Hey doods! Guess what time it is in MacStabby-Land? 0100 in the AM. Because CRIPES- I’m on nights right now. And last month I was working overnight every three days. It’s put quite the damper on my creative drive. Not the mind-process, just the actual getting-off-my-ass process.
Apologies in advance for the wonky spacing going on in this post- either wordpress is being weird or I am, I can’t tell. Annoying though, since I can’t figure out how to fix it!
Anywho, a few weeks ago was Memorial Day weekend here in the States, and I took the opportunity to build something AWESOME for my house/yard/mostly me. We’ve got a good-sized yard as Casa MacStabberson, and I’ve been wanting to try composting. We’ve certainly got enough grass-clippings from every time LSH mows the lawn, and enough dead leaves and things in the woods behind the house. SO, I went to the University of Missouri Extension Program site (I just googled “how to build a compost bin”) and started on this beauty.
Look, you guys! I used power tools! It was also approximately ONE MILLION DEGREES that day. Fahrenheit or Celsius, I can’t remember. At that temperature, it really doesn’t matter. It was hotter than Satan’s taint.
Choppity Choppity! My knees were SO sore after all this kneeling and sweating and whatnot. I was a sad panda.
The website had a full list of supplies needed as well as thorough directions for construction- for free! There were several options, but I chose the three-bin option, because I wanted a baller compost bin. We started construction up near the house, where the cords for the tools would reach, and then, when all chopping was completed, continued on down in the area where the bins would sit permanently.
You see the metallic screens on the boxes? That’s called hardware cloth. The directions say to “pull taut and nail down.” HAHAHAHA that’s funny. Because that shit basically does what it wants. I did my best, with LSH’s help, but super taut, it is not. Points if you can figure out what’s wrong in this photo, ha. Whoops.
Here’s the cloth in roll form- it had to be cut with a tin snips which was obvs SUPER FUN.
This ended up being a two-day project for me, because I had never done anything like this before, there was lots of hammering to be done by hand (why doesn’t LSH have a pneumatic nail-gun?) and it was hot as the dickens. Did I mention it was hot? Because it might have been a little warm that day.
Getting closer to being completed!
Inserting the fronty-door pieces. They’re removable for access to the bins for turning the compost. I have my very own pitchfork for this express purpose (not pictured).
Look guys! I’M USING MY COMPOST BIN, WHUT WHUT!
Completed! This was a cool thing for me- I’ve never done a project like this before, and doing something like this for our home was really satisfying. I’ve got several yard-mowings’ worth of clippings, dead leaves from last autumn, and am starting to put in foody bits. The next step to finishing will be the Optional Lids (to keep critters out.) I think I’m hot composting, because it’s warm in there when I turn my compost. It’s been pretty fun so far!
Also, I wanna give props/big-ups/many thanks to Oanh of Unique Schmuck for her info on composting- she’s done it for ages and had good tips. Mine of hers to share with you- apparently, newspaper will fix ANYTHING.
Have you tried composting or other ways to recycle yard waste?
Crafternoon Nap 
Now that is one smart composting bin! I kinda like the idea of composting, but I don’t garden. Something about the smell of dirt, it makes me gag… lame huh? I just make my beloved do the work instead!
Thanks! Lol about the dirt smell- I love it, myself (good thing too, I suppose!)
“Hotter than Satan’s taint” HAHAHAHA!!! We don’t do our own composting, we take all the compost-y “materials” to our city’s giant compost pile (seriously, it sits on a couple of acres), and we are also able to get finished compost for our garden on the way out. It’s a pretty awesome setup and one I’ll miss after the move.
Anyway, it’s pretty awesome using tools and building stuff, isn’t it? You seem pretty pleased even if the weather didn’t cooperate, so I’m seeing you starting on some furniture and stuff next. 😉 You just need a shady spot or a garage to build in. 😉
Yes, it was pretty fun to build tools (I just wish they weren’t so loud haha.) We do have a garade- but it would have been too far to haul to pieces of the bin. Perhaps for our next projects! (if LSH will get move some of his man-toys.)
I just showed this to the gentleman lover who was suitably impressed, whilst commenting that this doesn’t fit the Australian definition of compost, and then he started extolling the virtues of your type of compost as opposed to our compost system.
Men….
Hey, I’m feeling pretty good if HWF is impressed! I guess one of our next chats will be how Australian compost differs from American, ha.