Composting? Me?

   

I guess I'm feeling guilty about all those disposable diapers we use.  I definitely feel bad about that summer I spent driving without a destination JUST to get my kids to nap.  It could also be my compulsive nature.  Recently, I decided to start composting.  I know.  Me, with my quick gag reflex.  Me, a self-professed city girl..composting? I know.  (Okay, so technically I've lived in the 'burbs for nine years.)  But I really want to give it a try. 

Last year, we had great success with our vegetable garden. 

  This year, I am planning a second bed.  Rob already moved some of our bushes around to make room in our yard.   It's very exciting.  (Yes, sadly, these are the things that bring me thrills.)  My kids love helping to water the plants and pick the vegetables off the stems.  My mom is also happy that I have taken such an interest.  She grew up on a farm and she has an amazing green thumb.  The woman can grow vegetables and plants in any container on her balcony in Queens.  ANY container.  I saw her growing scallions in a lasagna pan!!

So with my first vegetable garden under my belt, I felt I could move onto more things.  I had gotten a kitchen scrap container and box of BioBags from my MIL for Christmas (don't ask) so it seemed like a good time to try my hand at composting.

These BioBags are made of CORN and they biodegrade!  How cool is that?  Science is sexy.  No? 

Within three days we had filled one bag with kitchen scraps!  Think of all the trash we're NOT sending to the landfill!  But, Oh Crap!  I forgot about a composter!  Rookie mistake.

After a bit of web research and some advice from local moms, I found this unit to fit our needs.  The Eco-Cycle Base Tumbler.  Sounds impressive, right?

I can't wait for it to arrive.  (Perhaps it's complusive consumerism?)  No really, I AM excited to start my new "project" and I DO need to put these biobags somewhere.  I will say that even with rotting food inside, my kitchen doesn't reek.  Very impressive.  I heart BioBags. 

Sometimes I feel like I'm being guilted by the media into being "Green".  And some of this stuff can be really expensive.  It takes green to be green.  In the end, I feel like it's a good thing to do and just one more small step towards the bigger cause.

Wish me luck with the composting.  I hope I can produce some nutrient rich compost for my garden, for my mom's garden...and maybe yours.

Comments

[Michele]

We had a compost heap growing up...for some reason I think hay and a pitchfork was involved. Your composter seems much nicer.

[Sharon]

We inherited a compost bin when we moved here and I was so excited at the thought. But it turns out that my black thumb combined with being an idiot just doesn't make for a good composter. Everyone I asked said that I could throw "EVERYTHING" in the compost. So I assumed the little wormies would love cooked chicken that we never ate. I made us wait a whole winter before trying to clean that sucka out.

[Alicia]

You are inspiring me to get back to long neglected love of vegetable gardening. Unfortunately I'll have to cut down a tree or two...

[Jung]

Alicia, somehow that doesn't seem to add up. But you made me laugh.

[shama]

You're so good, Greenie Mommy. Can you give us some tips on the veggie gardening? We started this small last year and the boys loved it. We want to do more this year and somehow I didn't inherit my parents' green thumb and love of gardening.