Comments on: Questioning Compost http://www.thelocalbeet.com/2009/12/07/questioning-compost/ A practical guide to eating local, in and around Chicago Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:25:09 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Rob Gardner http://www.thelocalbeet.com/2009/12/07/questioning-compost/comment-page-1/#comment-564 Rob Gardner Tue, 08 Dec 2009 17:05:48 +0000 http://www.thelocalbeet.com/?p=3468#comment-564 Bundled up for shoveling, I decided to tend to the compost too. There was plenty of gooey, black goo under the layer of snow, so all is well. Well as well as a calamity of frozen earth worms can be well. Will they thaw a la Ted Williams? Bundled up for shoveling, I decided to tend to the compost too. There was plenty of gooey, black goo under the layer of snow, so all is well. Well as well as a calamity of frozen earth worms can be well. Will they thaw a la Ted Williams?

]]> By: Brad http://www.thelocalbeet.com/2009/12/07/questioning-compost/comment-page-1/#comment-562 Brad Tue, 08 Dec 2009 15:06:58 +0000 http://www.thelocalbeet.com/?p=3468#comment-562 True enough, Monica. Something about the pointy ice crystals punching through cell walls, which is also the reason why some vegetables taste badly when you freeze them. I like the phrase "poking stick." Sounds very Simpson-esque. Me, when I'm feeling in need of exercise, I'll spend a few minutes chopping up the larger chunks of food with a sharpened spade. Yet one more reason why I wouldn't want worms in there! True enough, Monica. Something about the pointy ice crystals punching through cell walls, which is also the reason why some vegetables taste badly when you freeze them.
I like the phrase “poking stick.” Sounds very Simpson-esque. Me, when I’m feeling in need of exercise, I’ll spend a few minutes chopping up the larger chunks of food with a sharpened spade. Yet one more reason why I wouldn’t want worms in there!

]]> By: Monica http://www.thelocalbeet.com/2009/12/07/questioning-compost/comment-page-1/#comment-561 Monica Tue, 08 Dec 2009 14:28:40 +0000 http://www.thelocalbeet.com/?p=3468#comment-561 Love the Blog. What I have found with my tumbler is that it's fine. Freeze/thaw cycles help to break down the compost. I also have a poking stick, that helps to aerate and break down waste into compost. The outer layers may freeze, but the center will remain warm. Just poke up bits and pieces, and everything will be fine. Love the Blog.

What I have found with my tumbler is that it’s fine. Freeze/thaw cycles help to break down the compost. I also have a poking stick, that helps to aerate and break down waste into compost. The outer layers may freeze, but the center will remain warm. Just poke up bits and pieces, and everything will be fine.

]]> By: Brad Moldofsky http://www.thelocalbeet.com/2009/12/07/questioning-compost/comment-page-1/#comment-560 Brad Moldofsky Tue, 08 Dec 2009 00:31:01 +0000 http://www.thelocalbeet.com/?p=3468#comment-560 I'm not sure the center of the pile will be toasty, but it is likely to be warmer than the outside of the pile, and as we get those unseasonably warm January days, the decomposition will continue. The big downside of the enclosed compost tumbler, IMO, is that it's not as conducive to growing worms as a compost heap in contact with the ground. I’m not sure the center of the pile will be toasty, but it is likely to be warmer than the outside of the pile, and as we get those unseasonably warm January days, the decomposition will continue.
The big downside of the enclosed compost tumbler, IMO, is that it’s not as conducive to growing worms as a compost heap in contact with the ground.

]]> By: Rob Gardner http://www.thelocalbeet.com/2009/12/07/questioning-compost/comment-page-1/#comment-559 Rob Gardner Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:25:23 +0000 http://www.thelocalbeet.com/?p=3468#comment-559 I was thinking some of these things the other day as I tried to turn a mostly frozen bin of compost. I've heard that the heat of composting will keep things toasty within, but that was not the case with our ever full pile. I'm not sure really, either what to do. I know that the eat local lifestyle makes for much food waste. I was thinking some of these things the other day as I tried to turn a mostly frozen bin of compost. I’ve heard that the heat of composting will keep things toasty within, but that was not the case with our ever full pile. I’m not sure really, either what to do. I know that the eat local lifestyle makes for much food waste.

]]>