You can condition the soil with leaves used as mulch, as well. I usually add the bulk of them around June 15, under plants that have already grown. This said, I prefer to use unfinished compost under tomatoes, potatoes and squash. Since I do not have much myself, I add a lot of leaves to it. It will finish there during the season and be nice soil for lettuce, carrots, or onions next year. Asparagus, IMHO, just needs mulch and time. Brassica and chard/beets should have lowest priority since they do not form mychorrizal alliances. They just need straight fertilizer and decent, but not great, garden soil. Carrots, parsnip, beans and peas make it in soil that is less fertile, so they, too, should be at the bottom of the heap.

Go with simple and cheap at the start. I use hardware cloth to make a simple mesh bin. Can be moved easily, or make larger with another piece of material. If your location and regulations restrict what you can do, make one or two larger bins over many small bins. It was not hard for me to make my nine small bins into two large rectangular bins since they were all made of hardware cloth. In spite of our monthly government circular encouraging residents to compost, when the inspector came around (helps to have good neighbors), he told me I could only have two bins. Later, I checked their website on regs, and could not find any such statement. I like your idea of a planning strategy, rather than just asking 'what is the best composter?'. Because it depends on such things as your health, materials available, and how much compost you want or need.

Both likely are not what you want. You want compost made from a blend of greens and browns and nothing from an animal. Mushroom compost has a chance of being total junk so I would stay away from that. You want something that smells like a forest (you'll know when you whiff it) which is a good smell. If it smells like sulfur or ammonia then that is definitely bad. The appearance will be a dark fibrous material that hopefully doesn't clump together too well and can't be mistaken for a bag of moist topsoil/potting soil.

Can I make a crazy comment about Granny's comment? Strictly speaking granny, you are completely organic. The term "organic" refers to carbon based compounds (http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=11780). I assure you that your soil contains these. Don't people get silly over this stuff? There was a guy on another blog I used to read all the time who would just go nuts if anyone suggested using chemicals until my husband pointed out to him that water is a chemical and did he have a waterless garden? Science is not the enemy. I am thinking about using your method some, also John because I now am the proud owner of a zillion or so leaves!! Neighbors brought me four bags of starbucks grounds today, lol, I guess word is getting around. Sorry for the hijack Angela, but I figured you'd forgive me. When can I drop by for the mower again? It's only 2100 miles, we're practically neighbors! It's just as well, you'll have plenty of time to think about what a nutty neighbor I am when we're in heaven.