We recently got off our lazy streak and began saving our kitchen scraps and garden debris for a compost pile. It doesn’t really take much time or energy and it makes a huge difference in the amount of garbage that leaves the house.  I used to think that the landfills needed my compostable material so that it could help break down other garbage but I did learn that biodegradable and compostable materials don’t typically breakdown or they take far too long to do so. The reason is because there is a lack of oxygen when the garbage is packed so tightly to make the most of the room at the dump or landfill.

Composting does not have to be difficult and you don’t need anything fancy to do it. You can leave your scraps in a pile and add dry lawn debris on to the top. You don’t even have to turn it. It will take much longer for the pile to turn to compost but it will eventually, probably within the year. So if you aren’t in a hurry for soil but you want to cut down on your garbage waste just start a compost pile. No big deal right?

If you aren’t into the look of a pile and just can’t seem to get over it then read about this inexpensive and homemade composter.

I went out to turn the compost pile yesterday and saw some larvae that I had seen before while turning garden soil but this time there were so many and they were all alive, writhing and wriggling. I quickly looked to find out what type of larvae these were and whether they were beneficial or not. Here were my results:

What I found were soldier fly larvae. The flies lay their eggs on top of the compost pile and the larvae feed on the nitrogen rich scraps that most kitchen compost has. The larvae helps break down the material into compost even faster than it would on it’s own so they aren’t a danger to the compost pile. The flies won’t invade your personal living space, just don’t keep the pile too close to your house.

The photo to the right is the picture of my compost pile with the larvae. The day I found them there were so many more soldier fly larvae and when I returned the next day to take a picture I could only find a few. I’m guessing the larvae traveled further down into the pile but I am hoping I didn’t disturb them too much.

There are some websites out there that explain how soldier fly larvae are used for bio-composting and vermicomposting. Some people are even calling soldier fly larvae ‘green technology.’ Sort of interesting that the best technology is the technology that humans didn’t invent.

Here is an article about soldier fly larvae and the compost pile from our very own University of Oregon

If you have ever wanted a fancy compost tumbler but couldn’t find the funds to indulge yourself you need not look any further. We are here to show you how to make your very own compost tumbler. Well, at least I’ll show you where I found out how to do it.

I stumbled across a compost blog and although the blog isn’t full of composting tips and facts, it did have some rather simple gardening techniques that were practical and down to earth. The homemade compost tumbler really caught my eye. I’ve yet to make one since I am just starting my compost pile here at this house. While my past attempts at composting have been unsuccessful, I am trying again and planning to put forth just a bit more effort.

One of the other good bits of information I found on this particular compost blog where the homemade compost tumbler was originally posted was that if you aren’t in a hurry for soil, just throw your green compost in a heap and alternate the layers with brown compost (i.e. leaves, dry grass, etc.) In a year or so you’ll have soil. It doesn’t have to be perfect…it just takes time if you don’t apply the science for speedy compost material. So for now I’ll just be the not-in-a-giant-hurry composter. I’ll be keeping an eye out for some garbage cans that I can turn into homemade compost tumblers and I’ll let you know how it works for me. If you get to it first be sure to let us know how it goes.

I was able to harvest a good amount of organic gourmet lettuce today and as I was on my way into the house to wash it I commented to Sammy that we needed a salad spinner. As I entered the house I began brainstorming a way to dry the lettuce quicker and more efficiently than my hand-patted small harvests had been over the last couple of weeks.

Here is how I was able to dry my organic lettuce quickly, from start to finish.

We grew heirloom Rocky Top Lettuce Mix from www.rareseeds.com. This is the type of lettuce that does not grow back so when I harvest it I pull it up by the roots and gently shake off the excess dirt so it stays in the garden.  Before I place it in our bowl I cut the roots off and keep them in a pile to add to the compost later.

Next, I fill a clean sink with cold water and place all the lettuce in the water. Swish, swish and then I take the leaves of lettuce out and lay them on a towel that is layed flat on the counter. When I’ve gotten all of the lettuce out of the sink I place a folded up kitchen towel in the bottom of a large bowl and I place all of the lettuce in the bowl with the cut ends down.

Leave the bowl of lettuce sitting out at room temperature for 5-10 minutes and when you return it will be as dry as a salad spinner would get it. Now you can put your bounty in the fridge to keep for your next meal. I like to keep mine in a reusable produce bag.

Placing all of the lettuce in the bowl with cut ends down may seem like a big organizing task but it isn’t. And not every piece has to be lined up perfectly, just getting them vertical for the most part will drain the water down into the kitchen towel.

Do you have any tips on cleaning garden produce that tends to yield more soil than is desired? Share them here in the comments.

Do you have some tee shirts or tank tops that are too big, too small or maybe you just don’t really like them anymore? Turning them into baby pants or toddler shorts is really quick and simple. I was able to do it quickly and I’m not even that crafty!

A friend had pointed me in the direction of Rookiemoms.com where I found her post  ‘How to Make Baby Pants or Toddlers Shorts from Tee Shirts.’ Of course I loved the idea but I didn’t jump on the opportunity right away but I did collect some t-shirts and tank tops for a couple of weeks and then I hopped on the sewing machine.

This is super quick and easy tutorial. Repurposing t-shirts into baby pants or toddler shorts is a smart and simple way to save money and recycle material that you already have on hand. You don’t even need anything fancy or much sewing experience at all.

I took some pics of the first shorts I made for Annie but Sammy ran off with the camera for his evening mountain biking ride. I’ll post them soon.

Here are the pictures of my first pair of shorts. Sorry for the color variations…I started cutting early in the day and finished the pants later after dinner. All in a day’s work.