If you have 399 dollars around taking up space. maybe you want this
http://www.naturemill.com/howItWorks.html
Be sure to move your cursor over the 1 2 3
Its neat looking. Somebody was/is doing a co op for them. Personally can't imagine it works.
This message was edited Jul 12, 2008 9:35 PM
compost made right in the kitchen? for the right price
Sally, I couldn't imagine keeping it in the kitchen. Maybe out on the deck would be OK. I'm looking for a composting alternative. Because of the vole infestation and Ground hogs, I cleared out compost pile. I tried one of those big plastic drums that turns on a pedestal, but it got too hard for me to push as it got fuller, but yet the compost still wasn't fully cooked.
Sally, I LOVE IT! Thanks for posting this. I was already told we are too rural to have a compost pile without attracting a lot of critters, small and large. And I like that you can do it inside, compost year round! This would pay for itself in a year or less, in my opinion. 299.00 plus 15 bucks shipping. Not bad really.
If you don't put any meat or grease in your compost pile, you won't have any problems with critters at all. If you're that concerned about it, get a compost bin that has a cover. I'm in about as rural an area as you can get and I've never had critters get into my compost in over 10 years.
You can compost year round too, it's just not as active in winter.
I'm really skeptical. I would think that the rotting food would attract fruit flies. Once it gets hot enough in the core, the bugs would be deterred. But putting fresh rotting fruit inside, in the kitchen? I don't know about that. . .. I'm happy with my quite passive outdoor compost piles. No work, no muss, no fuss.
Stormy, Gardeners Supply has a compost activator that may help get it started. http://www.gardeners.com/Compost%20Tools/20708,default,sc.html
Hart, I'm with you never had any problems with critters in my compost, I have 2 bins that I use and when they get full just take them apart and move them to the side and start sifting the ready pile. What doesn't go through the sifter goes back into the bin. Like you said no meat, grease, and I also exclude dairy products like cottage cheese, milk and the like.
Seems like someone is trying to build a better mouse trap, and charge big $$$.
Well, I have to post an exception to the rule here. We have ground squirrels and they moved in under our compost bin. It's warm and cozy under there, I guess, and they have a ready source of food. Nothing goes in but fruit and veg scraps, garden clippings, and horse manure. I would love to have one of those units, but it's way down on the list of what we need :-)
I can see a market for it. We have friends who live in a gated housing development, small yard, lots of rules, etc. They would love to compost, but have NO room, nor would it be allowed. They have a beautiful garden, though, and would love the compost for their roses, etc.
Lady, Thanks, but I gave the drum away last week. I also was using one of those ceramic garbage pails that you keep scraps in the kitchen. Last year, Shop Rite & Trader Joes in our area had very bad fruit fly infestations on all of their produce. Unfortunately I brought some home. The ceramic pail, even with the charcoal filters kept attracting the flies.
I read the thread where some other gals got together and ordered them with a group discount. I'll try to find it & write to them. I like the compact size and the convenience to chose a location. Using it year round is also appealing. I'm wondering about brown matter though, I don't think you would be adding leaves or saw dust to it. I suppose you could add fireplace ashes when you empty it.
Kasper is right. Many people don't have room or are prohibited from using a compost pile. The voles eat lots of plant food. My extension agent told me that there have been incidents of them locally infesting the compost piles. I don't want to garden without compost so I'll keep exploring alternatives, including this one.
Skunks, groundhogs and bears are the primary compost critter problems per my neighbor that's lived here fifty years. If I have to put it too far away from the house, I won't be as inclined to use it. At my place in GA, I composted everything but meat, and never had a problem. Of course, the only scavengers in the area were possum and the occasional house cat out for a stroll. I composted all year, and turned out some nice stuff. We're actually lugging it up here in rubbermaid containers...LOL! Hey, saves money, yeah? ;)
I know there are exceptions, like living in no composting allowed areas, and places where wild animals, large and small are a problem.
Kaper, have your friends tried digging a small trench in their rose bed and just adding kitchen scraps and covering with dirt. Do it early in the morning or night when all their neighbors are in bed. ; ^) Composting on a small scale.
No, they really have NO extra room. Plus, they have a little dog that loves to eat anything she finds in the garden, even bark. They have to keep eagle eyes on her! Good idea, though.
Lady, I have a friend who buries fish heads and carcasses everywhere in her extensive beds. She's always taking everybody's seafood leftovers home from restaurants.
I know about those little dogs they can get into mischief, lol.
The American Indians used fish as a fert. in their corn fields they had the right idea, and that was before we had science to tell us we needed NKP to grow a better plant.
I wonder what the waitress thinks when she asks for a doggie bag and all that's left is shrimp shells and crab legs with no meat left ?
Well, lady.... What else were they going to do with all of that smelly stuff when they caught a 1000lb sturgeon?????
I don't know but I'm glad that I don't ride home with her from one of our MD sail trips after eating hardshells!!!!! I have enough smelly stuff to cart after 4 days out on the boat!
I'm too selfish to give my home seafood scraps to the garden. I freeze them and use them to make fish stock for soups. Yummy!