One Hundred Dollars a Month

This is a guest post written by my buddy Heather from Massachusetts. She has posted so many good things over the years including How to Make Upcycled Glass Flower Yard Art a trip to Johnny’s Seed Company , DIY Flock Block Treats for Chickens, a Fun Story About a Bookstore, the Boston Flower and Garden Show, a Wicked Storm, DIY Garden Markers, and of course, oodles of posts about her garden.

I needed a compost pile like NOW, with the kids suddenly home from college and since we are making a lot bigger meals, which means a lot more kitchen scraps which could be composted. But I can’t go hunt down pallets now, and since we just moved, this little town is new to me so I’m still searching out my “free” avenues. 

So I made a bucket composter and put it at the back kitchen door for ease of use. It took me 5 mins. If you need one too, check out the photos below for directions.

This was the situation – just a pile going to waste. Which was making me crazy because I know this could be gardener’s black gold.

I bought a can on wheels because I think it will be easier to pull it to my garden beds when it’s ready to use. I also made sure it had a lid that attaches so I’m not forever making sure it’s on and not blowing across the yard (it’s pretty windy here).

Some research says drill holes 8”-10” apart, some say 3”-4”. I didn’t measure – I just made a bunch of holes avoiding the corners to keep the structure strong.

Also, metal is an option but it seemed like it would rust out quickly and I wanted one permanent solution. Make sure to make holes in the bottom (so the worms can get in) and the lid (so rain/snow) can get in.

Make sure to place the composter directly on the ground (don’t elevate it on bricks etc) so the worms and other microorganisms can get into the composter.

The compost works with a combination of dry, wet, air and water. Leaves are dry, cardboard, coffee filters, newspapers, etc.

Then add wet (kitchen scraps).

Then more dry. Repeat.

This is my compost bin and a bucket of leaves to make the mixing consistent – even for the young adults in my house! For every Tupperware bucket of scraps we toss in, we grab a handful of leaves also. I’m a lazy composter, so I figure that’s great “mixing”.

I’ve seen a ton of lists that tell you what you can and cannot put in your compost pile but remember, this is just a kitchen scrap composter not a yard or big garden compost pile so keep it logical and simple.

Compostable:

• Veggies: Anything that came from the garden or your kitchen (but citrus and onions).
• Fruits: Anything that you eat (but citrus).
• Shredded paper/cardboard (strip off packing tape and labels on cardboard. No shiny paper or anything else like the see through envelope windows.)
• Dried leaves
• Coffee grounds/coffee filters
• Tea bags: remove the bag, staple, and string on tea bags.
• Egg Shells
• Grass Clippings: only if you don’t use chemicals. Remember, small amounts for this size container. Also remember grass is considered a “green” just like your kitchen scraps.
• Wood chips/bark/mulch/old top soil (these work best if they are finely chopped and not bulk amounts – remember this is just a little kitchen composter).

Not Compostable:

• Citrus and onions: These items are naturally acidic and kill worms and other microorganisms. Also, citrus takes forevvvvver to break down.
• Stickers: the kind that come on fruits and veggies – they don’t decompose, take them off before composting.
• Pet waste or kitty litter: because ick… and about a million other reasons.
• Meat, Fish, Bones, Dairy products, and Fats/Oils/Grease/Lard: meat needs a VERY high temperature to compost but in the meantime you will draw all types of unsavory scavengers to your compost pile who will likely set up residence if they think they have a food source.
• Glossy paper: the shiny part of the magazine cover is a plastic-like material, no Bueno.
• Anything treated with pesticides: like grass or plants because it will kill the good organisms in the compost.
• Coal/charcoal: commonly these items contain chemical additives and too much sulfur.
• Plastic items: obviously….

This will be a long, slow composting process and I have no delusions that it’ll be a ready source of material very soon. But, I’m not throwing the scraps away, I’m not wasting them in a random messy pile, my dog’s not eating them (she’s very sneaky), and it’s neat and tidy…. so win-win!

Happy Gardening,

~Heather

Mama Cook From Snohomish Sends in Her Walk in Chicken Coop Photos

Got something super amazing you want to share?

If you would like to have your garden, chicken coop, pantry or something you’ve made featured on One Hundred Dollars a Month, here’s what I’m looking for:

• Your Garden Pictures and Tips – I’d especially like to see your garden set ups, growing areas, and projects from start to finish.
• Your Pantry Pics – Submit at least 5 HIGH QUALITY pictures of your pantry/fridge/cabinets, and tell us about you and your food habits.
• Your Chicken and Chicken Related Stories – Coops, Chicks, Hen’s, Roosters, Eggs, you name it. If it clucks, send us some pictures and your story to share with the world.
• Cool Arts & Crafts – Made from your very own hands with detailed {and well photographed} pictures and instructions.
• Your pictures and stories about your pets. The more pictures and details the better.
• Garage Sale, Thrift Store and Dumpster Diving pictures and the stories behind the treasures you found including how much you paid for them.

You’ll need to send in a Minimum of 5 HIGH QUALITY pictures and the stories to go along with those pictures. Please do not send in a couple of grainy photos and a sentence about them. I can’t post that. It doesn’t make for an interesting or informative story.

If I feature your pictures and the stories behind them on One Hundred Dollars a Month, I will send you a $20.00 gift card to Amazon.com. You can send your submissions to me at onehundreddollarsamonth @ gmail.com {spaces removed}and be sure and put Mavis Mail in the subject line. Thank you. I’m looking forward to your submissions. Please note: I will only share well written posts with quality photos.

Go HERE for the official rules.