Composting

About a month ago I was strolling around Costco when I found a few things for my birthday list, which BTW isnt until the summertime. In my defense, Marcus needs a LOT of notice and a LOT of reminders for gift ideas. So I dropped a few hints about the want for a compost bin. I have wanted to compost for about 2 years now, but never really learned much about it, so when marcus pretty much shot down my idea of trying it I just gave up asking. But when i saw this bin I new that i was going to persist and I was going to try my hand at composting. To my surprise Marcus let me get the compost bin immediately, and about a week later my dad told me that he was going to get me that for my birthday........ooops! *more on that in another post When we got the bin home, it was too late to put it together, so it had to wait in the garage until the next day. Thankfully this all happened during one of those unseasonably warm days in early March. The girls were excited to get to go outside and I was excited to put something together. I LOVE PUTTING STUFF TOGETHER!

Here are the girls by the unpacked box

Kaylee was most excited about composting. She has watched MANY episodes of Curious George being "green" and composting is one of them. She has been the best compost helper. Like when we are out she will ask "Can I take this home to put in the compost bin?" She reminds me ALL the time about things that go in and things that dont.

Here she is helping carry all the parts to the back yard

all of the parts laid out

This is the location Marcus chose for the composter, it is nice/convenient but hidden location.......perfect! (and a bit weedy, we should really do something about those weeds)

Kaylee told Ainslee that we needed leaves (or browns as she calls them) for the compost bin, so Ainslee collected some leaves to help......thanks AZ

Kaylee forgot to tell her that the leaves were supposed to be collected from the ground. Ainslee was pulling them from the plants in the flower bed. Looks like Kaylee joined in on the fun as well. While I put the composter together I sent them to the backyard with the wagon to collect all the leaves they could that had fallen from our lonely oak tree. They did a pretty good job until they found a mud hole by the stump, then Kaylee was busy making mud pies while Ainslee watched in disgust.

My little helper picking up the leaves

Kaylee grabbed the camera to catch me in my "put something together mode," the funny thing is, I didnt even know she took this picture until I loaded these pics on the computer. HA!

Now it has been about a month, we started out with some leaves and pine needles I collected from Marcus' moms house, as well as some kitchen scraps I saved. My dad quickly jumped in to help and went to Starbucks to get some coffee grounds for me, about 10 lbs worth of coffee ground to be more precise. Then he offered to save the scraps from the Fish Frys at the church each Friday, so before I knew it my 80 gallon compost bin was well on its way to success! We have thrown SO much stuff in there, I am really seeing a difference in our garbage as well. Did you know your dryer lint and hair can be composted? Ainslee has even learn about what goes in a compost bin, how many 2 year olds do you know that scream "compost BIN" after you peel an orange for them?

I am so excited about this endeavor, I know that this compost is going to help out so much with my garden next year as well as other areas around the yard, it is amazing what you can use this "gardeners gold" for. AMAZING!