compost bins

compost harvesting

I used above ground compost bins that I purchased from the county dump. nice bins but a slow process and basically end up as "sit and let it rot" style composting.

I decided I wanted to switch to worm composting so I set about harvesting the compost from the bins.

I made a screen frame to fit over my wheelbarrow. Different sized screens can be used. For this, I used 1/2" hardware cloth for the first screening.

There wasn't a lot of finished compost, it was pretty dry and not enough carbon. Fearless thought it was worth investigating.

After removing the un-decomposed material from the top, I simply shoveled a bit on the screen,

and pushed it around until the smaller, finished compost fell through the holes.

This is the result. Nice looking compost ready for the garden.

But since I want to use it in my soil mix, I thought I'd refine it a bit more and so I put it into my worm bins to see if they would break it down further. 

they did! but 2 weeks wasn't enough time for the worms to go through 2 full trays, but I did get enough vermicompost to add to the soil mix. its full of lovely, lively microbes.

I have since retired my bins to the chicken yard to hold clean hay. they work pretty well and each barrel holds one square bale of hay.