Compost - The Real Black Gold

I was looking thru my pictures on this blog, and saw the big composter behind my little girls sitting in red clover. Since that stuff behind them is not mine, I decided now was a good time to talk compost. Recently, my husband was asking a friend if they compost, and he said no there was too much involved in getting the right stuff to make it work.

This is a common misconception behind composting. There are numerous books out there which can tell you how to compost, so I won't go in to much detail. I am just here to tell you it can be as easy or complicated as you desire. The most important thing is to just do it.

We save all food that originally grew in a garden. Fruits, veggies, and all their peels. We add coffee grounds and some paper that is easy to break down. Do not add any animal parts - meat, milk or proteins. Egg shells are the exception.

One of the kids takes it out to the compost pile each day. We have two piles. One is cooking and the other is on going. The key to compost is heat. So we get one pile really high and let it bake. Then we start a new one.

There are many more things to add to the pile, and for all of those who have not given up on this topic, we will cover them tomorrow.

So put your compost bowl out and start adding to eat. You will be cutting down on your trash and adding something good to the garden.

Seeds in short supply?

It seems that everyone will be planting a garden this spring, or at least many more are pondering where their food will come from. I ordered seeds last week, and the company has on its website a notice that demand is already on the rise. So pull out your catalogs and start planning.

Remember, the number one mistake the first year is dreaming too big. A few successful plants is far more exciting than many unsuccessful ones!