I recommend you cubed the Rutabaga, add a little olive oil, salt and pepper and roast them. I hardly ever boil any veggies any more. Roasting taste so much better.
Yep, roasting is the best. I do a combination of root vegetables. I mostly use rutabagas, parsnips, carrots, and sweet potatoes. I also add some red onion. You can also add turnips, beets, and any other root vegetable you like. I use a high roasting temp so usually use vegetable oil. Roasting brings the sweetness out, caramelizes the veggies. No boiling for me either.
@@timehasbegun5828 I usually roast at 400-450 degrees for about 30 minutes. Depends on the vegetable and the size of the pieces. I'll start at 450 and if things begin to burn or start to brown before the veggies start to get tender I'll turn the heat down to 400.
Travis I agree about the Bermuda grass. You can always add a shovel or two of your native garden soil to the pile to add all those beneficial organisms. About adding worm that works but only after the compost has went through the heat cycle. Compost can get in excess of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Those temps will kill your worms. Good luck on your compost adventure.
I have 3 of the Geobins. I move compost from one to another as it breaks down. I always have one with finished compost, one that is actively working, and one to add new material to. I've had them for a few years and like them a lot but have a few tips that might help others. The Geobin brand doesn't have the stabilizer rods so I start off with the circle doubled up, and expand it out when it gets to the top. I use twist ties because they are easier to remove/replace than those clips they provide. i put each Geobin in a 100 gallon fabric grow bag. The Geobin holds over 200 gallons but by the time the compost breaks down, the total is less than 100 gallons. When the compost needs to be turned into the next bin, I just lift up the Geobin and the compost is left in the grow bag which makes it easy to turn/move to the next bin.
Great idea! I'm thinking I'll have 4 or 5 so I can have some succession composting and don't have to wait on one big pile. I'll keep one empty for turning purposes.
@@LazyDogFarm Travis, you probably won't have any trouble reaching down into the Geobin to turn the compost into the next bin. And since you're on a concrete pad you really don't need anything underneath since it will be easy to scoop up with a flat shovel. For those older folks like me, especially women, turning the compost gets strenuous, and somewhat difficult with the Geobin if you are not tall. Also, the "dirt" beneath my bins is sand, and I don't need anymore sand in my garden soil I tried tarps and they worked ok, but the grow bags have been the best solution for me so far.
@@LazyDogFarm One more thing I forgot. My lot is not large, only about 1/4 acre, so all of my bins are in one area. But with a large area like yours, and all the individual plots, you could put a Geobin in a grow bag in/near each active plot and load it up with garden waste right at the plot site. Leave it there for a season or two, and compost is where you need it, when you need it.
Well, you got me thinking…and my wife would tell you “that’s dangerous”. LOL! We live on a farm and our mode of trash removal is a burn barrel and a way of burying non-burn able items (cans, etc) . You got me to thinking about composting. My wife has 30 chickens, so a lot of our food scraps go to the chickens and wouldn’t have for compost….of course cleaning out our coop of chicken poop and straw makes good for our garden. We live in a ‘throw away” time. We use a lot of paper towels, never thought about using that as mulch or in a compost bin. Just ordered a compost bin like you showed and we’re going to give composting a go… thanks for this video. 😃😃
Used coffee grounds from a local coffee shop will heat it up as well. Mine is on the ground. I unfasten it move it a few feet then just move the compost into the new location with a shovel. Also I would take a piece of steel run to the ground and just move it around in a circle the size of a baseball from top to bottom creating air flow and you could see the steam and feel the heat rising. I would make about five of those air tunnels. By the time you get it filled up it will be heavy and just take it slow when pushing. My advice is to get another one and experiment with one on the ground. I am truly pleased with mine. I've got tons of volunteer tomato plants poppin out the holes along the sides. Keep us updated with the expertise you gain.
