Composting is a great way to make dirt naturally and is an unseen but essential practice in organic gardening. Even while trying to garden in an environmentally-friendly manner, it is often easy to be lured into buying the latest must-have tool. For two years I have been using a plastic bin provided by my county after I took a class on composting. The bin was sufficient, but I found it hard to use because it was small and I couldn’t easily turn the pile without removing the entire bin. In the last six months, I was not able to get anything out because the contents were compacted and there was little aeration. After looking into various options I decided I wanted a multiple bin system. Although I really wanted three bins, space limitations and the disproportionate size of the bin to my yard made me select a two bin system. This would allow two bins to make compost in varying stages at a time, or one working bin and a second to hold finished compost.
While at first we had thought we’d build our own, the reality of building a bin and purchasing the materials and cedar wood we had decided on was that we’d spend almost as much as if we bought a bin ready to assemble. I searched online and found a bin made by Master Garden Products that met most of my requirements. I was happy to find a statement on their website declaring “Trees are selectively harvested, with no clear cutting, and more trees are planted than we harvest.” The two bins measured 36x36x36 each, and the separating wall between the two bins was removable as were the fronts, to provide easy access. This seemed perfect!
When the bin arrived I was immediately impressed with the quality and look of the panels. However I noticed one thing was missing Continue reading “Makin’ Dirt”
