Re: Are you a hottie?

plantoid 3/15/2014, 6:00 pm

kaylee wrote:I'm not a hottie yet, but I am loaded for bear come a few more months. I have one of those green tumbler composter that I (now realize) paid a ridiculous amount of money for. I still probably haven't gotten my money's worth and I've had it for years . So my hubbie, Big Mac, and I decided to go whole foods this summer and add critters to our small acreage, which in two weeks will include two piglets. I realized I had to have a way to dispose of all the piggy poop so I guess I'll be busy creating and maintaining a hot pile of compost. First time I've done it, but what the heck, I learned how to use a chainsaw and a log splitter for the first time last summer. At least a compost pile won't scare me dry...

If you're going to keep the pigs in pens , give them straw bedding to soak up any urine. .
When pig poop & pig pee wet straw are added to the compost heap you'll get an amazing final compost.

**camprn** 4/20/2014, 7:42 am

**sanderson** 4/20/2014, 2:28 pm

Camp, If you hadn't Bumped, I would have.

I am TOO hot! 170*F this morning. I expected it to be 135-145*F. When I rebuilt Berkeley style 2 days ago, I added blood meal (1/3 cup) on 3 of the layers and wet some. Did I make a big mistake??? Embarassed

I do have some perforated PVC pipes I can shove, hammer and curse in from the gate side. ??

Max temps after each construction or reconstruction:
160*F
150*F
170*F

**Turan** 4/20/2014, 2:53 pm

Well, it appears you did not need to add any nitrogen sources to your pile and that you rebuilt a nice airy pile. Nitrogen plus air makes a HOT pile. Normally if your pile heats well the first time you do not add more nitrogen. Then after each turning it heats up less untill done. Right now you can accept the high heating which should be doing a great job at killing any seeds in there (it will be interesting to see if the tomato seeds manage to live through this one). If you force your poles in do you think that would help vent the heat out faster than just through a freshly turned pile? I have my doubts but have been known to be wrong a time or two Shocked

If you absolutely must cool it down because you deam it to be dangerous- spread the pile and water it until it feels cool to the touch.

I would just let it be if possible.

**camprn** 4/20/2014, 2:57 pm

sanderson wrote:Camp, If you hadn't Bumped, I would have.

I am TOO hot! 170*F this morning. I expected it to be 135-145*F. When I rebuilt Berkeley style 2 days ago, I added blood meal (1/3 cup) on 3 of the layers and wet some. Did I make a big mistake??? I do have some perforated PVC pipes I can shove, hammer and curse in from the gate side. ??

Max temps after each construction or reconstruction:
160*F
150*F
170*F

Pull it apart a bit and water it down some. I usually only add the dried blood when I first build mine. It's all good, live and learn. It's going to be good compost.

brainchasm 4/20/2014, 3:36 pm

sanderson wrote:Camp, If you hadn't Bumped, I would have.

I am TOO hot! 170*F this morning. I expected it to be 135-145*F. When I rebuilt Berkeley style 2 days ago, I added blood meal (1/3 cup) on 3 of the layers and wet some. Did I make a big mistake??? I do have some perforated PVC pipes I can shove, hammer and curse in from the gate side. ??

Max temps after each construction or reconstruction:
160*F
150*F
170*F

I'm so jealous of you guys!

I don't have/can't get enough good, safe source material to get a Berkeley pile going, so I bump along with this little tumbler and whatnot.

Regarding tumblers, if the source material is reasonably chopped up and blended, should you fill the tumbler to the brim, or leave a significant amount of air/tumble space?

That also reminds me of two things:

1) I need to go put all those radish tops in the tumbler. I think I am mostly browns in there now, so a green wouldn't be bad.

2) "The power production by fusion in the core of the Sun varies with distance from the solar center. At the center of the Sun, theoretical models estimate it to be approximately 276.5 watts/m³, a power production density that more nearly approximates reptile metabolism than a thermonuclear bomb. Peak power production in the Sun has been compared to the volumetric heats generated in an active compost heap. The tremendous power output of the Sun is not due to its high power per volume, but instead due to its large size."

CapeCoddess 4/20/2014, 4:04 pm

when I had a tumblr two lifetimes ago I left space. By the way, you can eat radish top. I put them in salads and smoothies.

brainchasm 4/20/2014, 4:09 pm

CapeCoddess wrote:when I had a tumblr two lifetimes ago I left space. By the way, you can eat radish top. I put them in salads and smoothies.

My radish tops are spiney/pokey, or at least they were when I harvested. Maybe next time...they've been out in the overflow bin all night already.

