benfits! And, the method of brewing that is preferred is aerobic brewing and not “steeping”. Below is an article snippet that discusses both sides of the scientific communities’ views: However, Jeff Lowenfels, Anchorage gardening writer and coauthor of “Teaming With Microbes,” continues to tout the benefits of compost tea. In a spirited online debate with the other Jeff, Lowenfels made the case that not all compost tea is created equal but that aerated compost tea is well worth it. In the end, both Jeffs agreed more research is needed. My point for drawing attention to their comments is that before you spend exorbitant amounts on compost tea, keep in mind that some of the claims may be a bit exaggerated. If you believe in the beneficial effects of compost tea, or what author Novella Carpenter calls nutrient teas, but want to cut costs by making your own, check out her brand new book, The Essential Urban Farmer. She has three pages of recipes for various teas — anaerobic, aerobic, actively aerated compost tea (AACT, the kind favored by Lowenfels) and concentrated aerobically decomposed fish emulsion. Read more: Fairbanks Daily Miner As you can see from the snippet, Novella Carpenter confirms and attests to the fact that compost tea does have its benefits and they are powerful. And, the best brewing method is a compost tea maker that uses an aerobic process. There are several makes and models of compost tea makers that use aerobic processes and they are readily available online. Aerobic brewing is actually just a turning or diffusion of a compost tea solution to introduce oxygen (aerobic) or aeration. This aeration process inside the compost tea maker or brewer provides the optimal environment for the reproducing of thousands of highly beneficial microorganisms. Compost Tea Makers Online: Compost Tea System – 10 Gallons by Growing Solutions is a compost tea maker or brewer that is perfect for home owners all the way to those who run nursery businesses. Their system is actually patented and is designed for years and years of durable usage. The Compost T System uses a fine bubble diffusion technology, which as mentioned above, that introduces the aeration process. The fine bubble diffusion aeration process the worldly mixes the compost tea maker catalyst solution and it completely eliminates the need for external agitation. Your compost tea is ready after just 24 hours. It’s advised that you use the tea quickly as it contains living microorganisms and you can actually use it for either watering or as a foliage sprayer. If commercial grade is important to you, the Compost Tea System by Growing Solutions is a patented commercial grade product. The 25 Gallon SoilSoup Compost Tea Brewer uses and aerobic process as well to make or brew compost tea him. It is available in a 25 gallon and smaller 6.5 gallon size. A finished batch of compost tea that is produced by the Soil Soup is loaded with billions of beneficial microorganisms. The benefits of using this tea is the fact that just a thin layer is equal to 2 to 3 layers of regular compost. The tea also produces healthy soil and the use of it in your garden and for your fruit trees and plants will result in an overall better tasting and more nutritious selection of veggies and fruits. The SoilSoup is available as a “kit” to get you up and brewing quickly! Amazon Image The Vortex Junior 10 Gallon by Progress Earth is a compost tea maker that uses the vortex to circulate “water”. The Junior is the smallest member of the Vortex family, which has commercial grade units available all the way up to 1000 gallons! The Vortex Junior is perfect for those who still want a commercial grade compost tea maker but not at the hefty price! The movement of the water caused by the vortex is accomplished by the influx of air. So, the folks at Progress Earth are using the natural vortex action rather than aeration to enhance and stimulate the biological activity of microorganisms to create their “living water”. Every Junior unit comes with enough Earth Kelp, Earth Syrup, and Earth Compound for two complete brewing cycles so that you can start making compost tea right away The manufacturers of the Vortex treat water as the primary nutrient in compost tea. Here is a video demonstration of what makes the “Vortex” different! It’s a bit long but a beautiful demonstration of vortexes in nature: http://ping.fm/v3PkF You can replicate the aeration process of brewing compost tea at home without a store-bought compost tea maker but it will come at the cost of a slight “mess” and the fact that you will have to use finished compost that is free of any manures if you are going to use the tea as a spray. You could replicate the process by using an aquarium pump and porous air stones that would act as diffusers much like the Compost Tea System above! You can also have the byproduct of “compost tea” through composters such as the Bokashi Kitchen Composter or the Envirocycle Composter, but these 2 composting methods are basically draining the liquid from a compost batch and they are not really brewing through aeration or steeping! But, if you want the assurance of an aerobically produced safe, natural, and metabolically active tea, you have some excellent choices of compost tea makers above. And, Amazon has that “buying power” that allows you to save both on shipping and also always lists the “list price” and “your price” and the amount “you save”! http://ping.fm/jFEFK

