Hi nhrdls, you questions are good ones and reflect the searchs you have made. Good on you. As you will come to realize, there is no single right way and very few wrong ways to compost. My opinions are. (1) What you suggest with the solar oven will likly kill many seeds but avoiding weeds that have matured to seed might save labor and browns in the form of paper and cardboard are easy to find. (2) I think the majority of those who microwave do so to speed up breaking the food down . Freezing access food for later use serves double duty,stockpileing food plus causing faster breaking down. I wouldn't reccomend the solar oven because I don't think it adds value and might actualy dehydrate and extend time required for it to rot. (3) Ahh,finaly something I have actualy done several times. Doing as you describe imo avoids some heat generated as the food starts to decay. I'm in Tx and I notice you are in zone 9 where summer temps are high to begain with. BTW posting your zone will help those answering your questions and giving advice. In addition to "staging food" in the compost bin I often seed near finished compost with worms if the compost is to be stored for later use. I would like to suggest a composting arangement I believe well suited to adding material to a small bin at regular intervals. Construct your bin so a spade or fork can remove material on one side at ground level. Occasionaly pull material from the bottom and place it on top. That alows checking progress,airating the bin and seeing if moisture,brown or green % needs reduced/increased.

I have learned thru my partner that sun slate roof tiles are not as efficient as the standard module panel. any solar panel produces heat as a by product and this heat is generated thru the back of the panel. where as you need air flow to keep the module cool. 3" is the min amount required for air flow any less will reduce the % of current produced. tile modules are less efficient but more appealing in my opinion.Sharp has just come out with there new tile. i went to a 1 day class 2 months ago and installed these on a mock roof at the Sharp center in So Cal. the module is about 18" x40", it can replace about4 tiles.Sharp has modifided the panel and has raised it up about 1" off of the roof and has this new type of item(not released yet, hush) that allows air flow under the tiles, these will do very good on the market. most people think that because you are getting solar modules, you can increase the amount of electricity that you use. but remember when you size your system it is sized for the total kilowatts thru the last year, this is your standard amount of electricity used. if your system is sized for that amount and then you add to your electricity usage you will increase youw anunally wattage. which will decrease your amount you are putting back on the grid, thus increase the amount of your bill.i have heard my partner tell all of his customers, if you have a gas water heater, "keep it".

Thank you beeziboy. I agree with your comment in the growing vertical forum, but even more so: Everyone should be educated on survival, from hunting, fishing, growing food, herbal remedies, basic sheltering, domestic animal care, etc etc. We've lost that kind of education and there are fewer home grown farming families left. That is why I'm so keen on solar. If it were good for the Babylonians, and Romans, it must be good now! Your Vertical trellis' and making gardening easier is beautiful. I'm a fan of SFG and French Intensive. So I get mixed up between the two. However, raised beds sure do make things managable on a smaller scale. Your pics are an inspiration. ~Tom

Thanks, Scott. I understand that I'm just trying to keep whatever day heating I get from the direct sun in the pool overnight. I saw those fish things while researching yesterday and I'd definitely need more info before I'd dump chemicals into my pool. Probably wouldn't work anyway because of our location, waterfront with no fences and a prevailing sea breeze. I don't see our pool "still" very often. Also, I plan to continue swimming laps until I can't stand it any more and we'll use the spa throughout the winter. Last night we were debating "diamond" pattern vs "circle" patterned bubbles. Ugh.