Backyard Farm – Compost
If you are running your own backyard farm you will need a compost heap – the organic engine-room of all backyard farms.
Buy a large plastic compost bin with a lid on the top and wider and open at the bottom. The idea is to fill this bin, then lift it off the compost (like a beach sand bucket), and then fork the compost back into that bin to mix it up. These bins minimize problems with rats and mice. Compost tumblers are even better in many situations – and they rot compost very rapidly.
Build layers about 10cm thick of wet and dry materials: dry leaves followed by lawn clippings followed by woody prunings. Add a few handfuls of garden soil as a probiotic as you go.
With some mixing and watering the compost should be ready in a few months.
Fork it into the barrow or some bags and put it onto the vegie garden as mulch.
Next time, we’ll look at Backyard Chooks.
Hooroo, Don
