Re: Re: CULT:in-place composting

> Sticks, newspapers, leaves, skunks, revenooers, you
> could put 'em all in there and come summer, voila. 
--------------------------

Revenooers!

My late Da set up a wind-shielded area on our acre in
New Jersey, with good sized bushes around it in a
ring.  In the middle, he typically kept about 12
different huge compost piles -- when I was a kid, I
had no idea how odd this was to be doing at that time.

Different piles had different recipes, including
trials.  The most successful piles got quite warm, and
in winter this became a wildlife haven.  This was in
Rumson, NJ (working class part!), which used to get
really cold but doesn't anymore.  I remember finding
an absolutely huge old tortoise, probably over a
hundred years old (said the vet, who glued a crack in
his shell), who'd been living in one of the warm piles
in an area scratched out of the side.

Around the bushes were some huge old black walnut
trees, which kept us very well supplied with leaves. 
We grew most of our vegetables, and made sure to
compost everything we could.  When I said goodbye to
the house in 1992 after Da died, I spread wildflower
seed all over.  Found a marble that I had planted when
very very young (I planted many marbles).

Da had a couple of "layer on and don't pitchfork"
piles, one of which would get pretty warm.  

Our acre had been a horse ranch (Parmley or Parmly),
and when you dug down you hit sand.  One house in from
tidal river (Navesink).  Ma and Da bought the place in
1938 and started composting right off.  

Gesine
who should check our 2 compost heaps in our bitzy
backyard -- 





       
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