@@LazyDogFarm Now I just round out several holes in several locations in the pile so the heat and steam will get going and it also allows me to get water down towards the bottom of the pile and else where. Mine did not come with the side stakes. But honestly if they are cumbersome or a pain I really think it works fine without them. The tumblers are useless in my opinion. I bought one and regret it. It's hard getting the compost in and out and they are to small even for a backyard Gardner like myself. I would keep corn stalks out of it. I threw some in and they attracted ants. I rinse our egg shells off as well for that reason.
@@LazyDogFarm Here is a link to the RUclips video where I got the idea from. This video shows what I am trying to explain. ruclips.net/video/48CVemo_ELM/видео.html
i make my own compost, couple thoughts i have learned over the years, . i can make enough for my own needs. i use primarily oak leaves and grass clippings, but also kitchen scraps of all sorts and anything that once was living plant matter. shredded paper and card board work well. i keep pile in contact with the soil. i make as large a pile as i can. i shred everything i can with the lawn mower. if i turn the pile, i'll only do it once and this is usually because im either bord or i want the pile in a dif location. i have discovered that using two foot logs set on end makes a great border for the pile (and seems to compost it much much faster). my currant pile is approx 16 x 6 border with logs and has composted down to about 3.5 feet tall from about 5 foot 2 months ago. i don't cover it, i hose it down with water while im building it. i will let the pile set as it is until next august, (may or may not turn it). in fall i will use it on my beds about a 3 inch layer, then cover with chopped up fall leaves for the winter. i have found that in winter i have plenty of carbon and little nitrogen and the opposite in summer. basically i throw it all in a pile, maybe turn it maybe not, and i get enough dark rich compost in about 9 months............... be very careful you don't let compost become a hobby in and of itself, very easy for this to happen. hope this run on sentence helps, good luck and just throw it in a pile somewhere and wait> LOL
Travis, my bro!! This is actually something I have quite a bit of experience with. Your compost pile will help a LOT with killing your Bermuda grass as long as you can get it nice and hot. Take advantage, my dude!
Ours are on bare soil, but zone 5b gets cold so they migrate into the warm soil below (so they don't freeze). In your area with no deep freeze you'll probably be ok. With all your garden waste - you will need more bins. Good video, thanks
I've got 3. They've survived their 5th year of service with no noteable degradation. The only thing I could see is UV damage. Mine are under a pair of apple trees and receive no direct sunlight. Pretty sure they'll last a lifetime under these conditions
@@SgtSnausages I'm near the FL GA state line and mine are in direct sunlight. But the thickness of it makes it seem like I will get a decade out of them minimum. Mine seems about an eighth of an inch thick. I think the dark color will help with UV damage. My first one I got last season hasn't weakened or faded yet. Famous last words. LOL.
My grandmother used to have rutabaga cubes in with the greens. My husband said his grandmother used it in some stuffed pig dish, along with greens, cabbage and a few other things.
I am so glad to hear you saying you eat the nontraditional greens. I never see people saying they do. I thought I would use all those greens. Those hybrids were much bigger than the heirloom, figures.
I am so glad you are starting your own compost. I don’t have enough raw inputs from my property to make enough finished compost for my entire garden, but I still do it. It reduces my costs for sure. If it makes enough compost for even one bed, then that’s one less bed I have to buy amendments for.
Stuff does settle and breaks down well in the geobins. I gathered bags of leaves this past fall and filled one bin with just leaves for the pure leaf mold. Enjoying your channel Travis! 😁👍
Put a shovel full of either garden dirt or some of the soil from under your trees in the compost bin every few layers. That will get your worms going in it. It you can buy the fishing worms. They might migrate out of it gets too dry, since it's in a concrete pad. BUT if it's got greens in it and some moisture, it should be fine. I have a tumbler system. We use as shovel full of dirt as the compost starter/innoculant and it always has worms in it, 3 feet above the ground on metal legs. I turn it occasionally, but the works do much of the work. I need more compost so I've been looking at systems and might try one like yours.
