I am one of the oddest people I know. I prefer a simple life and I don’t require or desire much in the way of things. In every aspect of my life I try to find ways to spend less money and to improve the quality of my life without increasing the expenses along with it.
As a lifelong gardener I have a need to have rich, nutrient-dense soil in which to grow the food I eat. While many will spend hundreds of dollars on soil amendments (and I have as well, truth be told), I strive to build soil and soil amendments with compost using everything at my disposal. From grass clippings to coffee and tea grounds, dryer lint to shredded paper, I am always adding to the compost piles and containers with the full knowledge that every item added back to the soil here at home is something that will not find its way to the local landfill where it will not break down naturally as nature intended.
In the next few days I will begin collecting horse manure from the farm where my horse Bravo lives. That manure will be aged, composted and added to the raised bed and soil-building areas of the land I call home and that is a good thing.
If you would like to read up on compost, I highly recommend the book “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Composting” by my longtime friend Chris McLaughlin.
