Tag Archives: Compost

Wicked light, wicked strong, compost sifter

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Compost screens, finished and unfinished.

Compost screens, finished and unfinished.

I’ve taught a few classes and done some exhibits about compost recently and have had a great time answering questions.

Several people have asked about the sifter/screen I use. I always point out that you don’t really need a screen, or that in a pinch a milk crate will do the job, but if you want a screen to give you a finer product, then this is a great, sturdy, lightweight unit.

Most people with just a few tools can build this compost screen which is designed to be light enough that people with limited upper-body strength can use it. The arms rest across most wheelbarrows and it is sturdy enough to handle sifting compost or getting rocks out of soil. Continue reading →

Pumpkin recycling

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Every Halloween we see a lot of good rotting flesh go to waste. That’s right, pumpkins tossed into the trash.

A trash can and a sign and you’re good to go

In Arlington we’re not allowed to put pumpkins in with the yard waste, so they often go in the garbage. This costs the town more in “tipping fees,” a fee calculated by weight, not volume. Pumpkins are, of course, heavy.

So what if after the holiday, the neighborhood pumpkins all came to you for composting, perfect to mix with the fallen leaves? (Leaves are carbon-rich, or “browns”. Pumpkins are nitrogen-rich, or “green”. You need both for rich compost.) Continue reading →

Three types of people, three types of compost

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THREE TYPES OF PEOPLE – THREE TYPES OF COMPOST

NOTE: Each year Arlington holds an EcoFest where people gather to learn about various environmentally related issues. This year I was asked to discuss compost with people. Below is a version of what I will distribute at the event.

Beautiful black gold – finished and screened compost

“The beauty of compost is that it only needs to be as much of an art or science as we wish it to be. It’s like walking. You can train for a marathon or you can simply put one foot in front of the other, and eventually you will get where you need to be.” – Wayne Morris of Bloomingdale, N.Y. Continue reading →

EcoFest in Arlington Saturday March 31

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This guy makes sure the edibles grow.

This Saturday, March 31, Sustainable Arlington will host its annual EcoFest. This year the focus is on local food. Local in the sense of buying from a local farmer, and in the sense of growing it in your yard.

Heaping bowl of cherry tomatoes from the back yard? Yes please!

I’ve been asked to present on compost – not just my fast urban compost but for people who don’t want to spend the same time/effort I do to create three cubic yards over the winter. I’ve drafted a piece for “Good Citizen” and “Garden” composters that I’ll put online soon is online now. I’ll answer questions and provide tips. Please visit and hang out for a while.
The featured speaker this year is Charlie Radosolovich, also known as the Rad Urban Farmer. Some may also know him as the guy who had a plot in my yard for three years as part of his CSA, which uses land in people’s yards to grow food which gets distributed among the CSA members. Continue reading →

Fast ‘urban compost’ – saving energy outside the home

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This summer I kept more than 1,000 lbs. of “garbage” from getting hauled dozens of miles away in a 3 mpg vehicle to an incinerator. I also saved money and got great compost.

Spurred by a question from JP Greenhouse, I decided to see how quickly I could make ‘urban compost’ with nothing but coffee grinds and newspaper.

For about eight weeks:

  • 80-120 lbs. of coffee grinds/week, and
  • almost every newspaper we got,

went into a town-discounted ‘New Age Composter’ compost unit. The compost turned out great, with near-perfect pH (6.9), nitrogen within norms, and very high potassium. If you don’t care about the details, you can skip to the test results below. Continue reading →