Hey Travis..You will overflow that setup quickly. Pulling pea or lima bean vines will fill that one in a day. With the size of your garden you will probably need ten. I use 16ft cattle panels made into a circle with a t post. Chicken wire or plastic fencing on the inside will hold the compost inside. I fill one or two per season and let it work for at least a year. Putting it in your plots will put the runoff where it will benefit your plots.
I'm going to see how quickly 4 or 5 of them fill. If I overflow that quickly, I might start building something with some scraps I have around the barn. What I've found so far is that it packs down pretty quickly. I've been alternating green material with a layer of cardboard and it drops several inches in a day.
@@LazyDogFarm If they fill quickly and you need to build something, the bigger the better. In the meantime, it looks like the pad you have is large enough for you to line them up around the edges so you can access all of them from the center of the pad without having to push or pull them around.
In the UK they are called swedes, short for Swedish turnips. I like them boiled and mashed with carrots and butter. But my favorite way to eat them is in a Cornish pasty, a simple recipe hundreds of years old. They were made for the miners to carry and eat for lunch, deep in the bowels of the tin mines. Bits of meat, onions, potatoes, and rutabagas cooked in a hand pie. Amazing how the sum is greater than the parts. Add a little steak sauce or ketchup if you like.
Yay compost! I made something similar out of hardware cloth and zip ties. I did find it helpful to pop a T post in to keep it from falling over but you can probably put one side of your bins up against the fencing to keep it upright. There should be no reason that you couldn’t make compost on top of a concrete pad, lots of people use tumblers and they’re not in contact with the ground either. It might be helpful to throw a shovel full of native soil in there to inoculate your soil with the micro organisms that will break down the compost. I’m a lazy composter and I do not turn mine I just keep making more and more bins knowing that they’ll eventually all break down. Keep in mind though, a part of the reason that you turn it is to incorporate the material on the edges of the pile into the center where the heat is actively breaking it all down into compost. I just usually take the soil from the center and toss the unfinished compost into the next bin and let it keep breaking down. So glad to see you venturing into the compost journey!
thank you. similar situation, got a concrete pad and i will probably not be turning mine either. just need to get it started. thinking of getting a smaller wire fence cage type composter
I've been using DTG method and compost it all. Even what you shouldn't. Meat cheese bread it all. Ratio isn't needed. I've been using pallets they work great and if they break down cool more for the pile. Just more pallets needed. I don't mess with lining them or anything they do good holding everything in. Bailing twin and 4 pallets are practically free
I can guarantee you, you can't make enough compost. I compost all my garden waste, our household waste, and our chicken droppings/shavings from the chicken house... and it makes very little compared to how much I use each year... and I skimp because I' buying in by the bag... you are indeed lucky to have an affordable/and available source of good compost.
I use a tumbler to make my compost because I can’t keep the raccoons out an open one. It doesn’t make a huge amount at a time but it does make it quick. I always add a shovel full of my native soil to my compost every time I add greens to it and that seems to speed things up. Happy New Year and Geaux Dawgs!
Living in Hawaii, where we get rain pretty regularly, I love my Geobin, especially since I only have a small space to garden. I bokashi my kitchen waste to cut down the smells & throw that in with my abundance of carbon every month to keep my heat at about 110-150 degrees.
Love love love the geobins and have 5 of them. Have one inside our greenhouse too! Found them new on marketplace for cheap. Glad to see you making your own compost. 👏😁🌱
Travis, I have had to go back on all my compost bins and put a layer of plastic between the compost and the soil bc roots are growing up into my compost bin. I think you made the right decision
Welcome to composting Travis. Red wigglers worms will definitely contribute to making quality compost but the bin can't be too hot. The concrete should be fine and keep that bermudagrass out. The big leaves you don't want from the rutabagas need to be added to the compost bin too. :) I make a decent amount of compost for topping off the beds. I made a series of bins using pallets. My favorite method is using a Johnson Su type of design so all the work is done upfront filling it up and letting nature work her magic. I have several videos on this topic on my channel.
