There are many sites and page references to composting your household wastes. I can contribute a few fresh ideas, but first I want to approach the topic 'bassackerds'. I've always been drawn to the 'something for nothing' idea, and compost fits the bill gloriously. A great soil amendment out of banana peels and coffee grounds? Hooray! But, let's start on a wider scale first.

I'd like you to plan a visit to your local community land fill. See what you and your neighbors throw away on an annual basis. If the site manager can give you a guided tour, so much the better. These people are real pros at site management, water runoff, dealing with everyday garbage and larger things such as appliances and tires. Today, there are a number of facilities developed specifically to deal with America's multi-billion dollar problem of trash disposal.

For years John has commented that the US is a 'disposable society', but I never gave it much thought until I toured a landfill. These facilities start out by scooping away the earth to a footage depending on how far down the rock cap is. They then line the entire site with a thick mat to prevent any 'juicy stuff' from filtering into the water table.

Most landfills have an upper end of 15 to 30 year service date. Management of these facilities also includes use after the site has been filled. Covered with topsoil and sod and planted with certain specified shrubs and grasses, the landfill site might very well be the highest point in your community some day! Interestingly enough, trees are discouraged from growing because of their root system. Not only could a tree root harm the bed liner, but it could also uproot Aunt Bessie's 1944 DeSoto!

Car tires pose a hazard when they end up in the landfill because they trap gases. When an airway in the compacted landfill trash is created, these gases can travel great distances through a gravel bed, or just under the surface. Any nearby flame is a potential time bomb with a gaseous condition nearby. Tire retailers now charge a fee for disposal, and facilities have been created to grind and reuse them in such things as soaker hoses and barrier fencing.

Used batteries, spent motor oil, old paint and other household products are other things that should never end up in a community landfill. Paper generally breaks down rapidly, but not when dumped in a huge anaerobic mass into the landfill. Find out the facilities that take these items in your area and develop the habit of sorting your trash. Many cities now require householders to do this and encourage the use of backyard composting methods.

Now for the fun stuff! A compost pit or pile is anywhere you toss trash with the intent to decompose it. A little science has to be applied here. If you just pile you kitchen garbage and pack it well, chances are, a couple of years later, you'll still have identifiable trash in your pile. The idea is to break the garbage down into something useable for your yard and garden. A well built compost pile won't have a strong odor, won't be attractive to flies or vermin, and will turn garbage into fertilizer in a rapid sequence.

Several formulas abound and all are good, but the general idea is 1/3 dry matter such as dead leaves or straw, 1/3 wet matter such as fresh grass clippings, and 1/3 garbage. If you don't have access to spent straw or hay, use what you have. If your garbage doesn't equal 1/3 of the other ingredients, don't worry, it'll rot anyhow. The secret is aeration. If the pile is turned frequently and kept moist, it will go through a remarkable phase of heating up and breaking down.

Temperature variations affect your compost also. A wintertime pile will still heat up when turned, but obviously, the outside air temperature will affect the compost, and your finished product may take longer to produce.

Feed "Bombs"

By accident, I discovered that a pelleted emu feed breaks down and heats up a compost pit very quickly. So quickly, it ran the earthworms and other beneficials completely out of the system. Now, I add a handful of pellets to the pile whenever I want a quick charge in the winter only. If you buy animal feeds with the intention of using them in your compost, make certain they are all vegetable based only. (No urea). The higher the protein content, the quicker the pellets will work in the compost, and urea is extremely high protein. Catfish food, calf creep pellets, and dairy pellets all would be a good choice for a little compost 'feeding'.