I have not started composting yet. However, my DH is building me a bin this weekend. So I am anxious to see other people's responses as well.

I've just started my first pile but it's mostly leaves. I don't have near the amount of nigrogen-rich materials to get it cooking yet this time of year. I'm also ordering a compost thermometer from Amazon. I add kitchen scraps & coffee grounds when I have them but it barely makes a dent.

As for method, right now I just have a big chicken-wire rimmed pile but I've scrounged some pallets and I'm going to build the more traditional pallet triple-bin units for the different stages. I'd love to hear from more experienced composters in our neck of the woods too!

Danielle

Not the most experienced, but been composting for a few years. I use the one bin method that takes a longer time, but it works and I'm generally in no hurry. Maybe this year I'll build a couple more bins if I get the time.

I've been composting for about one year. I guess you could say I'm in the 'lazy' category of composters. I have an Earth Machine (don't really care for it, but it will do) and the majority of kitchen scraps goes into it along with some shredded leaves(this gets turned over occasionally) I have an approximately 3 ft wide wire bin that got the last of the grass clippings and lots of shredded leaves this fall...hasn't been turned yet.

I want to enlarge my composting but due to other restraints on my time have been unable to do so so far.

I was just looking at Garden's Alive! catalog at the compost 'booster' there. Wondering how well it would work to get finished compost sooner. They have a preparation for mostly nitrogen material and one for mostly carbon rich material, promising 'finished' compost in a matter of weeks.

What does eveyone else do? Any more composters out there?

I guess mine is what you call the lazy man compost. I have a big pile about 8ft wide and 5 ft tall and I put vegs from the produce stand and what ever I get from cooking in the lower half. I can feel the heat but wont know my temp till I get my thermomter in that I ordered from amazon for 19.95 Had my stepson even exited about it heating up because he has to put the vegs in the pile. I also have it covered with a tarp so it wont get to wet.
Jill

I compost using all leaves, grass clipping, kitchen scraps and anything else I can find. I collect about 8 gallons of coffee grinds each week from two local convenience stores. I have two bins. One is 4X4 ft. and the other is 4x10 ft. The smaller one is currently full and cooking well. I'm still adding to the large one. I'll use the finished compost this spring and start that one over. You can never have enough.

I'd like to see some photos of your compost bins, especially the larger ones (3x3 or larger). I am using the lazy 'pile' method right now, and am also time-constrained, but want to do something better. What did you do in the construction process to make it easy to turn and then collect the finished compost?