I think I just saw a thumbnail where you made one of those. I'm definitely going to check that out and try to mimic that with a PVC pipe and these geobins.
@@LazyDogFarm On the 1st flip of my hot bins, I used a pair of 6 inch PVC pipes in place of the wire fencing/chicken wire combo. It will make it easier to scoop out when I go to do the 2nd flip.
I put it on pallets on the bare ground and let some stuff fall though for earthworms to move in and out but try to keep air flow and in the center of the pile I have a section of 6” pvc pipe that i pull out after I fill the bin and settled a bit for more air. Approximately 5’ diameter 4’ tall wire fence holds it
I have about 5 of the geobins. You’re going to want to turn them from time to time. If not, the center will be composted and the edges won’t. You don’t have to add worms. They’ll come once the hot compost cools.
My plan is to use the geobin as my secondary bin. So the compost will start off in a pallet bin that chickens can access and then as it breaks down move it to the geobin to finish
I have the geobin, in the height of summer with all those ventilation holes I have to "water" my compost in order to keep it from drying out. Also with frequent rain, I have to cover it so it doesn't go anaerobic and smelly.
Hey Travis. Great to see you trying your hand at composting. Probably won’t be enough for all the plots but anything is better than nothing. You will want to go in on occasion and turn the piles so that the material on the outside is moved to the interior of the pile. Definitely speeds up the process. Don’t waste your time or money with worms in the pile. The ones you get at bait shops are not good for that kind of work. Red wrigglers are the best for composting and you’d have to buy those from a supplier. Because the compost pile can get 140-160 degrees inside the pile, the worms will flee. Maybe you can get a simple worm farm and let Titus and Avram (I hope that is the right spelling) manage that for you. I think they might enjoy that. Hope you and the family had a happy and safe New Year!!!
Nice to make your own compost, yes I think it would be good for the kids too. Agree you’ll still need to buy the same amount next time. Even if the compost you make just goes in the flower garden. I get a lot of outside for my compost, vegetable scrap, coffee grounds,shredded paper saw dust and horse manure.
Lots of great info here. I had to leave my ComposTumbler when we moved - I loved it, but what you're doing looks like a pretty good plan, and price-wise, I could get 9 of those bins for the price of the fancy composter. You're making me wish I'd grown rutabagas this year, but I've still got some canned from the last time I grew them. I use them in soups and stews, especially when I use lamb or mutton. I also can them in larger chunks with carrots to use in stew.
I literally laughed out loud when you said they’ll make your whole house smell like a poot. It reminded me of one time I dropped a care basket off on someone’s porch who was sick. She called me later and said if I smelled anything out of her house, it wasn’t her. She said she was cooking collard greens. I call it a good stink. But man they do stink. Happy New Year sweet online friends. 👩🌾💚🥬
@A Piecemaker Brooklyn always complains about that collard smell when we take a pot of greens to someone's house. They make my truck smell for several days.
@@LazyDogFarm lol 😆😂🤣 I totally get that. I don’t even like restaurant leftovers in the car because they foul up the car for days. But I love to eat them stink or no. Had mustard greens today though for New Years with black eyed peas and baked pork chops.
I’m excited to see you making compost! The only disadvantage I see with the concrete pad is that worms can’t move in from the soil, I think your idea to add some worms will fix that! Worms breed like crazy in compost, I see lots of worm eggs in my compost. Sometimes the compost almost looks like worm spaghetti! I suspect that even with the concrete pad worms would still find their way in and out. Klaus
Need to try them again I didn't have luck this year. We will be in teens and single digats for the next 10 days so even though I covered them I guess I will lose my garden and it was looking so good.
Looks like you are making sauerkraut with the compost basket, you can dip the rutabagas in wax and they will last months. Thanks for all the information and HAPPY NEW YEAR.
