Composte Pile

[Cowgirl]

I think the issue with meat is that the pile probably doesnt' get hot enough to break it down fast. We used to compost calves, and even a few cows, but those piles get so hot they'd break down in a month.

[pixiegirl]

Originally Posted by huntr1

You have more wild animal poop around your house than cat poop.

I don't know... We're the crazy cat people of the hood. We have 5. But I guess that does make sense!

[pixiegirl]

Another question. See, I'm full of it. What do you do in the winter? Do you keep adding to it?

[Cowgirl]

Originally Posted by pixiegirl

Another question. See, I'm full of it. What do you do in the winter? Do you keep adding to it?

This should answer all of your questions.

[migtig]

We have this:
Creative-Circuit Base Compost Tumbler
and it's awesome makes thick rich compost in almost no time and it also collects the compost tea at the bottom to use to enrich plants.
I have a small rubbish bin inside the kitchen and I place all my veggie waste, used tea bags, coffee and filters, etc. and dump it in along with a mix of shredded paper, and give it a whirl. Trash no longer stinks. Also between proper recycling and composting I have about half a bag of trash a week.

The only thing I do not dump in the compost bin is dairy (milk/cheese/yogurt products) meat, and grease. If you want to do that, you'd need a super special compost bin - an aerobic composter, in order to keep the air circulating and ensure proper breakdown and not have a lot of bad bacteria growth. Something like this: Small Dual Chamber Tumbling Composter. You would not want an open bin compost, it would smell like road kill all up and down your street, bring rodents and varmints up close to your home, and have some bad bacteria growth that may not make healthy compost.

[Cowgirl]

Here's another good site.

[pixiegirl]

Originally Posted by Cowgirl

This should answer all of your questions.

Originally Posted by Cowgirl

Here's another good site.

[huntr1]

Originally Posted by pixiegirl

I don't know... We're the crazy cat people of the hood. We have 5. But I guess that does make sense!

It's ok to be crazy cat people.

Originally Posted by pixiegirl

Anyone have one? Easy to make and maintain? I'd say easily our food trash constitutes about 1/3 to 1/2 of our total trash. We LOVE to do things outside in the yard/garden so I'm thinking this is probably a very good thing for us to consider. I'm just looking for general input and anything anyone can tell me.

Got a huge one...easy peasy.

[jedi2814]

Originally Posted by Pete

I have a big one. Leaves and food trash. The critters don't mess with it. The bypass the compost pile to tear open trash bags I leave on my deck if I forget to put them in the can.

I put everything in mine. Meat, veggies, cat litter, and anything else that is not plastic, metal or paper.

I would be careful with cat litter for two reasons: Unless it's the plain old clay kind most have some kind of deoderants and disenfectants which would be detrimental to whatever you put it on after you compost it (even the "all natural ones" - read the label). Cat manure also tends to be really acidic which can also damage you plants.

There are also certain viruses cats carry and pass on through their stool which can make small children sick and are dangerous to pregnant women (well to the baby). Composting does not get rid of these. If you then spread this compost on your gardens you spreading these germs on your garden. Are they difficult to actually pick up? Yes. Is it worth the risk? No.