turned compost piles - need to find the advil

I turned all three of my compost piles this afternoon; aerated, watered, and added some new material.

First, unwrapped the Geo-Bin, set it up again, then shoveled the old pile into the new.

Here's a cross section...the bottom of the pile was fairly compact and dry...you can see my layers...shredded leaves, manure (horse, cow, rabbit, chicken), coffee grounds, etc. The center of the pile was almost too hot to touch.


With the two remaining piles, I added some fish to the bottom of the new piles, made a run to Starbucks for some coffee grounds, then mowed the lawn and added green grass clippings...very productive day...but sore all over.

Love those coffee pucks! I myself am an aspirin woman, just finished turning my 4x4x8' pile, total time chopping the icy bits (chunks) and fluffing everything up, about 5 hours, over the course of two days to do the whole thing.

I'd like to know more about your plastic mesh compost bin. Is that a Geobin?

It is a Geo-Bin - I won it at a local seed exchange drawing last year. It seems to work pretty good...it is heavy duty plastic mesh with four plastic coated metal stakes...the seam is held together by a handful of neoprene bolts, nuts, and washers. Being a circle, there is equal pressure all around...unlike my square metal mesh bin where the sides bulge out quite a bit.

It stays warm in the sun and it's easy to slide a spade shovel right down the side when turning material. I'm assuming it will last forever.

Camprn - my 3 year old daughter loves to break-up the pucks with her fingers...makes for some cheap entertainment...makes the yard smell great for a while as well.

For the aches and pains can I recommend something a little more natural? Pain Free by Pete Egoscue.

And for the compost I use the wire mesh w/ the 2x4 holes. I didn't even have to pay for mine the previous homeowner left it for me!

Zekes nursery wrote:For the aches and pains can I recommend something a little more natural? Pain Free by Pete Egoscue.

And for the compost I use the wire mesh w/ the 2x4 holes. I didn't even have to pay for mine the previous homeowner left it for me!

Thanks for the tip about that exercise book. The aspirin works pretty well for the acute discomfort. I am planning on growing more borage this season for the bees and to dry for tea. That will help too, borage tea. Wish I had some.

WOW camprn... that is an impressive amount of compost you have going on. I really need to beef my operation up a little more in anticipation of adding another bed this fall.

What is a coffee puck ? They looked like sliced carrots to me.

yolos wrote:What is a coffee puck ? They looked like sliced carrots to me.

Coffee pucks are compressed discs of coffee that come out of espresso machines. I can see them sitting the the pile.
Here is a photo of a fresh puck after someone removed it from the espresso machine basket.

boy does this title speak for me. About a month ago I did a major turn of my compost pile and was in terrible pain..... for a week with no relief... Unable to take NSAIDS (IE aspirin and advil) due to stomach issues.... LOTS OF ICE and a physiotherapy treatment with accupuncture helped, but now am getting my son to turn the pile.....

camprn wrote:

yolos wrote:What is a coffee puck ? They looked like sliced carrots to me.

Coffee pucks are compressed discs of coffee that come out of espresso machines. I can see them sitting the the pile.
Here is a photo of a fresh puck after someone removed it from the espresso machine basket.

Okay, thanks camprn. I don't drink coffee and never make it. I get my coffee grounds from starbucks. I now have four 5 gallon buckets of used coffee grounds waiting for me to start a new pile.

Nice looking compost. I had a geo bin included in a contest I won. I personally didnt like it because the sides kept bending in and it was too flimsy for my liking. I threw it away when I moved.

the key to the Geo-Bin is to make sure the support stakes are spaced equally so when filled, there is even pressure on the fabric, eliminating bending-in, warping, folding, etc. The next time I move it I should put the nuts to the outside. If they would have provided one more stake it would have made for an easier closure as one has to clear the compost out of the way to get access to the nuts/ bolts from top to bottom.

I have a 18 day Berkeley style fast heap currently on day 7.
On day 2 it had pockets of heat ranging from 90's up to 140 to 155 degrees. Lots of steam so far and white ashy stuff, I'm pretty impressed. Today is day 7 and need to turn over either today or tomorrow. This method may be fast and you get to keep the volume of material you start with...but... the trade off is extra work turning every couple of days. This heap is approx. 4ft x 4ft x 3 ft or so tall. It doesn't look all that big but it is quite the heavy little burning monster. Ibuprofen is my friend.

