Project 2: The Compost Bins

Finally, I finished the compost bins that I had mentioned in an earlier post (refer to November 9th post, "Project 1: the mini greenhouses"). Just like the mini greenhouses these compost bins are made completely from reused materials that were discovered in the loft of the barn. Since I didn't use treated, cedar, or some other rot resistant wood I'm sure that they won’t last as long as they could but I really strive to reuse any possible material. Not only does it feel good to challenge myself to "reduce and reuse" it is also a relief to any pocket book by saving money and building the compost bins for FREE. I even scavenged around the garage finding and reusing the nails that hold them together!

To make the compost bins I simply dug out a spot roughly six feet long and three feet deep creating an area which was level. I then cut whatever wood was available into three foot pieces and also cut six additional 2x4's to use as four foot posts. Next, I nailed the sides together to make three foot by four foot rectangle walls, assembled the entire thing and wired the lattice fronts on. The two final bins are 3' x 4' rectangular prisms side by side. One compost bin for use and one decomposing...hopefully, that's the plan.  The two bins won’t be my only compost source but they will be the tidiest. I plan to also have several compost piles elsewhere (placed for convenience) but they will be simple heaps with no bin.
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