Obsessive Compulsive Composting

August 30, 2012

If we don’t cook it, can it, pickle it, dry it, juice it or repurpose it, we compost it.

I admit it. I have OCC. Obsessive Compulsive Composting.

When I see an unused stem on the cutting board, a crushed eggshell carelessly tossed in the garbage can, or a filament of parsley left in the sink, I stop what I’m doing, I stop what EVERYONE is doing, and let out a blood-curdling, “WAIT!!!!!”

It is then, after everyone around me is frightened that somebody’s finger was about to be hacked off, that I dive into the depths of the drain to retrieve that 1/4 chunk of rotten potato or 1 inch basil stem and look at whomever is nearest to me like they are insane. What were you thinking, people?!

Why? Because “THAT GOES IN THE COMPOST!”

Sheesh.

I admit it. I am not ashamed!

As diseases go, OCC isn’t bad. It’s not like there should be a television show about how crazy I am (um…I don’t think) and it’s not like I’m harming myself or others; I’m simply obsessively compulsively composting.

Sure, I look at old vegetable peelings in California and am tempted to pack them in my luggage and fly them back to New York to do you-know-what with them. And yes, I have actually saved thousands of eggshells from thousands of breakfasts and, well, brought them with me in a carry-on. And yeah, I can’t stand being in a place where I can’t compost and simply toss out the tops of carrots like they mean nothing to anyone!

So? I just don’t feel like I have a real problem.

The new garden fence is made from Black Locust too. It’s the crème de la crème of garden fencing: there long after we’re gone.

My husband, who you’ve heard about before because, despite my idiosyncrasies, he does so many nice things for me, is totally cool with my OCC. He’s what OCC Anonymous calls an ‘OCC Enabler’. So when my neighbor’s giant black locust tree fell down in a storm last year, my husband did what any OCC Enabler would do: he got an idea.

It took him days to build the thing. Bottles of Alleve. Packets of Electrolytes. Design and redesign. He stubbed his thumb. Got splinters. Lost a few pounds in the heat. Tweaked out his back. Got six-pack biceps in the process.

Milled from my neighbor’s downed Black Locust tree and sunk into the ground a few feet, it will likely be there long after we’re long gone, after our children are long gone, after the house has fallen down, after all life forms have vanished from the planet.

A Post Apocalyptic garbage can.

If the house falls down, we can always move into the Compost Condo.

We call it the Compost Condo because it’s nicer than some apartments in Manhattan. If all else failed, you could move into it and have a decent space to move around in. You could have guests over. Invite the grandchildren.

When he was done with the Condo he built me a bench.

It’s the best gift a girl with OCC could ever ask for.

Now THAT is a composter!

Take off your boots before you come in here!

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{ 24 comments… read them below or add one }

MJ Conner

We compost everything, too. Including paper towels. Our neighbors give us their grass clippings so that we can spread them across our garden beds. My husband, I am convinced, is part druid. We compost a lot every single day!

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intecoolochoberord

I’m laughing out loud. OCC – well as you said it could be worse and congratulations on the creative OCC enabler of a hubby! Nice work!

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John Beach

Typo at end: NOW that is a composter, as opposed tot NOT. There was one yesterday, too, but I didn’t say anything. But this is your wrap-up statement, so’s it real important-like. Do

Sent from my iPad

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Jennifer Solow

Thanks, Voiceguy! I’m always happy for the editors out there. xjennifer

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charltonestatetrust

I like the design of the compost combo. I am printing this blog out now so I don’t lose it and I will be implementing it into the garden. Great innovation and great blog!

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Jennifer Solow

Thanks! I like it too! Try getting the book – it has lots of ideas: http://www.amazon.com/Easy-Composters-You-Can-Build/dp/088266350X

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putneyfarm

Seems to be a common problem, as we have almost the same setup for composting! (even have a friend in a compost business.. 😉

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Jennifer Solow

A friend in the compost business! Even better than a friend in the diamond business!

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heidihansonwp

Thanks for posting.I was just thinking of starting this up yesterday – for the same reasons. Did you add anything like worms, etc.?

