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 When we moved into our house on a wooded acre lot a little more than two years ago, my first priority was to build two compost bins. Yes, you certainly can buy bins at the local Costco or online, but I needed something larger considering the massive amount of expected yard waste. Rather than use plans, I eyeballed a photo of the two-compost bin system found in my favorite simple living book, The Self Sufficient Life and How to Live It by John Seymour.
More on construction later but firstly, why compost? Following are two reasons:
- Eliminate yard waste that ends up in a landfill. I can honestly say that I have never placed a bag of leaves or grass clippings at the curb for pick up. Also, in retrospect, the work that I would have done bagging comes close to the work maintaining the compost bins.
- Basis for a vegetable garden. Every spring, I've added last year's compost into two raised beds planted in my backyard, I've had so much compost that I've started a third raise bed this year - will share in another blog post. The biggest savings results from not having to buy potting soil at the local garden center at $13 a bag (each raised bed required at least eight 2.5 cubic foot bags of potting soil).
Compost Bin Construction
  Using the picture in the book as a guide, I constructed each bin with six posts of 4x4 posts. Four posts would be the framework of the actual bin and the extra two serve as support posts positioned just inside the front posts to allow me to slide access boards that I add or remove depending on height of the material within the bin (see pictures on right). I attached all the other sideboards with deck screws into the four framework posts. So end result are two massive 4x4x4 ft bins that hold 64 cubic feet of compost material.
All the wood is treated which should allow the bins to last for a few years. This project took me a weekend to complete and obviously didn't require instructions. Why two bins? Having a two-bin system eases the turning process where I just transfer material from one to another.
How to Compost
  I've read on various places on the Net that you should have a 8:1 ratio of brown to green material. Brown is anything like fallen leaves, mulch, paper, etc., while green is vegetable waste matter, grass clippings, etc. You then pile each layer on top of another like making lasagna (so I've heard, never actually made lasagna). As I add layers when I empty my mower bins of grass clippings and fall foliage, I liberally spray each layer with water. I soak the material enough so it feels like a wet sponge. I also buy a few bags of manure that I keep in a tin on the side that I throw on top of each layer to serve as catalyst. This also adds a healthy dose of nitrogen to the pile which is greatly beneficial to the process.
 After I finish with the layers, I cover with a thick plastic tarp and literally let it "cook." I know something is happening when I lift the tarp and feel the pile getting real hot. Ideal temperature for the compost pile should be between 110 to 160 degrees F. You can opt to get a real long thermometer to be absolutely sure but your bare hand is just as effective in indicating active decomposition.
 Now for the hard part. After about 10 days, you'll need to turn the pile. Your two best tools are a five-tinged metal pitchfork you can get at any hardware store and a tool that is simply called a compost turner or aerator. It's basically a rod with two wings on the end that fold in when you plunge it in the pile, then open when you pull.
I first use the compost turner to loosen the pile, which may have compacted over the week. Once loose, I use the pitchfork to turn the pile. I start in the middle, piling material to the sides, then vice versa. Lots of labor but the results will impress any serious gardener.
Black Gold
  You'll have the finished product usually in six to eight weeks during the warmer months and after several turnings. All the original material is broken down to this crumbly, black, earthy rich-smelling soil that fills about six 20 gallon roughneck trash bins that I store over the winter. We have a wood-burning stove so I also add ash into the compost. Then come spring, I dump two trash bins worth of compost into each raised bed. Since I know Fairfax County recycles leaves, I'll be going over to collection facility to grab a trailer full of leaf mulch which I plan to compost with my green material over the next few months. Hopefully, I'll have enough to plan several fruit trees and grape vines around the property.
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