Joshua Tarantino

A wonderful bâtard recipe:

Poolish
Flour: 146 grams
Yeast: 0.1 gram
Water, at 75℉: 146 grams

Dough
Flour: 437 grams
Yeast: 0.9 grams
Water, at 75℉: 279 grams
Salt: 12 grams

Combine ingredients for poolish, cover, and let sit for 12–15 hours (until bubbly, but not falling in at center).

Combine flour and yeast for dough.
Pour half of water around the edges of the poolish to release it; add this along with the rest of water to the bowl.
Mix until incorporated, then add salt and continue to mix.
Knead for 20 minutes, fold, and begin fermentation in an oiled bowl.
Ferment for 3 hours, folding on a lightly floured board every hour and covering the bowl with towels between folds.
Divide the dough in two, preshape, and let rest for 15 minutes seam side down.
Shape into bâtards, lay the loaves on linen, and bunch the linen around the loaves to maintain their shape.
Proof for about 1 hour.
Transfer the loaves to a baking stone, score, and bake at 460℉ for 25–30 minutes.
Let cool completely and enjoy!

Ben Zumeta wrote:I would look into diagrams for bog or wetland gardens if you are allowed to do that on that concrete. If you really have say, I’d take a sledge to the pavement and at least crack it up, if not removing as much as possible, to create some drainage and help reduce Anaerobic conditions that are going to be your main cause of foul smells, which you mentioned being atop neighbors’ concerns. Otherwise gravel, pumice or used hydroton that is often free and easily flushed, could help either way, and the compost naturally mixing with sharp river sand or pumice/hydroton would make a good potting mix.

Treating the area as a wetland garden is an interesting idea, though I am not sure it remains wet enough perennially. I think it will be good to read more about wetland garden design; there may be elements that make sense to incorporate, especially in terms of plants. The wettest areas are where we do the majority of our work, so with any changes made, access to the bins must be the primary consideration.

Reducing anaerobic conditions seems to be the primary goal here. I am still wondering about an increase of drainage, especially at the immediate exterior of the bins. Thank you for the suggestions!

Composting in bins the way we are doing it is far from ideal; this conversation has brought up many great solutions and areas of exploration.

Anne Miller wrote:I am not sure what leachate is or what problems it causes.  From reading your description and seeing the picture on the other thread. I would recommend considering Buffalograss, Buchloe dactyloides.

Thank you for your suggestion Anne, and for the thread!

As I understand it, leachate is essentially any liquid that has moved through a solid and extracted, or leached, something out of it. In my case, there is leachate draining out the bottom of our compost bins and collecting in an uneven asphalt lot; because of its particular composition, the area has become smelly (an issue for our neighbors). To solve this, I have placed a combination of wood chips and other dry material around the bins, absorbing the leachate and creating soil as it breaks down. This is the soil I'd like to grow in, using plants that would continue to help with the absorption and mitigate the odors.

I am looking for some help in coming up with a list of nitrate scavengers and cover crops that would grow well in extremely shallow, but rich, soil 1–8 inches (about 2.5–20 cm) deep. The soil is set atop asphalt and around several compost bins that occasionally create an excess of leachate. This topic has been explored a bit in one of my recent threads that directly relates to an issue I am having, but I wanted to create a thread that compiles a list of species, something applicable in many other situations; you can read that thread here for context.

There is deeper soil to the rear of the bins, so I have much more flexibility in that area. I am interested in what can grow in the little soil that is more immediately surrounding the bins.

So far, it seems that mint plants and crimson clover might work well.

But what do you think? Do you think any combination of plants might work especially well?

After a bit more research and consideration, I believe we will plant a variety of cover crops and scavenger crops around our bins.

I came across a helpful article that was related to this issue: Balancing the Soil Fertility Equation: Five Ways to Reduce Nitrogen Leaching

Using practices, such as cover cropping, that build soil organic matter helps to slow the release of nutrients so that they may be utilized by plants or soil organisms before being leached out of the root zone by irrigation or rain water... A study conducted in California coastal vegetable production showed that a winter cover crop of Merced rye reduced nitrate leaching by 70%. One experienced organic farmer uses an oat scavenger crop to absorb excess nitrogen in the winter. In Iowa, winter rye is commonly used. Mustards, grasses, legumes, or mixtures of these are typical winter covers, but the species of the cover crop isn’t as important as the crop’s ability to grow well in that location.