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Jennifer Solow

No worms, but I do follow Guru Eliot Coleman’s advice about layering: a few inches of ‘brown’ stuff like straw at the bottom, then a few inches of ‘green’ stuff like kitchen scraps and garden stuff, a handful of dirt, then start again with the straw. I add a few buckets of water if it hasn’t rained and try and make sure there’s something ‘probiotic-y’ in there like some old yogurt, old milk or fermented veggies. If not, I add a little alfalfa meal that I have for my garden because that has the same effect.

Here’s a nice little reference for it: http://bit.ly/PV36Pi

Before the Compost Condo, I just threw stuff in willy-nilly and it seemed to take years for the stuff to break down. Now, I keep straw by my bin and add it regularly. I have extraordinary breakdown with an overflowing bin breaking down to just a few inches in a matter of weeks.

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heidihansonwp

Thanks for the tips. I will definitely follow these as I get started. Have a great day. – Heidi

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lucindalines

Wow, that is super. You have made me feel guilty for my store bought plastic composter.

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Jennifer Solow

LuCinda! Pa-lease! The last thing in the world I want anyone to feel is guilt. About anything. A real visit to The Muddy Kitchen and you’d get all the nitty gritty—including my old store bought plastic composter! It was the cheapest thing I could find at Agway. By the way, the old, dumb thing has now been taken apart and fashioned as a ‘door’ to the Compost Condo because I couldn’t quite part with it.

In the end, if you just toss the junk out the kitchen window and let it land in a smelly, fly-invested pile on the front lawn, it will eventually turn into gorgeous compost. You’ll just have to explain it to the neighbors, act super-crazy and occasionally wield a large knife while mumbling to yourself. They’ll leave you and your smelly pile alone.

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lucindalines

My best compost was a huge pile behind my carshed when we lived out of town in Jamestown, ND. I used to turn it with a pitch fork, and it was great on the garden. My mother wouldn’t let me do a pile in Herreid because she was afraid it would start a fire. Ha! Thanks for the reply and I love your stuff.

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Willamette Food Adventures

I was afraid I was the only one with OCC thoughts. My yard is to small for an actual compost pile so I have a worm bin. The poor worms can’t keep up with the canning so I’ve been freezing my compost so they’ll still have plenty to eat in the winter. I try not to mention this to most people as I tend to get strange looks (really, who freezes garbage?).

It’s a beautiful composter, enjoy!

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The Muddy Kitchen

Is it weird that I find that a heartwarming story? Freezing foodstuffs so the worms will have food for the winter?! Hello!? That could be a movie or something!

“Hello, Pixar? It’s Willamette calling. I’ve got a kind of a heroic-worm story…”

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greenfieldnotes.com

I understand. I totally understand and am one of those people that just HAS to get every last grain of rice out of the pan before washing it. I like to think that i’m thinking of the hens… but… it could be the OCC in me! I enjoyed this very much, thank you!

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sheilarosebelmonte

I live in the city in an apartment wherein there would be no place for anything like this and gardening. When I get married (LOL, I know) we would live in a house where I can do this. I am excited!

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Jennifer Solow

How about just a big pot outside your door? Cherry tomatoes are great to grow with limited space and less than perfect sun. If you have room for a big pot somewhere you should try it! Cherry tomato + nasturtium tumbling off the side of the pot + lemon cucumber (which is good for small spaces)
xjennifer

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sheilarosebelmonte

Oh what a great idea! Thank you. 🙂

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lodgehousebandbsomerset

Great stuff, you are not the only one. We have a 30 foot composter, so likewise whatever the chickens don’t eat goes in the composter,including all the weeds (which I was a bit worried about, but Mr A says it gets so hot in there that the weed seeds are killed off).

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Jennifer Solow

Thanks Kathy!
From your blog, it sounds like your house is the place to go for my eggs! It’s a far trip though!

Yes – I was paranoid about putting weeds in the composter too and didn’t for a few years. But now that I have a good compost going, aka a “hot” pile, I think the theory is that is does get hot enough to kill seeds. But it can’t be any worse than the manure I add to my garden – that seems to be a weed factory.

Thanks again for stopping by!

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Jesse

Great post! I have the exact same issue. I am glad that I am not the only crazy obsessive composter.

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Lori Lipsky

Very inspirational to a reader who does not yet compost.

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