My only experience with hedgehogs came when I lived for a few years in Germany. My apartment was sunk a few feet below ground level so a big window was flush with the ground. I used to let my two cats out that window at night to prowl around and do whatever cats do outside at night. One night I heard a strange loud grinding sound and the two cats were staring at the window in horror. I looked out and saw two hedgehogs, one of them chewing on the aluminum windowsill. They eventually went away, leaving me with enormous respect for any animal that likes to chew on metal. Claire

I dont know alot about compost but here it goes...You can compost allmost anything it is just a matter of time and as far as worring about ecoli that would break down after a long time. You could kill it all off by using the hot compost method turning a mound of compost heating up. But ppl say not to compost meat because it atracts animals/pests but if you have it prop. maintained then that wont be a problm... To keep it simple I would not go about composting meats unless you have alot of time. Vegan compost teas work very well and end in a cleaner product.( Alot here will argue this cause using animal products is a easy way to get alot of nuitrents.) Yea from what i'v seen it is fine to put a wooden lid on the conainer you are holding you scraps that are ready for the pile? It will get infested with maggots and flys but once put into the pile it all is a part of the break down. "What I would like to do is setup a garbage can with a small hose drain at the base of my porch. I will fill it partially with compost and water and then actively throw organic waste into the mixture, leftover from my kitchen, throughout the summer. " If that can work do it!

How quickly your soil would "break down" the newspaper and grass clipping mix will depend on how active a Soil Food Web that soil has, and whether that soil is in good condition, ie. a soil pH and other nutrients in a range tht is good. Contact your state universities Cooperative Extension Service about having a good, reliable soil test done for soil pH and major nutrient levels and maybe use these simple soil tests, 1) Soil test for organic matter. From that soil sample put enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level in a clear 1 quart jar, with a tight fitting lid. Fill that jar with water and replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it stand for 24 hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight. For example, a good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the bottom. about 1 inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above that, and about 1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top. 2) Drainage. Dig a hole 1 foot square and 1 foot deep and fill that with water. After that water drains away refill the hole with more water and time how long it takes that to drain away. Anything less than 2 hours and your soil drainsâ too quickly and needs more organic matter to slow that drainage down. Anything over 6 hours and the soil drains too slowly and needs lots of organic matter to speed it up. 3) Tilth. Take a handful of your slightly damp soil and squeeze it tightly. When the pressure is released the soil should hold together in that clump, but when poked with a finger that clump should fall apart. 4) Smell. What does your soil smell like? A pleasant, rich earthy odor? Putrid, offensive, repugnant odor? The more organic matter in your soil the more active the soil bacteria will be and the nicer your soil will smell. 5) Life. How many earthworms per shovel full were there? 5 or more indicates a pretty healthy soil. Fewer than 5, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, indicates a soil that is not healthy. for more information about that soil.

Since by far the vast majority of the bagged manure sold comes from feed lot operations, CAFO's, that feed immense quantities of antibiotics to the cattle on those feed lots the cance of getting manure that is less than active, as it once was, today is very good. If you have not yet contacted the people at your local office of the Kansas State University USDA Cooperative Extension Service about having a good reliable soil test done, do so and then dig in with these simple soil tests, 1) Structure. From that soil sample put enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level in a clear 1 quart jar, with a tight fitting lid. Fill that jar with water and replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it stand for 24 hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight. A good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the bottom. about 1 inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above that, and about 1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top. 2) Drainage. Dig a hole 1 foot square and 1 foot deep and fill that with water. After that water drains away refill the hole with more water and time how long it takes that to drain away. Anything less than 2 hours and your soil drains too quickly and needs more organic matter to slow that drainage down. Anything over 6 hours and the soil drains too slowly and needs lots of organic matter to speed it up. 3) Tilth. Take a handful of your slightly damp soil and squeeze it tightly. When the pressure is released the soil should hold together in that clump, but when poked with a finger that clump should fall apart. 4) Smell. What does your soil smell like? A pleasant, rich earthy odor? Putrid, offensive, repugnant odor? The more organic matter in your soil the more active the soil bacteria will be and the nicer you soil will smell. 5) Life. How many earthworms per shovel full were there? 5 or more indicates a pretty healthy soil. Fewer than 5, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, indicates a soil that is not healthy. to get an idea about what is going on with your soil.