some Composting Videos

My friend has made a short but sweet 3 part series on his composting.



Gregg

I watched all three. 

Why divide it into three parts instead of one video?

I have some obnoxious, unasked for comments ....

1)  Overall, I think the videos are well done.  And that is some really excellent looking compost. 

2)  I think that the word "dirt" being used for compost is probably no big deal for most folks, it's a little like fingernails on a chalkboard to me.

3)  I tend to take the tags off before throwing stuff in the compost.

4)  I think using a compost turner thing is a hassle.

5)  The "brace yourself" thing is awesome!

6) I had a good laugh over venus bulking up. 

7)  Is "hycel" the name of the guy?

paul wheaton wrote:

7)  Is "hycel" the name of the guy?

Yes, Hycel Taylor.  He lives in Boston.  He is my biz partner on Wild Bamboo Rocket, LLC.

http://www.wildbamboorocket.com/?q=node/7

Part 4

I just love how excited he is about getting the nutrients back (especially in part 3).  I feel the same way.  He's a good evangelist:  passing on his excitement about giving back.

Just saw part 5...love how the kids are having fun with it too!

Hycel's a fun guy to be around.  He's always full of life and good energy.

I just attempted a different approach than he did to composting.  I didn't shoot any video but my wife took some post completion photos which I'll post here eventually.  I couldn't find a compost bin that was under $100 where I live so I bought a 32gl plastic trash can, cut the bottom out, drilled some holes, and buried it halfway into the ground.  We'll see if it does the job.

Have you two wild and crazy guys tried worm composting. It's only half a step up from what Hycel is doing right now and has the advantage of the "ick" factor with his kids when he sticks his hands down into the bin and pulls out a handfull of worms.

And he can keep a worm bin indoors in the winter right in the kitchen!  That is if he could convinve Venus that worms are cute and cuddly.
Hank

Adding worms...

This gives me and idea for a video.  How to have a compost pile that is ... well ... just a pile. 

No bins.    No purchased stuff of any kind.  Not for everybody, but it would be good to show how cheap you can go.

I had to laugh,  my kids have grown up on this farm and i remember sunny afternoons blissfully lost to the world with my kindergarten age children , digging worms in the manure pile for the schools  worm composting program.  There is zero "ick" factor!  The kids and I loved every minute of it . 

I've worked at a 21 acre retirement community for well, decades, and way back in the past my grounds crew and I used a compost pile to recycle all the landscape maintenance debris from the 21 acres.  From pushing through the grinder/chipper to finished product which we used as mulch on the shrub beds was usually 6 to 8 weeks.
5 piles, one to be ground up pile, one fresh ground pile, turned into 2nd 'working' pile, turned into 3erd ' working' pile, turned into finished pile.
In the winter the female members of the crew really liked turning the piles. They could stick their feet into the warm compost and stay warm on frosty days.
Unfortunately the we wore the grinder out in 3 years and couldn't convince the front office to buy us a new one.
But not to lose hope, the new grounds boss has purchased a grinder and is starting a new composting operation, complete with compost tea.
Hank