Today was the next workshop in the Leeds Rotters Composting Champions series of how to build your own compost bin from an old wheelie bin. This time we were at Meanwood Valley Urban Farm, where there seems to have been a workshop of a different nature on a previous occasion. Hence, the question posed to the audience at the start of our event, ‘Are you guys okay at the back?’
As it turns out, there were fewer non-scarecrow participants than we would have hoped for, so we need to get our thinking caps on in order to get the message across to a wider public. Namely, food thrown in landfill can be avoided with a few tools and a bit of know-how.
Talking of food waste and compost, my bokashi bins are literally bulging at the seams. I hadn’t expected to accumulate so much before the arrival of the Green Johanna hot composting bin, so I decided to risk rat ingress by digging the deepest hole I’ve ever been able to in the back garden to relieve the situation.
Once, I’d filled it up with contents from one of the bokashi bins, I attempted to smother the smell with feathers from an old duvet and cardboard. This I hope will be good for both the rhubarb and my daughter’s apple tree, although the roots from neither seem to have reached this point yet.
In any case, the resident worms will no doubt have a field day once the bokashi solids start to turn into compost. And the broad bean seeds I sowed over the top will no doubt benefit also.
Growing out of chaos 