Yes, we finally did it! Our family started a compost pile. I have the requisite brown matter on bottom (dried leaves, grass clippings, tiny twigs, remnants of flowers, herbs ,and plants from the garden this year).
A basic layer full of fruit and vegetable matter and putting existing organic soil on top of that each time to introduce microbes to start the break down process. The banana in the above picture was the juggernaut fruit to begin the scrap layers. I’ve been doing a lot of research and will keep you posted on the entire process. An addition of worms and compost tea will surely happen soon.
We decided to simply compost using the existing raised garden bed area. We have covered it with a dark tarp and anchored it well to trap heat in and to keep critters out. I’m keeping a large coffee can near our sink (covered to reduce smells, which I have not noticed any yet) to dump scraps in so we can easily take items out to the pile.
It is extremely satisfying dumping old rinds, coffee grounds, peels and waste into this pile. You realize how much you toss, when you realize how much you can compost. Coffee grounds/ brown filters, paper towel tubing, egg shells, banana peels, avocado rinds, grapes that are mushy, apple cores, even (eek) hair clippings. Our trash can smells much better also since most of our food waste is going towards composting.
My son was ‘pretending’ to compost this evening. We are truly blessed to have the space to host a backyard garden and teach him these valuable lessons about reducing waste, recycling, living off the land (well, we had some good herbs this year, I wouldn’t call it living off the land actually!), and taking care of precious nature.
Below is a picture of ‘the sweet potato tragedy of 2015’ (they didn’t span out and grow as they should have). We will work the soil much better next year using our super compost.
I will be excited to share the results in the spring… Let’s hope for better nutrients for our organic garden next year.
Inspired, Natural and Creative 
