From Fall Leaves to Compost

From Fall Leaves to Compost

November 29, 2007

It's the end of November, most of the leaves have fallen down, shadows are long, and the days are short and cold.

If you ask me, I think cold is good. This time of year, in Wisconsin, isn't it supposed to be this way? If you're like me, the cold weather kind of warms your heart and energizes you. Especially on a sunny day!

Now what we need to do, pronto, in case I didn't say it before, is turn that sunlight into power to heat our homes and offices in the winter.

Yesterday Monona got me out early to help her collect leaves for her compost pile. That's where she puts vegetable scraps, egg shells, some cardboard and such. This red container was what we used to put our garbage in before the city gave us a new one with wheels. Monona wondered: what did people do with their old plastic trash barrels, anyway?

We turned ours into a useful container to keep the leaves dry, so we can add them to the compost pile this winter, as needed. As we stuffed maple leaves in, they crushed down in volume to a weight of about forty pounds. Because maple leaves decompose quickly, they make the best compost. And when they stay dry, they keep their pale, autumn-gold and smell good too!

Truly yours, ~Polar Bear Witness
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