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Compost Wizard Standing Bin-Quick and Inexpensive Composting

If you are a composter and are ready to transition from the standard composting pile to a inexpensive composting bin, the Compost Wizard Standing Bin is your answer. Although the Compost Wizard Standing Bin is not an expensive bin, it is a durable and affordable choice for avid gardeners. Visit the link below a great video on the Compost Wizard which give you an overview of how to use the bin, the steps involved, what to add as far as composting materials and food waste, and also how often to “turn” or aerate your compost: http://ping.fm/HLKcW

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From Food Waste to Garden Compost

For avid gardeners, turning their food scraps into garden compost through tools such as the Bokashi Kitchen Composter is just part of having a vibrant healthy garden. But, the “idea” of composting and getting involved in a local composting program is new to many but thankfully starting to grow as individuals, companies, organizations, and communities band together to help spread the word to folks who really haven’t given it much thought. As individuals, we might mentally know that there are benefits to composting, but I don’t think folks really know the vast rewards such as saving money by reducing waste collection fees, reducing greenhouse gas produced in landfills, healthy nutrient rich soil, reduction in landfills, and overall healthier communities and Mother Earth. In Bend, Oregon, Newport Ave. Market is taking the lead and has been recognized as an advocate for composting and has taken their food waste and turned it into gardening compost: Reusable Garden Compost: Newport Ave. Market, a one-store operator here, has received the inaugural “Leadership in Composting Award”from the Oregon Refuse & Recycling Association. The store launched its composting program in partnership with Cascade Disposal last May. In the first week of implementing the program, more than 2,100 pounds of food waste was collected for conversion into reusable gardening compost. Over the past six months, Newport Ave. Market has collected an average of 8,000 pounds of food waste each month. Introducing the composting program has allowed the store to reduce its garbage contribution from 251 yards of garbage each month to only 104 yards, a decrease of nearly 60%. “Not only have they achieved significant waste diversion though composting, but they are also actively increasing the community awareness of the local compost program and being a strong advocate for its success,” said Michelle Metzler with Waste Management of Oregon, in a statement. Here’s a city, Portland, that is willing to promote Portland Composts door-to-door in an effort to educate its people on the benefits of composting and how to get involved: After three months into Portland’s new composting program, the city is about to pay people to go door to door to promote it. The Bureau of Planning and Sustainability has set aside $18,500 to hire nonprofit groups to spread the word about composting. That money comes from landfill fees paid by garbage users. The city doesn’t need to convince people like Rachel Kurrasch. Inspired by her love of gardening, she has learned to love composting. “It just makes sense if you’re going to have a garden of any kind,” she said. Kurrasch takes time each week to stockpile and then dump spoiling leftovers. But Mike Hockman does not. “It’s too messy,” he said. “I live in a house-share and we’re all busy working jobs and stuff like that and nobody ever wants to empty the pail. So it just all ends up going into the garbage anyway.” For the person who knocks on either Hockman’s or Kurrasch’s door next month, a composting conversation is worth $2. If they aren’t home, the person will get $.50 for leaving a brochure behind. Lauren Norris, a sustainable living outreach manager with the city of Portland said she thinks it’s a good use of money. She’s overseeing the plan to pay community groups to spread the word about composting. “It’s a real investment in the community instead of a big ad on a billboard,” she said. Norris said they’ll target 40,000 Portland residents who may have composting questions. “They’re renters so they may not have gotten the information from their landlords; they may have problems with reading the literature,” she said. She said the doorbell ringers will encourage composting, but they won’t debate people like Hockman or try to change their composting habits. “I would probably have a conversation with someone if they wanted to come over, but it probably wouldn’t make a big effect on me whether I compost or not,” Hockman said. The city is still in the process of recruiting people to go door to door. Who would have thought you can turn your food waste into garden compost! And, thanks to modern technology, it’s easy to compost by using tools such as the Envirocycle Compost Tumbler, for those of us who enjoy making compost and want to keep it for our own gardens, lawns, foliage, and landscaping! It’s also great to see communities and organizations getting behind and supporting composting and educating those who really don’t want to “keep” their compost but who would like to still take part in creating communities. As more and more people become educated as to the benefits of composting, we will all experience a healthier planet! http://www.compostsoup.com/from-food-waste-to-garden-compost/

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Bokashi Kitchen Composter-Fast & Easy Indoor Composting with the Bokashi System

