Leaf Shredding Season!

The leaves are falling- I hope you're like me and are frantically collecting them for composting. When I got my leaf shredder, I remember reading something saying 7 bags of unshredded leaves will fit in one single bag... I don't know about that. Regardless, I got three relatively large bags into this one big bag. It saves me space, and more importantly I can get my compost pile cooking. I've been neglecting shredding for several months, as I wanted to compost as if I don't own a shredder like most people. My pile has shown this change, as it has only been cooking in the 90F - 110F range instead of the usual 130F+. Another cool benefit to shredding is that when you add a layer to the compost pile,…

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Skeletons in my Compost!

I stopped adding to my "cured" compost bin just over a year ago- it's had plenty of time to cure, cool down and break down. It's strange how compost piles age- all the non-compost stuff seems to bubble up to the surface, like tires rise to the surface in a landfill. Can you guess what this glob of green stuff is in my hand? It's the remains of a compostable garbage bag. Where's the rest of it?  Has it degraded safely and completely?  What's up with the stuff in my hand?  What other stuff is in here? I really don't remember what I put in my compost pile... I'm making that pledge right now that when I empty this one and start it all over soon, I'm keeping a clipboard…

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