Hi Khristle! It sounds like things were going well if your pile was heating up and you could not recognize the stuff you had put in there. I gather from your post that you know UCGs work as a green. How moist is the stuff you have in there with the shredded newspaper? Perhaps it needs more moisture after adding all that paper. Was the paper and coffee added to the previous stuff that had heated up before? Have you tried going a few days between spinning the tumbler? I have never used a tumbler but maybe you could try waiting a couple days between spins. If liquid comes off your stuff, I think that would be called a "leach" type fluid. It might contain coffee, veggie and fruit juices if you have just added wet greens. For "compost tea" I believe you use actual finished compost with it's beneficial micro-organisms and add some to (dechlorinated) water and then aerate the solution with device such as an aquarium pump or other air pump or circulator to keep the stuff from going anaerobic. I have never made tea but there are many discussion on this to be found - I am thinking of trying this someday when I have time for a new project! Personally I have not had success scoring spoiled produce from stores "sorry miss, we are not allowed to give this stuff away...", but some of my friends save kitchen scraps in an ice cream bucket and give to me since they are not composting their own stuff. (I have no idea why they have not caught the composting bug, but I still love 'em!) Good luck! It sounds like you have fun with that tumbler and will have some good stuff out of it one day! Rachel

I have come to really, really dislike the person who first started this confusing, immature "brown/green" jargon. "Carbon/nitrogen" is simple, meaningful, readable, literate, functional and it abbreviates well to "C/N".

You can make a tea from just about any edible herb, and, depending on the plant, you can use the leaves, flowers, bark, seeds, or roots of a plant to make it (you need to learn which parts of which plants are used). What you need to keep in mind is that ALL herbal teas are medicines - yes, even the common black or green tea or coffee. As a rough rule of thumb, one cup of herbal tea provides a daily dose for an adult. One teaspoon is a daily dose for a child under 12. While there are certain herbal teas which are considered safe for children, it's best not to give them ANY, except under expert, professional, supervision. Children's bodies are immature, and they react to substances in very different ways from adults. This is why herbal teas/medications are not generally recommended for pregnant women - they can have adverse effects on the developing foetus - or cause abortion (or at the least uterine contractions). I suggest for your garden, you think first about the ailments you want to treat yourself for. If you suffer headaches, you might choose feverfew, or thyme, or lavender. If you suffer frequent bouts of cystitis, you might choose agrimony, or nasturtium. For occasional bouts of indigestion, peppermint (or any mint) will do the job, but if you overdo the mint, it can have exactly the opposite effect. I strongly recommend that you do some homework before you start using herbal teas of ANY kind. Search the WWW for something like 'herbal treatment headache' and repeat for other ailments. Make sure to take note of any contraindications (such as diabetes, pregnancy, heart problems, blood pressure problems etc) and unwanted side effects. For instance, lemon balm (an apparently innocuous little herb!) makes quite a nice-tasting tea. However, it is contraindicated for use by people with thyroid dysfunction, and it can cause night-sweats (a real problem for menopausal women). It can also sensitise a person to other allergens. Another herb commonly thought to be harmless, and given to children as a sedative is chamomile. However: Sufferers of allergies to daisies, ragweed, asters or chrysanthemums should avoid using chamomile. Allergic reactions include difficulty with breathing, throat constriction, swelling of lips, tongue or face, or hives. In cases of fragile pregnancy, chamomile should be avoided as it will promote a delayed menses. May cause stomach upsets, including vomiting, in some people. Do not use chamomile if taking blood-thinning or other sedative medications. Are you beginning to see what I'm saying here? When there is a benefit (an upside), there is almost always a disadvantage (a downside) when it comes to herbs. Just be aware! You really need to do your homework on this one. Grow the herbs of your choice, and use them in your cooking, but be aware that in medicinal doses (like tea) you should regard them with the same cautions as you would a cabinet full of pills.

I haven't tried the packets but I've had the green tea in the bottle. It was a little too sweet for me but you can probably adjust that with the packet...just not use as much. Great idea for the condiment wallet. And I call it a "glove box" too.....is there another name? I guess it should be called the "map,insurance verification,salt packets,pen and owner's manual box". LOLOL