We've Moved

Compost Picture

compostWhen I check my blog stats, I notice that Google sends lots of people searching for "pictures of compost" to my blog. They usually see my Compost Pictures category which is mostly pictures of silly things I put in my compost bin. There was beer, champagne, 5 gallons of peanut oil, apples and some others.

I've thought about it and I think that these random web surfers probably aren't very happy with my site. All they wanted was a picture of compost, not some silly gimicks that were fun for me to blog. So random web surfers, this post is for you.

I recently moved my compost bin from one spot in my yard to another. My wife complained that you could see the "crap box" from the french doors in the living room. And she completely ignored me when I replied that I thought the compost bin looked impressive and made a great conversation piece. Sure thing, honey, I'll move it right away.

The bin wasn't too full, so it wasn't a huge chore. The pile was only about 4 feet wide and a couple of feet tall. So I got my pitch fork and shovel and loaded up my wheel barrow with the 1/2 finished compost. It's new home was only about 30 feet away and out of sight from the living room.

While I was digging in the pile and taking pictures, I though to myself that this picture really illustrates how composting works.

You can see the layers of leaves toward the bottom of the picture. That's the new raw materials that I just added to the bin. Then in the middle is a layer of 1/2 decomposed leaves and they look sort of brown and moldy. And finally above that. (which was really at the bottom of my compost bin) is the layer that's almost finished decomposing. It looks like dark brown dirt that still has some recognizable organic matter in it. And to me, that's a great picture of compost.

Hopefully this will satisfy the random web surfers and their desire to look at pictures of compost. And people who like pictures of compost, sound like my kind of people.

12 Comments:

  1. Annie in Austin said...
    Compost is beautiful to the gardener, Anthony, and yours looks great, but I'm on your wife's side in the 'view from my window' department!

    On the other hand, that prominent view can now be planted with something really spectacular - and it will probably enjoy the enriched soil.

    Annie at the Transplantable Rose
    Anonymous said...
    Annie, it's a moot point because I already moved the compost but the view from the glass doors in the livingroom was perfectly fine. The compost bin was situated about 100 feet away from the doors. And you had to look past my pool and my vegetable garden to see it. Not a bad view really.
    OldRoses said...
    That's nice looking compost. I wouldn't mind having it for a view!
    Colleen Vanderlinden said...
    All right. Now I have compost envy. Mine doesn't look nearly as good. I didn't do the best job keeping the pile moist with all our dry weather, so it's taking a long time to break down.

    And are those oak leaves I see in there? If so, I really am jealous. All I have are maple leaves, and they just mat down and get kind of slimy unless you shred them first.

    I personally enjoy the view of my compost bins from my windows. But I guess I can see how that might bother some people :-)
    kellypea said...
    Like I've said before, it makes me wish I had the space. Just look at all those pretty layers. I can just feel the heat and inhale the aroma. Ahhh....but wait! What the heck are you doing putting champagne in there? Jeez. You're killing me!
    Anonymous said...
    Hey Anthony, great looking compost! We finally had some rain here in Northern California and I turned mine this morning and it was HAPPY...

    I need to get rid of the sugar water I put out for the hummingbirds, it's getting a bit scuzzy. Any reason I couldn't just drizzle it over the happy compost? It's way far away from the house, the ants are welcome to it...
    Anthony said...
    oldroses, yes, that's what I like to hear. It's a great view.

    Colleen, Yes, there's oak and maple too. But my favorite composting leaves come from my Beech Tree.

    Kelly, it's not like I'm popping the cork and dumping it into my bin. The champagne was a half empty bottle that was left out on the counter overnight.

    Pica, go for it. And thanks for stopping by.
    Matron said...
    Only fellow gardeners can truly appreciate the love affair we have with compost! My friends just don't understand. I put a HUGE compost pile together about 3 weeks ago, and it has shrunk down a foot already. So exciting!
    Anthony said...
    Hi Matron, Yes, the technical term for that is called compost shrinkage. :) Very exciting indeed!
    Anonymous said...
    I think coming years a promonent visible active compost pile will become as new status symbol
    Anthony said...
    Hi Anonymous, if that's true, then I'll become one of the upper crust of society. Scary thought. :)
    Anonymous said...
    Crap box? Oh, that hurts.

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