Compost Bins
Tumbling Composter
Here is a compost bin we ordered from Home Depot (you think we get something for mentioning HD? You're crazy!) that seemed perfect for our needs.
This Forest City model was not too expensive (we're making compost, after all not gold), not too large (this one seems big enough for a one or two person house hold), two chambers (one to fill and one to cook), and twirl-able (twirl-abililty seems to be a big deal in making compost. If you rotate it a couple of times a day it seems to cook faster.)
The reviews that we read on the HD site seemed to be very positive except for the difficulty in putting it together. It did come with 52 nuts and bolts - quite intimidating at first - but there were good instructions and even referenced an internet web site with great photos and even more instructions.
Yes, it was plastic, after all, and buying something plastic to make compost seems counter productive. But we live in a real world here and will try to make it last for a while.
We'll keep you posted on how it works out.
BINatar (not sure of the significance of naming a compost bin after our favorite rocker)
We took an old plastic table that was on its way to the dump and wrapped some chicken wire around it. One side has the ability to open so we can turn the compost every once in a while.
We're not sure how this is going to work out, but it seems like a worthy experiment.
Dueling Composters
Cape Cod Compost Bin
This one has made a couple of batches of compost so far and has been in existence for about a year.
Made from four metal stakes (about five feet high) pounded into the ground and wrapped with chicken wire. One side can be opened to turn the compost and to shovel it out when it is ready.
With one compost bin, you have to fill it up and let it set for a while (doing something else with the new kitchen scraps in the meantime) while it makes your compost. Two bins are better!