**sanderson** 4/21/2014, 12:55 am

I didn't have time to turn today but it looks like the temp is starting to drop.
Are you a hottie? - Page 22 Compos27

I think the pile is shrinking more than a Berkeley pile should, down to 24" from 36".
Are you a hottie? - Page 22 Compos28

**sanderson** 5/5/2014, 12:23 am

I turned the Berkeley file tonight and this is what I found in the cooler, bottom perimeter of the compost. The max reached since the last turning was only 160*F, so it is getting back to normal after that last HOT spell of 170*F.
Are you a hottie? - Page 22 Mushro10

Today is day 27, so much for my miracle 18 day hot compost. Embarassed

However, it is slowly changing, and shrinking. It's down to about 18", or half the original size. There is so much to learn about composting. This pile's too hot, this pile's too cold, this pile is . . . waiting for it.
Are you a hottie? - Page 22 Compos31

Triciasgarden 5/5/2014, 2:25 pm

Your compost framework looks so fancy! Your compost is looking so good and 27 days to be at this point is not bad. I think to do the Berkely in exactly 18 days it would take absolutely the right size and quantities of your ingredients, the right amount of moisture and the right size of your pile. Then being able to turn it at the exact times is not always easy. Even though that is something to aim for, a compost pile would still need some extra time to "finish" before you should use it. You will still be done faster than using the let it rot system. I am having compost frame envy!

**sanderson** 5/5/2014, 3:19 pm

Tricia, Thanks for the nice words. Very Happy

GWN 5/6/2014, 11:18 am

I too am impressed by your setup..... and envious of the temps you have achieved. I am a seasonal hottie, and would like to push the seasons.
A local yard cleaning company owed me a favour and have been dropping off loads of leaves and yesterday a load of lawn clippings, so HOPE to build a hot compost tomorrow.

**Kelejan** 5/6/2014, 11:29 am

GWN, I hope your grass clippings are pesticide free. Leaves should be OK.

**llama momma** 5/6/2014, 11:37 am

Wow Sanderson, That is a beautiful set up. If yours is the Hilton then mine is Early Junk Yard.
At least the location is good and nobody sees mine. Smile

**sanderson** 5/6/2014, 3:01 pm

Thanks. Mine is right here in the back yard. I wish I had more more room for a twin setup but I'm thankful I have at least this one. My first 3' diameter cage was just not big enough for a Berkeley pile. You should call yours "Shabby Chic"! Very Happy

GWN 5/7/2014, 9:19 pm

OK so I am back in the hottie mode.....
I went from 80 degrees which I have had for several months, I rebuilt the pile with layers of those lawn clippings and my pile went from 80 degrees to 160 degrees today.
AND it seems to be 160 all over the pile.

SOOO I started another pile with the lawn clippings and shredded leaves.

Kelejan, I TOO am concerned about potential chemicals in the lawn clippings, but I am thinking that since it was the first mow of the year and this company takes care of "absent owners" homes, so likely the owners have not even been here yet this year.....
SO I figure that the lawn is likely RELATIVELY clean.

I am in need of lots of compost so I am taking what i am getting.

dstack 5/8/2014, 9:33 pm

I don't have a proper compost thermometer, so I'm using this 5" meat thermometer, and I just started using it yesterday. Although most of my compost is only around 120 degrees, today I took a few layers off to go deeper to find this...

Are you a hottie? - Page 22 Compos11

I'm so excited! Yes, I'm such a newbie at measuring the temp of my compost. Very Happy

**sanderson** 5/8/2014, 9:36 pm

Dstack, Congrats! Now you have to buy a compost thermometer. Something around 20" is good.

https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t17407-compost-thermometers?highlight=compost+thermometer

dstack 5/8/2014, 9:40 pm

sanderson wrote:Dstack, Congrats! Now you have to buy a compost thermometer. Something around 20" is good.

I could expect to pay about $30, right? I think that they what I saw in Johnny's catalog.

dstack 5/8/2014, 9:41 pm

GWN wrote:OK so I am back in the hottie mode.....
I went from 80 degrees which I have had for several months, I rebuilt the pile with layers of those lawn clippings and my pile went from 80 degrees to 160 degrees today.
AND it seems to be 160 all over the pile..

That's amazing! Congrats!

**sanderson** 5/8/2014, 9:49 pm

GWN,

That's so neat to be so hot!

Dstack, I think mine came to $30 with postage.

GWN 5/9/2014, 11:31 am

dstack LOOKS like you are in the hottie zone....
Having a long thermometer is great, I use it all the time
I use it to test the ground temp as well

**camprn** 5/16/2014, 5:36 pm

Cookin' compost!
Are you a hottie? - Page 22 10295942_10202784129979182_2421892955123571222_o

**sanderson** 5/16/2014, 10:05 pm

Great!

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