Vermi-compost, waste and growing food?
plllog
5 years ago
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I think I'm accidentally vermi-composting!!!
Comments (13)I used the black plastic bins to "compost" for years, and then 3 years ago I built a big bin, followed by two more last year. My conclusions: the plastic bins aren't large enough for hot composting. For all intents and purposes, they are outdoor garbage cans for organic matter. But that said, worms, pill bugs, centipedes, millipedes etc. will move in and break down the OM you put in it, it just takes longer. I used to empty these things once a year (usually in the fall to make room for more yard waste). On the plus side, what came out looked very much (and was) compost. On the down side, I usually got a lot of volunteer tomato plants, pumpkins etc. wherever I spread the compost. I actually just gave the last of my plastic bins to a neighbor - he was admiring the steam coming off my new bins and thought that was kinda cool. I figured I'd start him small ;o) Cheers, Tim...See MoreIs composting a waste of time?
Comments (25)Wisconsintom, you mean the red wigglers? The crazy worms. People buy them for worm farms, then (likely) just dump them outdoors if they quit worm farming, guessing anyway. The worms eating the leaves etc are giving us worm poop, my mom's friend bought a bag of earth worm castings, when all she had to do was put some Organic matter in a heap on the ground and keep it semi moist. I just collected some oak leaves, ground wood and some Hemlock and spruce chipped parts, the Evergreen chipped parts will be put under my Beadles oak, after I spread oak leaves under it. I don't care that it won't break down fast, it holds those leaves down so they can rot eventually. But, shredding them before putting in the Compost tumbler. I love white pine needles to hold down a mulch of oak leaves under my oaks. I wish I could have everybody's longer needled pine needles. I wish I could get the ones from down south, we can't get them here without paying a fortune, so it's white pine for me. I look forward to getting leaves and free wood chips in fall. It's like friggin christmas! If you guys have a compost site aka leaf dump, it's all free for the taking. I have heard that organic matter helps the soil retain nutrients, they refer to as tilth. So if you use non organic ferts the OM will help it stay in your soil longer. The soil and mulch forum will get into depth with it all better....See MoreCondiment life span, cleaning the fridge and food waste
Comments (22)I also think these judgements need to be made with a lot of intelligence. What is likely to go "wrong" with some foods? If ti contains fat, it will get rancid...if it's smoked it will spoil even faster. Frozen bacon won't be good for more than 3 months, crackers, even if they are unopened get rancid and an off taste. Crackers like rye crisp that are fat free last a very long time. Canned tomatoes can go off because the tin can become degraded, jarred pickles seem to last a lifetime. Spices lose their flavor, but if they haven't turned dark and still have a a good smell, I'll use them and taste my food> I found a jar of jam I made in the back of my jam stash, unopened. I thought why not? I sure wasn't going to throw away the jar and the ring, so I opened it, looks just like it did when I made it, smells fine, tastes good....and I am half way through the jar. I repeat....what's to go wrong? no mold, because it was fruit with lots of sugar and some lemon juice, I wasn't worried about botulism, no fat so no rancidity... But crackers that are even a month beyond sell b y date, even if unopened are squirrel food, breakfast dry cereal won't keep, cookies....eww! Crutons....ick. But most pickles and condiments will keep a good long time....and liquors....they keep forever. I have a bottle of Poir that is easily 20 years old. I drag it out to season the pastry cream for a pear tart.....at least every 2 years!...See Moregreen waste compost safety?
Comments (16)John: 1) No one "bags human waste and marks it organic". If you claim that, I want proof. 2) I never "recommended" or advocated using biosolids (your extreme prejudice against this product is revealed by your persistent terminology) to grow vegetables. I only stated that they can be used safely in garden if marketed and sold as a fertilizer. And they can. 3) of course Penn State is not going test biosolids for persistent herbicides!! The chances of humans eating treated hay and pasture grasses is pretty low :-) 4) as to the testing and regulations, here's a quote from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality: "Biosolids are one of the most studied materials that have ever been regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). Decades of studies have demonstrated that biosolids can be safely used for the production of crops. The National Academy of Sciences has reviewed current practices, public health concerns, and regulator standards and has concluded that “the use of these materials in the production of crops for human consumption when practiced in accordance with existing federal guidelines and regulations, presents negligible risk to the consumer, to crop production, and to the environment." And here is another link that explains it all very well in laymen's terms and with attention to detail: safety of biosolids 5) How is that not, not relevant??? You are one man who chose not have his livestock seen by a vet or fed them contaminated food stuffs. How does that possibly compare to all the many thousands of farmers and farm businesses that do use dewormers and vets as needed for the health of their stock and either buy treated hay and pasture grasses (knowingly or unknowingly) or treat their own pastures and feedlots? Your individual, personal experience or practices have no bearing on this discussion!...See Moredcarch7 d c f l a s h 7 @ y a h o o . c o m
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoplllog thanked dcarch7 d c f l a s h 7 @ y a h o o . c o mgardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoplllog
5 years ago
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