I Heart Compost

We biked to the Mandeville Trailhead to hear a talk about composting from No.2 daughter's former roommate, an ag student at LSU. Now, just when you think you know something.....

I learned so much in less than an hour. I learned I want one of these:

And also lots of these:Red Wigglers!
These little critters tear apart kitchen waste in no time.
AND THEY REPRODUCE at an alarming pace!

I have a composter in the back that I add to every ding-dang day and usually turn regularly but it's a pain because it looks like a garbage bin turned upside down and the opening is not as large as it could be to make the job easier. However, John found a handy "weasel" that I use to mix it up now. The good thing about it is that it is directly on the earth and the earthworms make their own way into and I see lots of them in there. (I also have a couple of potato plants growing OUT of it as well. That's not helpful. Oh and I have three volunteer tomatoes growing where I used old compost in the raised beds. Luckily two of them grew in good spots and I intend to leave them alone. The third one grew in the lawn. It's gonna be history)
Additionally, one really ought to not keep adding to a pile but rather have several and allow them time to be left in peace to break down. So now that one is doing it's thing and I have started another simple pile back by one of the gardens.

But this guy is a whole 'nother story : Apparently these little dudes break down your kitchen waste in a week. I wait MONTHS, (because I'm doing it all wrong!) The Can - O - Worms is raised off the ground and you have to manually add the wigglers. But once they're in, they're good to go.

So my wishlist has a can o worms on it!