Sounds like you are getting quite a work out LM.

I am anxious to hear your opinion on the final results.

OK, compost turning envy here. I'm down for the count with hip bursitis flare-up, day 4. Hobbled out in a gale to plant carrot week carrots on Sat but that just about put me under.

This is a great thread. I, too, prefer to go with natural pain relievers like hm ginger tea. But I finally broke down and cracked open the Aleve yesterday, the pain was unbearable. I just ordered the book, Pain Free, from the library and am looking into growing borage. So tired and bored of sitting all day. I want to go out and play! Anywhosey, enuff griping.

Thanks for the great photos and tips, folks!
CC

CC
I saw an aerator for compost piles that screw into the pile
I can't remember where I saw it.
A larger spiral unit that is turned at the handle, screws into the pile, you might call it a compost auger...may be just your cup of tea.
If I find it I'll send you the link
Here is a link on you tube you might be interested in
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_hUF0wvNHw
A portable drill, along with possibly a home made contraption may also help

I have serious back issues (I've had two surgeries) and honestly, I can't live without prescription pain medication. Ibuprofen, etc. does nothing for me. I've been trying to wean myself down - I can't stand be reliant on pills - but with all the work we've been doing the last 10 days, it's been hard. Anyway. ANY information on natural remedies for pain that actually work would be GREATLY appreciated! I had no idea borage was a pain reliever.

jimmy cee wrote:CC
Here is a link on you tube you might be interested in
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_hUF0wvNHw
A portable drill, along with possibly a home made contraption may also help

OMG, Jimmy...that sounds like a dentist drill. I had to turn the volume off! *lol* But it's a super idea! Love it. Right now I have a few rebars stuck in my pile that I stir up every once in a while. Once my hip is all better (should be any minute now :drunken:) I'll be able to turn that pile a little at a time in the beginning, and work up to all in one day by end of summer.

shoot...Just dropped a flat of tomato seedlings trying to get them outside. Heck, they needed potting up anyway. Guess I'd better brew up some more ginger tea and pop another Aleve then get to it...*crossing fingers*.

CC

We sure must love our gardens to put ourselves through this composting workout, talk about a labor of love.

Bnoles, I'm very curious to see the outcome too and will share the results. I'd love to think compost manual labor will get me high school skinny like 35 yrs+ ago, but I think thats several(?) Berkeley heap piles away.

llama momma wrote:I have a 18 day Berkeley style fast heap currently on day 7.
On day 2 it had pockets of heat ranging from 90's up to 140 to 155 degrees. Lots of steam so far and white ashy stuff, I'm pretty impressed. Today is day 7 and need to turn over either today or tomorrow. This method may be fast and you get to keep the volume of material you start with...but... the trade off is extra work turning every couple of days. This heap is approx. 4ft x 4ft x 3 ft or so tall. It doesn't look all that big but it is quite the heavy little burning monster. Ibuprofen is my friend.

Love it LM
Start your slimming club and also offer gentle exercise classes for heart attack and stroke patients .
Just think all that money pouring in and someone else turns the piles

For all you with long term pain /injuries gentle exercise does help . ansfg and making your own compost is good .
It removes cortisol from your system ( toxic rubbish ) , produces serotonin ( good happy stuff) it also helps de fur clogged up arteries and energises your muscle tone.

It also helps you to elevate the levels at which you experience pain.
I'm now into week 27 of a mentored , " For life " geriatrics posture and mobilization programme initiated by the Welsh government .

It's kept me out of hospital over winter time , for that was when inactivity usually crept up on me and smashed me flat a couple of times between October and the end of March .

I'm now able to be totally pain drug meds free ( In 30 years ..they never helped in any case ...just made me stupid and dopey ( what's new )

I've managed to space out the compost turning over several days by doing things one bite at a time just like you eat an elephant .
It now takes me three days to turn one 11 cubic foot bin ..so long as the weather is dry

Plantoid,

So maybe I COULD have a regular compost pile, rather than my smallish tumblers. One bit at a time.

plantoid wrote: one bite at a time just like you eat an elephant .

Does it taste like chicken???

CC