Rutabagas are wonderful roasted. I do mine with beets and parsnips. Cut all into approx. 1" cubes, mix with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and olive oil. Takes an hour and 1/4 to 1/2 at 375F. Sometimes I top with pancko and parmesean cheese. I've heard composting requires "green" or wet and "brown" or dry ingredients. What do you plan using for the brown? HAPPY NEW YEAR. THE FIREWORKS ARE EXPLODING ALL AROUND ME.
Beets should be ready soon. Gonna have to make a roasted medley with some! As far as the "brown" goes, we've added some leaves so far. Not sure if cardboard counts as "brown," but we have plenty of that to add as well. Happy New Year!
I used one GEOBIN this past year. It did work very well and quickly, but I chop my leaves and kitchen scraps pretty small before adding them to the pile. That really helps. I only turned it three times, but it wouldn't have hurt to have turned it more. I like it so much that I've got THREE of them lined up now for 2022. Mine are on dirt, but there is no running grass nearly.
@@LazyDogFarm I plan to start two full bins (lots of leaves this time of year!), and eventually turn and combine those two over into the 3rd bin as they compost down and decrease in volume. Rinse and repeat. I keep telling myself it's cheaper and easier to just buy some bags of compost, but my garden is just a hobby for me. I enjoy your videos. Pet the cats for me.
Your soil is looking so much richer then it used to, i wonder what your thoughts on it now over what it was 3 years ago is. And what you think of what you do differently now then you did then. Personally im amazed how different my thoughts are on soil management now then ten years ago. might be a good video title.
I started adding a lot more compost -- several tons per plot per year. I also do significantly more cover cropping that I did 3 years ago. That helps too.
That soil is really good looking. Wish I could find a place that had good soil. I have been making my own compost for several years now. I have a bag on my mower and mix with leaves, shredded cardboard,and kitchen scraps
A barrier against tree roots and invasive roots is smart. Be sure to tell your worm guy what you going to use them for. Some worms are in a cold storage thing and you need ones that will naturalize. We got educated by our bait guy. Oh, we have our compost pile in just about full shade. My Mom did it that way. I don't know if that makes a difference but that's how I was taught
You need a compost thermometer for proper compost…you turn it based on temperature…you also need to test the moisture by squeezing it in your hands to keep it right at 50% moisture…there’s many videos showing how to use the thermometer and how to do the moisture test with your hand…you can promote bad pathogens if you do not do it correctly
My question is are you planning on more of these bio bins placed around your farm? I would use this as a springboard, or as you stated a learning opportunity. Check with your school district regarding credit in life sciences for this experiment. Lots of variables though. It may be qualitative only. Fascinating idea! Peace on your doorstep!
recipe: cut into cubes 2 large Rutabaga, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons butter (cut into small pieces and spread out), salt and pepper and roast at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until they are fork tender.
We added worms to our compost bins that I made out of pallets and there seems to be a ton of them still in there. We also get a lot of soldier fly larvae things that eat the heck out of it. Soldier flies are not bothersome.
Don't forget to put your bin in the shade to keep the worms from getting to hot. If you keep them cool they will keep working at breaking down those scraps. Don't forget to add a couple hand fulls of lime to help regulate the PH levels every couple of months.
@@LazyDogFarm Yeah, If you put worms in the bin, shade will be a must because the pile will build heat and kill your worms you can tell when they get to hot they will crawl out on warm foggy nights bad but they will probably work back to the bin as it cools and breaks down. I been raising worms around twenty years and I am still learning something new each year. I also keep honeybees and like worms you will never know all there is to learn about them.
@@LazyDogFarm ,well I have never tried it before, and am a bit Leary , will try on bananas trees and and some sample plants first, but it is a anaerobic liquid compost. Basically your weeds,greens and left over organic waste in a container with water that it kept covered. And it just “rots “ then diluted that with clean water to fertilize. Like the fact it seems easy and reuses waste ,but holly Hanna open the lid and the smell is very bad. Just trying with a 5 gal bucket.
I think it depends on your location. If I was selling plants down here, I'd sell a determinate like Red Snapper. But if you live in a place where the tomato-growing season is longer and indeterminants will survive the summer, you might consider more of the heirloom, novelty types.
