I have not been able to sift the compost for a very long time. There is a stage in which the compost does not generate enough heat to break down the bigger pieces, and this normally symbolizes when I need to sift it. But the last couple of weeks has been beyond hectic. I could not work in the garden, nor could I do anything else. Even today, I made the conscious decision to work in the garden above the other things that I needed to do. I am glad I did it because I needed the workout, I needed to do this to clear my head a little.
In the above photograph, you can see the bigger pieces that have not yet become compost, and the smaller pieces. It needs to be sifted. As with fermentation, the bigger and more complex sugars take longer to ferment; one ideally wants the smaller and less complex sugars so that fermentation can happen quickly. Unlike fermentation, you can easily separate the bigger pieces of compost from the smaller ones!
I have been using this makeshift sifter for many years now. It has never broken, yet it looks like a thing from a horror movie. But why change something when it is not broken and still working? It works like a charm! After the sifting stage, you are left with all these bigger pieces:
I normally just throw them into the new compost heap. They then slowly break down over the year. I have seen things that have never broken down. This makes you think about the things you use and how complex the breaking down stage in products is.
But after sifting out the bigger pieces, you are left with the smaller almost ready compost:
As you can see, the process is not perfect. Some of the bigger pieces break down into smaller pieces but it is not broken down into compost. This is where the second stage of composting happens. In the "aging" stage of the sifted compost, it becomes the black gold we as gardeners love. It happens slowly over a couple of months.
In any case, I packed almost ten buckets full of compost. It was an exercise in itself to carry them!
I dumped all of the sifted compost in this large bucket thing that previously held my swiss chard! Now it is empty and perfect for my compost.
What am I going to do with all the compost? I am not sure yet. But for now, it will be merely aging. From time to time, I will wet it. It is always such a slow process. However, life is about the slow "fermentation" and the breaking down of complex "sugars" over an extended period of time. Philosophy texts, for example, should also be broken down over such a long period of "fermentation" in the mind. It is a slow process to grapple with the fundamental questions of life. It is not easy. But we do it.
Everyone is innately a philosopher and one will always struggle with complex ideas and situations in life as they emerge from where we live.
But in any case, below is a short video of my sifted compost. I just love to smell the stuff. It smells of the fresh forest, it reminds me of my childhood for some reason:
I hope you enjoyed the rather philosophical compost musings. It was such a nice time for me to listen to the birds and appreciate the view from my compost heap.
Sometimes you just have to breathe and take everything in. What a wonderful life.
In any case, I hope you are well. All of my musings are my own and the photographs and video were captured by my iPhone. Keep well, happy gardening!
and a wonderful post. I have never sifted (I just pull the larger stuff out by hand), or second "fermented" my compost, but I will at least sift it this year, with a handmade sifter of my own just like yours. I think it's beautiful. And I'm sure you will find a good use for all that compost.
Thank you so much! I really appreciate the visit. For sure, the garden loves the exessive amounts of compost but the birds do as well because it has so many bugs in it for them to much on.
Oh, well I am glad I could inspire you to sift yours now too. It is such a satisfying job, especially smelling the earth and reconnecting your feet (roots) to the soil.
Making your own compost is rewarding, recycling much from within the house putting it back into growing future plants.
Waste not want not policy, a good workout doing the gardening as well.
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That is what it is all about yes! Working out, putting back into the soil, and growing food from so-called scraps. The cycle of life is beautiful.
When you have earthworms that are happy you have done your job well 😅
Yes, that as well! I love them fellows.
Sorry for the late replies. Life has again come in the way!
With limited time all the time one feels tugged to and fro, take it easy and enjoy a walk on the weekend.
Yes, I think I need to get grounded again. I think most people forget to take that walk and just unwind.
Once every so often just get up and walk outdoors, like every hour or more especially when you see what is happening of late.
Walk barefoot on the lawn is very grounding....
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