New Compost Bin

[johnjk]

This was today’s project until the mouse house got me side tracked. Building a new 2 bin composter. Tired of the work of pallet ones falling apart. Got the back done. May get the sides and middle section partially assembled until the B3200 is back online and I can get it moved out to the yard. Size is 8x4x4 and will have removable front doors.

 

[GrumpyFarmer]

My pallet bins have seen better days…I need to do something similar…please post photos and progress pics. (I have a deck that needs redone and I hope to repurpose some boards to fix my bins up).

 

[johnjk]

Didn’t get to the sides. Back started to get a bit sore so I saved it for another day. Plan is to get all the boards cut and ready to assemble. Will do the sides up on the saw horses and prevent more back strain.

 

[OutInTheCountry]

I'm thinking of trying IBC totes for compost. Remove the plastic tank, cut a door in the front like you would for firewood, and line the inside with chicken wire. I'm waiting to meet up with a local farmer who's selling IBC totes for $20.

 

[jaxs]

I bought a tunnel slide from a playground renovation. I had to unbolt and rotate a few pieces to take curves out and make 2 bins. I replaced 1/3 of removed bolts with longer ones with shims for air entryways.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Quality control police, you forgot a screw!

 

[GreensvilleJay]

for the house garden , I stacked concrete blocks to make 3 'bins', about 4' deep, 4' high, 12' long.
1st 'waste' goes into the left bin,when full, use right bin. Have a screen so you dump left bin compost and it falls into the center bin, waste into the right. I go left>right , right>left and center fills up fast with compost.

 

[johnjk]

Quality control police, you forgot a screw!

View attachment 164099

You win! Noticed that right after I took the photo. Prize is a couple chocolate chip cookies. Hurry, as I am eating them fast. Recalculated my screw requirements and found I’m at least 58 short for the remaining sides. UPS dropped them off about an hour ago. I get to have fun when I get home.

 

[johnjk]

Not a lot of browns in mine. No leaves and only grass clippings in the spring. I do add the pine shavings from the chickens and that along with their manure really accelerate the pile. Wife’s veggies and flowers love that black gold

 

[GrumpyFarmer]

Not a lot of browns in mine. No leaves and only grass clippings in the spring. I do add the pine shavings from the chickens and that along with their manure really accelerate the pile. Wife’s veggies and flowers love that black gold

We are now in our third season of bees…since we got them we have been letting grass get longer and then I rake the grass and add to the composter along with the chicken nuggets and bedding…make a lasagna of waste.

Hard to believe how much manure a chicken creates, but that is as good as gold on the gardens IMO. We also chip branches and add the chips to the compost.

After a fresh batch of manure it doesn’t seem to take long to generate some heat. (I don’t believed it generated that much heat before we started having chickens though).