The Bokashi Kitchen Composter: Do you want to accelerate your DIY indoor composting efforts? The Bokashi Composting System is your answer! 3 Easy Steps...Step #1 Sprinkle Bokashi Into bottom of Bokashi Compost Bin. Step #2 Add Food Scraps. Step #3 Sprinkle Bokashi on top. Repeat to Fill Bin! "Fermentation" or "Pickling" takes place as Tiny Microbes go to work! 3. Bury the contents in garden bed! Your results...Organic Nutrient Rich Soil! Added Benefits? Bokashi "Tea"! Dilute it and serve it to your plants and foliage! Not only are you benefiting your gardening efforts, household plants, and landscape, but you are also helping to keep our environment in a healthy eco green condition! http://ping.fm/P8yYG

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Bokashi Kitchen Composter- A Great Indoor Composting System

If you are a practicing “composter” but would like to speed up your composting results or output, the Bokashi Kitchen Composter is your answer. The Bokashi Composting System is a kitchen starter kit for recycling your household waste or food scraps. It uses a natural process called fermentation but the type of fermentation that is anaerobic. Fermentation? Yes, it basically “pickles” your food scraps! The system contains your bin, which houses your food waste, and the Bokashi. What is Bokashi? It’s actually a wheat bran that also contains microbes, the little guys that do the fermenting, along with molasses. Is it safe? Absolutely! It’s all natural and through the fermenting process, the microbes deter the growth of any harmful organisms. What Makes the Bokashi Composting System Unique? Besides speeding up your composting efforts through fermentation or pickling by using the All Seasons Bokashi, the Bokashi Composting System or bin incorporates two unique product features: The Strainer: The strainer allows for the draining of moisture that is produced or released through your food waste and this prevents the spoiling of your compost The Spigot: The spigot also allows for draining of liquid. This powerful liquid can then be used as a great fertilizer for your indoor plants at a diluted ration. Advantages of a Bokashi Compost Bin: The main is advantage is that of “time”. It actually takes half of the time to create a batch of compost using Bokashi than it does through normal composting. Another advantage is it creates your compost without the smell! Another advantage is for those folks who live the urban lifestyle and want to still compost from areas like your apartment or balcony! Really, you can use the Bokashi Compost Bin in any indoor environment, from schools to restaurants to places of work. Bokashi is even popular for using as a compost accelerator on a large or industrial scale as demonstrated here in The Great Falls Community Food Bank recycling program: The Great Falls Community Food Bank recycles food waste to produce a rich organic compost to help with the revitalization of local soil. Since starting their food waste recycling program in 2010, the Great Falls Community Food Bank now recycles 24 tons of food waste annually by composting. By recycling the food waste, the Food Bank is able to save roughly $2-3,000 per year in solid waste disposal costs. In the past 6 months, Food Share, a Helena, Mt. food bank has also begun composting their food waste. This entire program was started with very little capital start-up money through the efforts of Mike Dalton and his team at Gardens From Garbage. Food banks receive quite a bit of produce from surrounding farms and grocers selling or donating what they can. However, not all of the produce makes it to the plate. What is left over is waste that can be turned into a valuable organic soil amendment (compost soil). This type of system helps complete a full recycling loop. The Great Falls Community Food Bank supplies foods to 50 member agencies with a mission to feed the hungry in their own community. Gardens From Garbage has helped the Food Bank recycle their food wastes into a soil builder through a fermentation process using a material called EM Bokashi, a fermented organic material that is made with EM?1® Microbial Inoculant purchased from TeraGanix, Inc. Bokashi Kitchen Composter Customer Reviews: The Bokashi Kitchen Composter System has only received 4 customer reviews for this particular system and color (black). Two of the customer reviews gave it a 5-Star Rating, which is the highest rating available. Two customers gave it a 1-Star Rating due to the fact that both customers received their product or system and it did not contain a lid. It sounds like there was a packing issue, but there was no follow up to their review stating that the company sent a replacement lid! The manufacturer of this particular system is SCD Probiotics. They are large well know company who produces a large line of probiotic products and who also have a great reputation. With the 4 customer reviews being 2 with a 5-star rating and 2 with a 1-star rating, this give the average rating of 3 Stars! Bokashi Kitchen ComposterThe Bokashi Composting System by SCD Probiotics also comes in a tan version. The tan version of the system has 5 customer reviews, with 3 of the reviews being a 5-Star, 1 being a 4-Star, and 1 being a 1-star. This gives this particular model and color an average rating of 4 Stars. Does exactly what I wanted it to. I was dubious that it could compost after just 2 weeks in the ground… but after checking it was surprisingly broken down. The “tea” seems to do wonders with the vegetable garden… we have used no fertilizer and everything has grown wonderfully quick. No smell when the lid is closed, but there is a bit of a learning curve to get it not to smell even when open. Once you get the hang of it, it is quite easy and fun! This is my first attempt at composting and it has been pleasant so far. I find the instructions to be clear and easy to understand. There are notes that help a novice to understand what is happening and how to do some basic troubleshooting if the process doesn’t appear to be working. I do not generate very much material that can be composted, so I only open the container about every 3 days to avoid putting too much stress on the plastic parts. The lid is a malleable plastic which seals tightly and keeps the odors inside. The valve on the bottom is also effective at draining the compost “tea” without leaking when it is closed. I am slightly concerned that the lid and the valve will not work as well over time. I generally tilt the bin when draining the liquid to try to get it all out as it can be difficult to get the flow going. I believe that there may still be some left when I am finished. I use a jar to collect a reasonable amount of compost material before adding it to the bin and also for draining the liquid. It is a very simple system and does not require other tools except for a shovel or trowel. An old wooden kitchen spoon works just fine. It is also recommended that a piece of plastic be kept on top of the accumulating compost to eliminate contact with air. That is not supplied, but an appropriately sized plastic bag seems to work just fine. The Bokashi blend is effective at controlling odors and seems to speed up the decomposition process. One bag is supplied with the initial purchase, and I have found that it is also available at Wal-Mart. It could easily last for 2 bins depending on the size of the compost layers and the amount used. I am quite satisfied with this product at this point. I was very excited to get this today. But when I opened the box there was no lid for the bin. So now I wait for the replacement. I will try to update this when I get everything. If you want to take advantage of the many benefits of composting at an accelerated speed, the Bokashi Kitchen Composter coupled with Bokashi is a simple and easy-to-use system that will get you fast results. We have searched the internet and have found the best price for the composter at Amazon! They just have extreme buying power and most often have the best prices. Click Here to see the Bokashi Composting System at Amazon, which is now offered at an 8% savings at the time of this writing. Amazon is also currently offering their “this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping” and this composter is “in-stock” at the moment! http://www.compostsoup.com/bokashi-kitchen-composter-a-great-indoor-composting-system/