This article directly relates to agricultural production, but it contains many applicable points that I hadn't deeply considered. We were thinking about building a simple hoop house over the bins to keep them warmer as we move into winter; this in combination with nitrate scavengers and cover crops, in the shallow soil, might solve all our problems at once. It will mitigate the excess leachate and put it to use, create a more pleasant environment for the neighbors, become habitat for more organisms, introduce new species to the area, and improve our processing.

Does anyone have more input on what plants might work well for us? Again, there is a bit of shallow soil around the bins and deeper soil to the rear, where the physical obstacle of larger plants will not interfere with our work. We are in zone 6b with approximately 49 inches of rainfall each year. Ideally, we would build a hoop house in the coming weeks to enable planting in December; otherwise, it might make more sense to wait until spring for planting. In my search, good options seem to be mint, lemon balm, alfalfa, rhubarb, oats, winter rye, hairy vetch, and crimson clover. It would be wonderful to get some perennials behind the bins.

Another question: will these plants be safe to consume after they utilize the concentrated leachate?

I will greatly appreciate any additions to this list!

It has been just under one month since transplanting: I have watered the pot maybe three times total with very little water (roughly one cup each time). All herbs seem to be healthy and adjusting to their new environment!

Here is a photo of the mint's growth since it was first visible ten days ago. It popped up about 5 inches to the right of where the roots were originally placed.

Lorinne Anderson wrote:What will you be weighing, primarily small stuff for baking or larger stuff like meat?

I will be weighing primarily small stuff for cooking, baking, and fermentation. I would need the scale to handle relatively larger batches, however I cannot imagine many situations that would necessitate weighing more than 10–15 lbs at once. It is great to hear about the experience you've had using your scales in weighing animals!

Lorinne Anderson wrote:IF you happen to have friends in law enforcement they regularly confiscate scales being used for illicit purposes that are sent for destruction. Perhaps one of these (very accurate) scales might be available for a small donation?

This is such a good contribution, thank you!

James Freyr wrote:I've had a MyWeigh brand digital scale for approaching 20 years. It has a 1200 gram capacity and readability to 0.1g to a limit which I can't remember, then it's readability is 0.5g increments. The capacity allows me to set a bowl or small pitcher on it which might weigh a couple hundred grams itself, tare it, and still be able to weigh 500 or 700 grams of flour or water. If you want a good and accurate mechanical scale, I think a good old fashioned triple beam balance is the weigh to go.

I was considering the KD-8000; it's great to know you have used the same My Weigh scale for 20 years, that is amazing! Longevity is especially important to me. Perhaps if I can find an old apothecaries' system with a collection of pebbles and stones... but how will I weigh the stones!?

Thank you to everyone who replied so far, your input is much appreciated!

I am looking for recommendations of tried-and-true kitchen scales, either digital or mechanical.

There is a huge range of digital scales and the internet does a great job at throwing a bunch of hard-to-trust ads when searched. Do you have a kitchen scale that you have used for years? I am particularly interested in mechanical scales, but would love to hear about all experiences!

Ben Zumeta wrote:I understand what you mean about compromising in community projects, often with folks who don’t know what they are talking about or don’t seem to think they need reasons for their opinions. I have been a food forest site developer and manager for years, working with locals, tribes, schools, non profits and farmers. Almost all have been great, but those few that turn our water off or on randomly, mow our young trees (school district maintenance guys), spray roundup on parking lots upstream (same dumbasses) cut fences for no reason (gates we unlocked ya damn methheads!), break into shipping containers full of tools to steal or vandalize (I’d give them the food I grow with those tools!), have made me decide to turn my focus back to my own property, where I can at least do what I want and actually mount some kind of defense.

Yes! The struggles in an attempt to push a city forward with more sustainable initiatives! It is very important work, I think, and the compromises feel worth it because they are better than the alternative of nothing being done to improve upon our unsustainable systems.

Yet I certainly cannot hide my excitement for the day I have some land of my own hehheh..