This is the place to share info, make declarations, post soliloquies, questions and pictures; anything related to our exciting nutrient-looping project, Humble Pile L.A. Everyone should have received an email or phone call at this point, and we are getting into the beginning stages of this unprecedented (in our city) experiment! Woo! Post your experiences here.
Friday, October 24, 2008
an aeration query
Hey Humble Pilers,
I'm trying to solve a possible problem with the humble pile drum and I'd like your thoughts on the subject. If I were doing this on my own, I'd probably not have a bottom on the composter and I'd also have lots of air holes on the sides, that way I'd get both worms and oxygen into the pile (as per Jenkins and my non-humble food/chicken poop compost pile). I realize this would make it impossible to move. I've thought about placing a 4" drainage pipe with holes in it in the drum to bring in air as an alternative. Any thoughts? I noticed the guy on your website has a strange turning thingy that he uses (sells?) to get air in without having holes in the drum, but I'm a little skeptical.
I'll post a blog entry soon with pictures.
Best,
Erik K.
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sean has been filling his drum for awhile. what do you say to this?
erik, i'm with you about the bottomless bin idea. and clear on the need for air.
my impression, however, is that one builds the compost with enough roughage that air continues in.
but yes. that guy in arizona rotates his. hm. testhole has discussed this idea.
and...this:
we can and will drill air holes after the drums have reached their final resting spot. if they fill quickly and are transported away and aerated, that could be a clear answer.
since i'm interested in experiments that could or might lead to actual municipal applications i'm interested in solutions that would keep the drum a discrete, clean and moveable object?
you're supposed to put quite a lot of straw on the bottom of the drum as an organic "sponge" by the way. i failed to mention that at drop off.
best,
hd
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Hey all,
Sean here, to weigh in. The issue of compost aeration is a vital one, of course, the difference between a loamy result and a possible foul slurry, at least as far as barrel-composting is concerned. Oxygen must be introduced. But I'll echo Harry's mention of experimental large-scale: it all depends on whether or not you'd like to keep your barrel, or let us take it for our project's purposes. Everyone is perfectly welcome to keep their barrel, but we'd like to encourage you all to give 'em up, preferably full, and not perforated, for transport purposes. We'll do the oxy introduction later. My own barrel is currently in the seasoning stage, it's been there for about three months. It's now cooled off a lot and the volume's dropped by about 1/4. I'm about to introduce some more air by some means, perhaps a broomstick, although those fancy compost screws are neat-looking. No holes yet.
genesis
it was stumbling on this webpage about humanure composting that gave us the idea we could do this project. introducing: david omick, composter extraordinaire.
here is another page of his, more specifically about his composting (waterless) toilets.
