Garbage of the Garden

Compost...It brings a lot of things to mind. One being, what the heck is in there and how do I get it to look like dirt? I began experimenting with compost last year after attending a county workshop. They gave me a free compost bin and thermometer, which I thought was way cool. However, it took me about eight months to have enough compost to fill a five gallon bucket, not to mention I spent $30.00 on a special tool to help me "turn" my pile so I won't break my back. Needless to say, I'm still working on my technique!

So about four weeks ago, since my hubby was raking leaves and he was going to donate them to the garbage and yard waste collectors, I decided I would rescue some of them and begin my compost quest all over again. So me and my trusty thermometer have been tending this pile of organisms for a month now and, as you can see, I successfully hit the green zone today at 80 degrees. I do love to see that little needle in the green zone. If you look very closely someone with a sense of humor printed on the thermometer, "How Hot's Your Pile?" Some days when the pile's gone cold and the needle has dipped low, I perceive this as a little taunt - So, Lisa, how hot is your pile? Because I know someone somewhere is looking at 120 degrees!

~

Oh to see 120 degrees!

All of this from the leaves of trees,

and plants, and kitchen scraps

Oh no, now there's the neighbor's cat

Bury the scraps or we'll get rats

But at the end of the day, or weeks, or months

I'll have black gold instead of lumps!