"Anyone else suffer from this?"

Ya, maybe a bit.

Town asked if I wanted it.

Couldn't say no

I hear it's a disease.

;-)

Lloyd

I think what happens to the average person (Lloyd is anything but average) is that you think one will be enough when you first start composting. Then you start to realize all the stuff that CAN be composted and it just snowballs from there :-)

Val

And to think I started with a pallet bin.

:-)

Lloyd

A few years ago I had a problem with large numbers of compost piles taking up residence in my back yard. One year there were ten piles. The dog was no help, the problem kept getting worse. I was spending more and more time tending the piles. I had to drag back brown bags full of leaves, and twice a month the hatchback got loaded with ten garage bag size bags full of fruit and veggie waste.

The dog threatened to leave; said there wasn't enough room to run around in the back yard any longer. Finally he took my compost thermometer and hid it.

You don't always have to build a pile to compost the chicken litter. Next time you clean out the coop just spread the used litter on vacant garden beds. I've used it under fruit trees, around strawberries, near raspberries, etc. & by spring the manure is gone, but the shavings & straw bits remain as mulch. Years ago we first used it as mulch in October - March & eventually we built garden beds there because of all the coop clean outs!

If the last bin always has finished stuff in it, use it somewhere and turn the other ones.

If you don't use your compost when it's ready, you're a compost hoarder. :-]

I too suffer from this disorder...

A number of years ago, the local Rotary club was selling feedbags full of fresh chicken poop mixed with sawdust/shavings. I bought 5 bags. 2 of these went into a little flower bed that had clay soil. Flowers grew well that summer. Next year, (and every year since then), I go out to dig up things in this little bed and can't believe that the shovel sinks down so easily and deeply! What a joy when the rest of our land is still a fight with the clay. I think the reason for this wonder is that I used a goodly amount of amendment and it has changed the structure of this soil properly. Usually, I'm trying to spread a smaller amount over a bigger area. I keep trying to get the Rotarians to repeat this fundraiser -- I'd buy mega bags of this stuff!

"The dog threatened to leave; said there wasn't enough room to run around in the back yard any longer. Finally he took my compost thermometer and hid it." ROFLMAO

Today I was trying to harvest worms so I could get some into the mail for a friend. My 5 yo wanted me to help her get a video going when I was up to my elbows in worm castings. I told her I'd be just a minute. She said, "Mommy! Why are you always so busy with the worms that you don't have time for us?! Do you love them more than us?!"

In my defense she was home sick from school unexpectedly on mailing day, so my attentions were divided and she was extra cranky. By the end of the day both were helping me and my 8 yo decided she wanted her own bin, so now we can compost AS quality time. Also, now I have an excuse to start a...um... seventh bin.... I COULDN'T HELP IT, MY CHILD ASKED ME TO!! Win-win, right?!

I was ready to admit I have the disorder.

Now I realize it's worse than that - I just went thru pt03's whole Flickr stream of compost p0rn! And I liked it!

I know what you mean.

It's sad when you get bummed out when it rains and you can't get in the yard to rake the leaves.

Recently my most leaf aware neighbor passed away. She would, literally, go rake when her lawn had TWENTY leaves on it.

She was 91 years of age.

"I just went thru pt03's whole Flickr stream of compost p0rn! And I liked it!"

You may be a very sick man Rick.

;-)

Lloyd

No...That ship has sailed ;-)

I just went thru pt03's whole Flickr stream of compost p0rn! And I liked it!

You know you can go blind, right?

Val

Yeah, maybe one can go blind from breathing too much compost steam.

Worms Tracy -- I was shocked you found humor in my household problem. Family harmony is a extremely important issue. The dog and I are still on the 'outs'. He refused to talk to me any more, just uses the Blackberry to let me know what he wants for dinner.

P.S. I found the compost thermometer. The dog put it under the car tire, so I ran over it and it does not display correctly.

Robertz - I am so sorry that I treated your serious family issue so lightly. I sincerely apologize for your misfortune and will keep you, your dog, the blackberry, and your thermometer in my prayers as you go through this difficult time.

If I may be so bold, I would encourage your dog to check out this support group he may find helpful:

Canines Overcoming Mulch & Preoccupied Owners' Stupid Thermometers (COMPOST)

Robertz, I would like to apologize for my previous post in which the support group I recommended may have implied that your thermometer was stupid. I sincerely regret the implication and, again, your thermometer's recent misfortune with your car tire.

If you would accept a humble suggestion, your thermometer might benefit from the following support group:

Thermometers Recovering (from) Exasperating Animals & Display Malfunctions After (being) Runover, Knocked Out, & Surviving (TREADMARKS)

Robertz, I would also like to apologize for any hurt I may have caused your blackberry. I realize this must be a difficult situation for it, and with all my focus on helping your dog and your thermometer, it may have felt left out. Again, my deepest regrets for any pain I may have caused it. I would like to humbly suggest a group that other blackberries have found helpful when caught in similar circumstances:

Blackberries In Neurotic Situations (BINS)

At least the Dog didn't unfriend you on Facebook.

Or did he?

The dog keeps a low on-line profile, as he works for an unnamed government agency. Sorry, I have to refer to him as 'the dog', due to his sensitive job. Tried to figure out his current assignment without success. I attempted to put his discarded paper back together after he shreds it; but unfortunately he likes to pee on it first.

My two piles aren't shrinking fast enough, there is still stuff to use up. Shall I start a pile in the garage or on the roof? Maybe I can move the fence line ten feet back, the neighbors never come out in the back yard anyway.

Late Update-

Found out that the dog works for the National Weather Service. It seems that in addition to being service animals, herding animals, and sniffing out various forms of cancer; dogs are able to predict the weather accurately for five days in advance. The Weather Service is only accurate two days in advance. Anyway, his job is to figure out how to make compost piles smell more and knock out the dog ability to predict the weather. And I was guessing he worked for the CIA. Nope, just a government branch looking to protect itself.