Best $25 well spent on Black Friday (and a freebie)

[Duh_Vinci]

Had to work early this morning, stopped by the Starbucks to grab a little double shot, but the first question out my mouth:

"Would you happen to have some coffee grounds?"
"No one picked them up yesterday all day, all yours if you want it"
"Sure, and the double shot"

Had to leave the double shot on the counter to make multiple trips to the truck They don't get much requests for the grounds at that location, so I now have access to their grounds anytime I need them, isn't that nice? Some they package, some just bagged. So here is a little pile of goodness (one of 3):

[img]https://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i230/duhvinci/2009_garden/Compost/starbucks_grounds.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i230/duhvinci/2009_garden/Compost/starbucks_grounds_bags.jpg[/img]

While most were shopping at Target, Best Buy and such - I go straight to home depot, and use a good ole 25% off coupon to buy the untreated lumber. Oh boy, can you see where priorities are? Got home, leftover Thanksgiving dinner (I think it taste even better today)... To garage for an hour, and now we have 2nd compost bin and that was my Black Friday shopping:

[img]https://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i230/duhvinci/2009_garden/Compost/compost_bin_2.jpg[/img]

Nothing fancy, just a solid, untreated 4x3x4 bin, will add front hinged slab tomorrow...

The more I think about the nature's building material from the forest floor (leafs, twigs, grass and such), the more I feel a need to put it to a good use. Gathered 3 huge piles yesterday. Will run them over the mower for a finer shred, going to shovel me some fresh cow poop from a friend tomorrow morning and cut the grass for the last time this season.

Should be enough material cover the beds and make the compost!

There you have it, "city boy" moves to the country and enjoys this rewarding labor of gardening to no end!!!

Regards,
D

[applestar]

Sounds like you had fun!
Your tomatoes are going to be SOOO happy next summer!

[petalfuzz]

Awesome score! I asked for grounds once and the guy looked at me like I was psycho. They've closed that location now...

Great job on the compost bin!

[Duh_Vinci]

Sounds like you had fun!
Your tomatoes are going to be SOOO happy next summer!

Lotsa fun indeed! But more fun today, loading the bins! Tomatoes - I sure hope so! Specially since I have more varieties for the next year. Actually have to expand the garden So there will be more leaf grinding and grass clipping collection - all to be added to the native soil I'm going to till next weekend. Will mix it all well, and let the nature do it's thing for the 4-5 months. Then, in the spring, will add compost and planting time will arrive once again!

Oh, and let's not forget - I'm adding a small Keyhole garden ala "applestar" for immediate kitchen needs too!

Awesome score! I asked for grounds once and the guy looked at me like I was psycho. They've closed that location now...

Great job on the compost bin!

I hope you find a better location next time, where people have some sense of understanding and willing to help

Well, couldn't ask for a better day to get everything done! Ran all the leafs with the lawn tractor couple times, cut the grass for the last time this year, did get my cow poop. Couple of wheel barrels of the top soil layer from the forest floor to introduce varieties of "good guys" to the piles too (sprinkled lightly on the top of each repeating layer)... And grounds went to a good use too!

Now all the bins are loaded:

[img]https://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i230/duhvinci/2009_garden/Compost/bins_loaded.jpg[/img]

These time, I have the most diverse range of the "local" ingredients, goodies that are readily available to me. Never in my life I thought I'd be doing this, but I am, and enjoying it!!!

Round bin - honestly, could have done with out it (it was my first composter), but is is smaller capacity than I need. Use it for quick composting, that is where most of the kitchen scraps go...

Truck bed liner - finished compost, just a good "container" for mixing.

New bin - freshly loaded

Last one - about month old, cooled down by now. Just keep turning it once a week, and keeping an eye on the moisture.

That is about all for now. While there is not much gardening in the winter, still plenty of things to do in the garden!!!

Regards,
D