New Soil Machine

IMG_1692, a photo by okfuskee on Flickr.

Couldn't stop myself from getting a second Soil Machine composter made by Good Ideas. I got it online from Hayneedle.com because they had a great deal and free shipping so the whole thing only cost $105. It is made in the USA (well the lid might be Canadian, but...) from recycled plastic. It has a very simple design and took only a few minutes to assemble. It seems very durable and has a spigot for compost tea. I decided to build a base for this one - makes it easier to get the compost tea if it is off the ground a bit. Some might say it is tricky to turn after it gets mostly full. I'm ok with that and it makes up for that with it's simplicity and sturdiness. I've seen others with various mechanisms for turning and they always seem like they won't hold up over time.

Solving the Rat & Possum Problem

Got this here composter from Hayneedle. Recycled plastic, made in USA or Canada. Has handles for turning. Turning is not too hard...though I wonder about when it gets fuller. It holds 52 gallons I think - 7 cubic feet of compost. Assembled very easily.

One thing I like about it is the compost tea collection system. The stand or barrel holder (which has wheels to facilitate turning) also collects compost tea. There is a spigot on one end and theoretically, come summer time, I just turn that for a big hearty glass of compost tea. Yum! The thing makes claims to turn compost to soil in 2 weeks. I will believe that when I see it. I have been adding county leaf mulch and regular dirt as instructed - the included manual says 2/3 ought to be "browns." Mike McGrath (who seems to hate compost) says the ratio should be even higher.

It is low to the ground and so has a low profile and also seems very sturdy. I have seen some on higher rigged systems that seem too complicated.

Price was reasonable (120something including my coupon). Shipping was free I think. And if you bide your time, they go on sale or these coupon codes seem to pop up here and there...as if the interweb knows what you been searching. I will see how this works out and get another later if it goes well.

So far no rodents have interfered with it, though at the start, when it turned easily, I think a few squirrels took joy rides on it.