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Composting For Kids-They Can Help Too

We can all agree that composting is extremely beneficial for our environment, but I strongly applaud the efforts of our nation’s educators who are proactive in “composting for kids” campaigns. Teaching such a valuable process such as composting to our kids will inevitably help our environment now but also in the future when they become the adults! Here is an inspiring post that I came across recently on a city’s effort and their local School Garden Project who joined forces in teaching a workshop on: The Benefits of Composting for Kids: The city of Eugene and the School Garden Project teamed up at Adams Elementary last week to give local teachers and parents of local students a crash course on composting. The workshop was held in support of the city’s recent announcement to build and implement five new school gardens and cafeteria composting programs in the 2011-2012 school year. The school compost workshop was kicked off by Rachel Sanders of the School Garden Project. Teachers, parents and other community members learned what makes composting a sustainable practice and why school cafeteria composting is important. The group then moved outside where Adams Elementary parent, Matt Rasmussen, discussed his involvement in the program and how the composting actually works. This provided teachers at other schools an opportunity to ask questions about their own compost program and procedures. The mulch created by the Adams Elementary composting program will be used in the school���s garden. Students will have a hands-on role in the composting process. “The best thing about this program, is watching the kids get excited,” said Anne Donahue, a compost specialist with the city of Eugene. “They are so young and small that to watch them get excited about helping the environment, it makes it all worth it.” It’s rewarding to find that schools, cities, and educators are proactive in teaching the benefits of composting for kids. Remember, they are our earth’s future caretakers. Yes, they are young and they can help, and hopefully as they grow into young adults, they will take there composting habits with them into the future! http://ping.fm/RBSSh

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Envirocycle Composter-Review of the Original Envirocycle Compost Tumbler

