[Community_garden] composting in cg's

[Sally McCabe]

I'm loving all the different suggestions for composting in cg's. 
 
What works best in our garden is the 5-bin system. It's like the classic 3-bin, but makes allowances for the differing speed of the composting process over the seasons.  Certain gardening times (esp summer weeds and fall cleanup) generate a lot more raw material than three bins can handle, so we flip the contents as we see fit. 
 
What makes it all work is the signage: ADD HERE and TAKE FROM HERE signs move back and forth across the bins to whichever is most appropriate that day. It works even better if the ADD HERE sign closes off the front of that bin so people can pile stuff higher.
 
Our bins are made of pallets, held in place by poles driven down the inside of the pallets. Our true secret is the science teacher/Amazon Warrior who turns the piles about three times a week.
 
Sally McCabe

----- Original Message ----
From: Mike McGrath <MikeMcG at PTD.net>
To: Don Boekelheide <dboekelheide at yahoo.com>; community_garden at list.communitygarden.org
Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2007 8:00:48 AM
Subject: [Community_garden] Community Composting

Don is correct on all counts. I'll just add that a classic three bin system
may work well in a community garden. Everybody tosses their fresh material
into the first chamber, and when its full, 'you' (the volunteers of the
day), pitchfork it over into the center section; that 'turns' the pile and
frees up the first section for new material. When its full again, everything
moves over one. By the time the first section is full again, bin #3 should
be ready to use.
    You'll find more detail online. A handy person can build it easily out
of a naturally rot-resistant wood; I've also seen them done with
cinderblocks...
                                  ----Compost Author Mike McG

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