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How We Made Our Own Compost Bin.

Melissa Beene Ford/ Uncategorized

 


When we got the bright idea last year to plant some vegetables, we jumped in with both feet, because, you know, that’s how we like to do things. ALL in, baby. We bought seeds and lattices, we tilled up a patch of our back yard, we watered, we weeded. I researched organic gardening methods; hubby scoffed at everything organic.

We rejoiced when tiny little green leaves poked their little heads out of the dirt, and got real attached to our little green babies, and before long we had cucumbers and jalapenos galore.

We decided we needed a compost bin. But the fancy store-bought ones that spin and rotate and whatnot are expensive. We opted not to do that. Because another way we like to do things is that we like to start a project and not finish it, and who’s to say this gardening thing wouldn’t get really old in a day or two, and then we’d have this gigantic $90 compost thing that was of no use to us anymore?

The garden didn’t get old — we LOVED it — but our homemade compost bin made of a recycled Rubbermaid tub works perfectly for what we need. 

Here she is…


 
 
As it just so happens, I had a really large one that once contained maternity clothes. Because I made a solemn vow that the clothes coming out of this tub would NEVER go back in. 
 
And then I changed my mind and wanted another baby. And then I changed my mind and didn’t. And then… well, you get the idea. But it’s too late now because the maternity clothes are long gone, along with their Rubbermaid home. Which can mean only one thing…

 

 
 
Actually, no. It doesn’t mean anything.
 
We drilled holes every 2 or 3 inches apart, ALLLLLLL over… top, bottom, sides.
 
 
We put some dirt and leaves and lawn clippings and WORMS in our tub and proceeded to fill it with our kitchen scraps. And the worms happily filled their bellies with our scraps and pooped out the BEST, blackest, nutrient-dense dirt.
 
We put an extra lid under our compost bin to catch the, uh… WORM TEA that drips out. Yeah, that’s really what it’s called: WORM TEA. Look, I don’t invent all the terminology. All the brown dirty water that worms excrete is supposed to be a GREAT nutrient drink for your plants. 
 

Wanna see what’s inside it?

And it doesn’t stink! Surprisingly enough. We leave this bin outside our kitchen door and toss egg shells, vegetable peelings, moldy grapes and onion skin and apple cores inside. I’ve never ONCE walked outside and smelled anything foul, because believe me, she’d be long gone if there was any sort of stench at our back door. We dig around in there every few days to toss everything around, and rotate the stuff on top to the bottom and vice versa.

It’s incredibly amazing to me how FAST the stuff in this bin breaks down. Egg shells will literally be gone in days. GONE!

And under all those kitchen scraps and leaves, rich, black dirt… just in time to start get our 2013 garden off to a healthy start. Home Depot, here we come…..

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Comments

  1. Melissa from the Blue House says

    March 14, 2013 at 2:16 am

    I love this! You make it sound so easy and fun…we've had making a garden and compost bin on our bucket list for a while now, and this maybe just the motivation I need! 🙂

    Reply
  2. Melissa from the Blue House says

    March 28, 2013 at 5:41 pm

    LOVE THIS!!! Going to start mine right away 🙂

    Reply

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About Me


Hey there... I'm Melissa! Texas girl. Mom to three + one goldendoodle. Believer. Old house fanatic. Creating a happy + healthy home with purpose is my passion. I'm so glad you're here!

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I don’t know who’s big idea it was to strip 80 I don’t know who’s big idea it was to strip 80 years of paint off of this door down to the wood and start over… but that person has no business starting new projects. 😅 My neighbors must have thought this project would never end. *I* thought this project would never end. 😰 If you’re thinking of doing this yourself? Just don’t, ok? Throw the whole door away and buy a new one. 😂🤣 Just kidding.  Old house weirdos like me… we can’t just do things the easy way. Anyhoo… after some trial and error, @sherwinwilliams Celestial is what I landed on, and I have to say… I like it. Periwinkle-ish blue looks great with the yellow house and will look even better when the azaleas are in bloom. Was it all worth it? That’s not important right now. 🤭 Will I do this all again in two years? The magic eight ball says… without a doubt. 👏🏻 I’ve already picked the next color. #gluttonforpunishment #somefoolsneverlearn #oldhouselove #oldhomelove #makinghome #southernliving #gardenandgun #azaleadistrict #tylertx
Spring in the Azalea District makes the winters in Spring in the Azalea District makes the winters in an 80-year-old house completely worth it … what broken pipes, icy hardwood floors and drafty windows? 🤔 I forgot already. #comeonspring #azaleadistrict #tylertx
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Salt Lake City is always magical ✨ Salt Lake City is always magical ✨
2022 had its highs and lows for sure, but scrollin 2022 had its highs and lows for sure, but scrolling through my pics from the last twelve months made me realize how blessed and content I am. Prosperity, love, and peace have been ours in abundance, in spite of the pain of losing my dad. The second picture is the last picture of him… the last time I saw him. 💔 But God has been good to my family this year and 2022 is ending far better than it began. 😄 #2022inreview #thanksforthememories
Who wants a Christmas tour of my home? 🙋🏼‍ Who wants a Christmas tour of my home? 🙋🏼‍♀️
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That’s it. That’s the tour. (Slide two). 
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It’s a new trend I’m starting: bare Christmas tree. Lowe’s tag still attached (so quirky and unexpected)! Christmas ornaments still in boxes. Coming soon to an Anthropologie window display near you. 
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Every year I think, “next year I’ll do better. Next year I’ll have it together.” And then, here we are on the SIXTH Christmas that we’ve been in this house, the sixth Christmas I’ve dragged our chaotic bunch of Christmas mess out of a chaotic garage I still haven’t unpacked from our move six years ago. 
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Maybe this year is the year I’ll organize it all and put it back neatly so that by Christmas number 7, it will be smooth sailing. People will flock to my social media to see how I’ve pulled everything off SO PERFECTLY. Next year will be my year. 
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Seems every year there’s less and less bandwidth for all these things. There’s more grief and stress, less money. More demands, less grace. 
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I put this sign on the wall in my office so I could keep it in front of my eyes: Love. Joy. Peace. And all that. I am SO unlike Jesus most days. So lacking in all of these character qualities. And that’s WITH waking up most mornings and spending my first 30 minutes with God Himself. 
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How lost would I be without that? Geez. I can’t fathom. I REQUIRE being transformed by renewing my mind every single morning, and even then, responding to people and life with love, joy, peace and patience doesn’t come naturally. 
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It’s the goal, though. 
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This weary world needs that from us Believers during this season, more than ever… even more than an Anthropologie-window-display worthy Christmas home tour. 
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I’m working on both.
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