Complete the Cycle, Compost!

When developing a relationship with food it is important to stay connected throughout the entire food cycle. Your interaction should not end after you have consumed a delicious home cooked meal. To complete the cycle of your food's life you must return what is left over from preparation back to the land. You can do this by composting. Composting in an urban setting has become increasingly easier. If you do not have a yard there are small indoor compost containers available to purchase. If you do have a yard (of any size) you can purchase a compost bin or make one. One method to making one is to get a plastic bin or trash can with tight fitting lid, drill a few holes (not too big) in it for circulation, and place it in a place that is out of the way and not in direct sunlight or you may dry your compost out. Now to the actual composting...

The following a some things you can compost:
vegetables, fruits, nuts and their shells, flowers, leaves, twigs, beans, pasta, rice, egg shells, coffee grounds, paper bags, newspaper, manure, and rodent bedding (only if it is paper-based or shavings)

Here are a few things to avoid adding to your compost:
meat, dairy, large amounts of acidic fruit such as citrus, and carnivorous animal waste or litter (ex. cat waste)

Make sure you are adding both "greens" and "browns" to your compost. Worms and microbes do the job of turning the waste into nutrient rich compost, so in order for them to be most effective you want to provide them with a healthy environment. Greens provide nitrogen which is the protein and browns provide carbon which is the energy that proteins need to flourish. Without enough greens it will take much longer for browns to break down and without browns the greens decompose too quickly creating a smelly slime.

Greens include:
food scraps including egg shells, grass clippings, coffee grounds, fresh weeds and leaves

Browns include:
dried leaves, paper, sawdust, straw, and wood products

Turn or stir the compost every few days to provide oxygen and after a few weeks or so you will have nutrient rich compost. You can use your compost on indoor or outdoor plants or donate it to a neighbor or local community garden.