The Envirocycle Composter by Envirocycle Systems has been around since 1991 and has really changed the whole process of composting. What once was a daunting task that many avoided just due to the nature of the smell, the mess, and the “how-to”, the Envirocycle Composter has now made this task simple and easy! Envirocycle Composter-How Does It Work? The Envirocycle Composter makes it easy to start composting by turning your waste into rich compost and compost liquid. Your part is to open the lid, add your waste, close the lid, and then simply rotate the composter to mix the ingredients well! That’s really all there is to it! Will you need any other mixing tools? The only other “tools” that you will need to operate the mixing process are your hands! You basically rotate the drum and your hands do not even get dirty! How long does the decomposition process take with the Envirocycle Compost Maker? The maturing time of a composting cycle does very and depends on the size of your ingredients and how often you rotate the composter. Generally, the decomposition process takes about 30 to 40 days. But, if you use smaller ingredients and rotate the composter more often, your decomposition time will be faster! Envirocycle Composter Product Details: Pre-assembled and ready to use Constructed mostly of post industrial and post-consumer recycled plastic Collects liquid fertilizer known as compost tea through the 3.8 gallon removable base collection feature Effortless compost turning through simple drum or barrel rotation 7 cu.ft capacity to handle large landscape, garden, and household uses Envirocycle Compost Tumbler Customer Reviews The Envirocycle Compost Tumbler has received 17+ positive customer reviews. The average customer review has been 5 stars with only two reviews being 4 stars! We have listed the common “pros” and also the common “cons” here: Pros: I didn’t have to assemble anything. Brilliant. Access spaces are limited so I haven’t had an issue with critters or bugs so far. Very easy to move. I raked some leaves and rolled the been right off the bass track and across the lawn. Super convenient. It rotates on its own base, so you don’t need to turn it with a pitchfork or any other tool The base fills with liquid or compost tea which is useful for house plants and indoor foliage it’s large enough on the inside to hold plenty of composting material. I rarely fill it completely. Excellent customer service: I e-mailed the company a couple of weeks ago because somehow, the To the bottom portion has become lost and now the “tea” spills out when it gets full. I offered to buy another If they could send me one. They replied the same day, saying they would send it at no charge. Today I received two free replacement caps in the mail from Envirocycle Systems in Canada! Cons: the latch panel requires two hands to open. The hook is very tight. I guess it needs to be type otherwise it my fly open when you spin it but it truly is a pain when I want to add some food scraps. I have to bring them outside, set them down, open the latch, and usually using the handle of the utensil to help me push the hook through to open it. Then I can place the food inside. It can be a little challenging to get the drum to spin when it’s completely full (especially when full of heavier dropped fruit) but even as a small woman, I can do it. Ready to Start Composting? If you want to take advantage of the many benefits of composting, the Envirocycle Composter is a great tool to get you started off on the right foot! It’s simple and easy to use and provide you both rich compost as well as liquid compost. We have scoured the web and have found the best Envirocycle price over at Amazon. They just have that “buying power”…along with perks such as free shipping! http://ping.fm/1fAXW

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The Benefits of Composting for the Environment

The benefits of composting for the environment are numerous! And, we can all help to educate and spread the environmental benefits within our community, our schools, and even within our families right down to our children! You might ask, “What can I do and what do I do?” Well, non-profit organizations such as the Keep America Beautiful and U.S. Composting Council are making it even easier for us to participate by educating our communities through their unique partnership that was established recently. They have partnered in an effort to increase waste reduction, improve soil structure and water quality, and reduce soil erosion. By simply “recycling” or composting our “organics”, we can each play a part to reduce landfills and create a healthy environment at the same time! Read the rest here: http://ping.fm/RLpR8

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The Benefits of Composting at Home

Exactly what are the benefits of composting at home and why should we endeavor to incorporate composting into our daily lives? While many people talk about wanting to start a composting program, for one reason or another, they don’t. This suggests the truth in the old adage of what the road to a certain hot spot is paved with – good intentions. Just as resolutions to eat better and workout more, made after that fourth glass of champagne on New Year’s Eve are usually forgotten by January 15th, the benefits of composting at home “sound” great until the “ick” factor of making compost and the demands of day-to-day living kick in. The best way to get a composting program started is to treat this activity as product marketers sell a brand of soda or bar of soap – by listing its benefits. http://ping.fm/s5YGj

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What is Compost and How is It Made?

Have you ever wondered what is compost and how is it made? If the creative combination of ingredients in his spooky witches’ chant in “Macbeth” is any indication, William Shakespeare’s garden was as fertile as his imagination. The Bard could have been describing what is composting or compost when he wrote: “Double, double toil and trouble. Fire burn and cauldron bubble.” http://ping.fm/ex7EK