Hi Everyone - I notice there hasn't been any posts here for a year so hope Al, Josh, or any of the rest of you tremendously educated and experienced 5-1-1ers are still monitoring it. Even after reading all the above posts twice, I'm still somewhat confused, I guess because of the different "size" examples. I am currently sifting pine mulch (not composted) through a bug screen to remove probably 85-90% of the "dust." I'm then screening the results of that through a 1/2" screen and removing any "threads" or other large yet skinny sticks. Does this sound right, or should I be leaving in more of the dust for the 5-1-1? Thanks as always! Kathy

I've been composting for over 40 years and have taken as a guide the methods used by Sir Albert Howard who composted the manure from his work oxen in India in the 1940's. Howard is considered the father of organic agriculture. Since I was/am a professional horticulturist I've usually required large amounts of finished compost or leaf mold. It has never suited me to chip up anything put into a compost pile and that is one reason I've never used leaves in my composting. Another is that leaves have lots of lignins and waxes in them and while, yes there may be some bacteria involved in the breakdown leaves come from a very different ecology than manures, grasses and forbs and their breakdown is primarily fungal. I remain unimpressed with the Florida compost advice and many others of that ilk calling leaves "browns" instead of leaves. Yes, leaves are great, yes you can chip them or mow them if you have the time and the gasoline, just don't smother your composting manure with unchipped leaves which don't like the bacteria anyway. If the animal is never stabled than how is one going to compost the manure? I assume one would let it lie on the pasture where it does plenty of good along with the urine of course.

Barter could be a great thing for the common citizen. I injoyed the few local exchanges I've attended over the years. Were my plate not full already,I would love attempting to establishing a first Sat morn exchange at the nearby farmer's market. If you all are referring to Keurig,we have used one since Christmas. We toss them into empty 2 LB coffee containers that I saved in the past. Occasionaly I empty several by ripping away the foil cover and plunging needle nose pliers to the bottom and pulling out both, filter and coffee. I normally have enough material but here is how I handle the waste veggies from the supermarket when I need them. I carry a step ladder,an open top 55 gal barrel,rubber gloves and a trash pick-up tool in the truck when going shopping. As I leave the market I pull by the dumpster. 90% of the produce waste is in wood shipping crates and if not covered very deep can be pulled to where I can grip with my hand and remove from dumpster. Everone understands that part but what about being questioned about the act? I say that I'm aware they don't give the stuff away and I plan leaving the place as clean as I found it. Were anyone to start non-sense about liability of me becomeing sick from eating it,I will show them the groceries and recept to set them at ease. I only had to deal with that issue a few times in 30 years. The employee never pushed the thing except one time. I didn't remove any more nor put any back when she threatened calling the cops. I apoligized for upsetting her then left. Were the police ever involved and gave me a ticket,I plan asking for a jury trial. I fully expect the city would drop it but if a jury found me guilty,I've had worse happen. I know some would be crushed over a scolding for dumpeter diving but I have fairly thick skin plus a real dislike for how liability is over the top and become a monkey on our back at every turn. Does anyone believe a street person can get a judgement against a store because he ate spoiled food from their dumpster? That's why the manager can't invite you to take the stuff but isn't likly to prosicute you for taking it without permission. Just don't create a mess,that's mostly why dumpster diving is frowned on.

Thanks...Well, ended up doing my own experiment after all my inquiries and research because I didn't have nearly enough ingredients to do the layers needed. I appreciate the input and clarifications though. :) I planted the front of my house where we had old overgrown shrubs removed (but stumps were left underground - what fun to work with). Of course I did all this planting up to about a week ago and then decided to lasagna style around the plantings (no walkway/paths - another fun challenge). So, I ended up doing wet newspaper layers around plants and over entire garden area, very sparse layer of old, dried out crabapple leaves, layer of compost with earthworms, layer of starbucks coffee grounds, layer of agway composted manure and then a layer of agway natural cedar mulch. This is all on a slope that I basically destroyed over the course of the summer by pre-weeding and causing newbie 101 gardening mistake of erosion waiting to happen. I only plan to add one more plant to this area and will just see how the soil underneath looks next year. I plan to water the area I lasagna'd so it won't dry out as it's on the south facing side of our house and gets lots of hot sun. Another thing I did was plant whatever my mom and I liked and now get to try to water what likes water and leave others to dry out partially (lavender). So, I planted: mugo pine-mops, 2 sets of monarda, lavender, blue fescue, silver mound-artemesia, hardy hibiscus, cheddar pinks, 2 whooly creeping thyme that are already on their way out, and today will add the dragonhead we just had to get after going to a talk at unconoonuk mt nursery the other weekend and loving the look of the plant. It will be interesting to see what makes it for the season/winter and into next year. If I don't over water them it will be amazing as I am one of those types and my mom is an underwaterer. Actually I'm working on the just-right watering type of gardener. This summer just had to be a scorcher with humidity to make it even more confusing. :) Sorry for the babble! :)