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 Instant Compost
This Antique
Tool works wonders on rotten Leaves,
or making cheap
Bird Seed.
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 FINDING A
GRINDER -
A visit to your
local Flea Market should turn up a
Meat Grinder. Be sure to get a Grinder with large
round or rectangular holes like those shown above. Plates with 1/4"
round
holes
are made to grind Hamburger, and may not allow wet Leaves to pass
through. 1/2" holes are the minimum for a Compost Grinder. A large
Hopper is a definite plus.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
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The Grinder shown has a conical Plate and 3-bladed Cutter. This type is
very difficult to sharpen. A better choice has replaceable flat Plates
and Cutters, which can be sharpened by rubbing them in a
circular
motion on Emery Cloth placed on a flat surface. Some Plates are
reversible which is an added advantage.
HOW TO USE IT -
Always wear Safety Glasses when working with any Tools. Mount the
Grinder on a sturdy table or step. There's not much room for
a container under the Grinder, but our cereal box worked nicely after a
little customizing with a Scissors. Mounting the Grinder on a narrow
surface will allow the Compost to drop into a Bucket.
Twigs, Acorns
and other seeds, and spent blooms will grind right up with
the leaves. Use a gloved
hand to feed the Grinder, these tools have
been
known to pinch fingers; especially when one person fills the Hopper and
a second person turns the Crank. Clean and dry
the Grinder after usage to
avoid the Plates and Cutters from getting rusty and losing their
sharpness.
The
decomposing Leaves and Pine Needles in the background have been
transformed into this great finished product. It will rival those sold
at your
Nursery or Garden Center, and there's not much chance that it
will contain chemicals. Your friends and
neighbors may be willing to
contribute to your new endeavor from their own Rain Gutters,
and may even turn the Crank for a cup or two.
Not only will the Grinder pay
for itself, but it's fun to see the transformation and know that you
"made" the Compost all by yourself. If you grind anything that is not
from the
Gutters, make sure there are no pebbles or soil in it since these
materials will dull the Cutters in short order.
You might even
want to start a Gutter cleaning business,
and sell Compost on the
side. 
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If you have Oak or
Pine Trees in one area of your House and other Trees in another area,
then you may have acidic Compost from the former and alkaline from the
others. Keep them separate; Blueberries, Holly, Hydrangeas,
Rhododendrons, and Azaleas love
acidic Oak Leaf Compost.
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