small scale composting Q???

[NOKUY]

I would like to start composting, but havent, because I live in Bear country, and and any type of food stuff, and garbage attracts them.

I'm not just saying "oh this might attract a bear"......where I live it WILL w/ in 1 day. (my backyard is thousands of acres of National forest)

I dont have a garage, or a secure shed at all, but I do have an upstairs balcony/porch that is secure from the outside....but the temps. are rarely warm (if that matters).

so how would I go about creating a compost pile? and what goes in it, and what stays out?

is it possible to do it on a small scale? (all the ones I've seen are outside near a garden, and fairly large).....I just want something that I can use on my indoor plants...not too many. (will bugs be an issue?)

how does the odor get if you use compost w/ your indoor stuff?

anything I'm missing?....I obviously dont have much knowledge in this specific area.

thanks for any replies/advice guys

-yukon

 

[Ganico]

Maybe go on a stakeout with a high capacity rifle full of rubber bullets and an air horn, ala discovery channel style??

 

[DocLeaf]

hi all

composting tips:

LAYER THE COMPOST - too much too soon makes a bad mix!

never add cooked food-stuffs, (animals come feed)!
never add flesh/meat (animals again come feed)!
never add diseased material (plant material!)
never add anything high in toxins and salts!
never add tree bark/sticks (they tax nitrogen from compost)!
don't add too much green material like grass-clippings !/?
always cover compost (or it will leach the nutrients)!
always place as far-off away from place of dwelling as possible !/?
worms help break stuff down, and add calcium and stuff
always allow manure 1 year + to mature (horse is best)
always use compost that is dark and rich

place new/ready compost on a sheet so birds eat insects, (place worms in the next compost) then collect together and use outdoor.


NOKUY : try making a 'green compost' use dried herbs n grasses, old leaves, nut shells, a little grit/sand, old paper in layers, lots of worms, basically the stuff bears tread on and don't think twice about, this stuff could be collected from the woods... 'green composts' take 20months plus to mature since the nitrogen content is often so high, so try and use dead material since the decomposition rate is then quicker.:wink:

compost generate heat (errr bears eat worms)... hmmm a compost heap in bear country is like a hot-plate in an all ya can eat dinner... lol (sorry). I'll get back to you on this one.

bear shooting: when shooting in bear country, always file the front sight from your rifle(?) that way it hurts less when the bear shoves the rifle up your --- :wink: (Ray Mears),,,, leave the bear to do what bear do!

peace
dL

 

[DocLeaf]

Maybe go on a stakeout with a high capacity rifle full of rubber bullets and an air horn, ala discovery channel style??

stupid idea. a rubber bullet that doesn't penetrate shatters internal bones/organs (does in ppl) this can do more damage than a hollow/jacket which passes into or through quarry. quarry being the word for food that is hunted and eaten!

ever think the bear was there eating honey n sh*t until folk came along and placed food they wasted in a big heap for them to find (?) yeah lets shoot the bear and end it until the next bear comes to town, and shoot that one also,,, sounds cool, looked cool on the goggle-box,, hmmm (?)

later dL

 

[Ganico]

Nah, rubber bullets won't hurt the bear or shatter it's bones/organs, haha. They'll scare it though.

 

[vonforne]

Here is a link to a post by one of our organic crew here. he is really up on the composting thingie.

http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=37581

 

[JackTheGrower]

You can go all store bought.

Peat Moss, Rabbit food pellets, bone meal, green sand, rice, wood shavings or feline pine.
You can use a bag of "top soil" for microbes.

I'm not listing everything you can add to the mix but that should work!
I'm thinking a better thought list of ingredients is needed.

I also added Sulfur and lime in small amounts.

I made my 5 year old soil from such a base. I also hot compost it each year with new materials.

Something as simple as a 55 gal plastic drum or a composting bin will work

Trust me you can small scale compost!!