You could just put a couple Geobins in each of your thousand sf garden beds. Then go back to the drawing board on what to do with the dog pin. How much does a semi load of compost cost? We just have free leaf compost from the county seat city utility department that they load you up in your pickup for you. Great video!
Good video to end the year! We have two compost piles, I used skids to keep the pile from spreading out... I alternate Adding scraps between the piles, from one year to another. I think adding worms would be good. We have so many naturally i dont have to add. but the piles are full of worms .. Happy New Year!
I've been making compost for years in a 50 gallon garbage can with several holes on the sides close to the bottom so worms can get in and speed up the process. It works great for me but I still have to buy some because it can't make all I need.
i garden suburbin-style in central florida. compost invites moles and mice/rats and racoons and possums. i have tried several styles over the years... currently i am trench composting... someone online suggested putting a bucket with holes into the ground to throw compost into. the earthworms can get in/out but the critters like cannot. So for a small home garden i might try that.. just got to dig several holes in the ground and put some holes into some 3 or 5 gallon buckets and drop them into the ground kinda like a verticle french drain.. now just have to figure out what to cover it with.. piece of wood and a brick most likely..Once the compost become living soil then just lift the bucket out. gardening is a great experiment. i did not major in Biology for nothing.
I saw something for sale on Amazon that worked very similar to that. It was like a small box that you put into a hole so that it's flush with the ground. Looked pretty neat.
@@LazyDogFarm i am using 3 gallon pots that i already have. they have a hole in the bottom and a few around the sides... so the worms can visit. i will look for a piece of wood and a brick to put over the top to keep the coons and opossums out
Build it on the ground especially if you plan to add worms to speed the process. I've never had rhizome grass infiltrate a bin & grow up through it if you keep it relatively full. I think the heat & density of material kills the grass. I move mine bins every year or so down the line. The ground underneath is then perfect for planting into. I use T-posts/rebar & wire fencing so moving them is easy.
It would be beneficial to chop up your weeds before you compost them. That way they will break down fast You can also add some already made compost to the mix to get the compost off to a good start.
The geobin is Very ;interesting; I will follow to see how it works for you. I think you are better on concrete which will keep tree roots out and make it easier to control fire ants if they move in. I am too old to be turning piles of compost, so I bought a tumbler this year but I am also looking for a better alternative. I will also be interested to see how long the geobin holds up in southern sun and heat.
I looked at many different tumblers, but couldn't find one as big as I wanted. I guess if it was so big, it would probably be tough to tumble though. lol
Homemade compost is wonderful stuff, but maybe not so much for the scale of Lazy Dog Farm. If I had gin trash and chicken manure compost nearby, I wouldn't bother trying to cook up just a little dab of the stuff that wouldn't make the least difference on 10,000-sf of garden. Instead, I'd put an open shed roof over that slab and install a worm farm bin frame, right on the concrete. Maybe one 4'x8' to begin with and plenty of room to expand. The Georgia Red Wiggler compost worm (eisenia fetida) is a treasure from your part of the country and could easily transform every little bit of your garden waste in a matter of days instead of months. Potential for a business opportunity for Abram as well.
If you take the gio bins off the concrete pad and put them on bare ground they will work better since it allows all the soil organisms that breakdown organic matter to enter from the bottom.
Travis, another question. Since I'm going to include some paper in composting and/or mulching...no problem with used paper towels, but what about paper with print? Is the ink on the paper going to be something that I would want in my garden? (Like all those seed catalogs) ... I have a paper shredder that would make the paper better for mulch/composting (wouldn't really shred paper towels, LOL). What about toilet paper? Thanks...
Use a second one and flip from one to the other. You still need to flip it, despite being well ventilated you will still need to flip it once or twice in order to get the top layer to break down.
You could put black plastic down to keep the bermuda grass at bay. Cut a circle at the bottom of the bin in the plastic and let the bin sit on the ground over the plastic. I raise worms in cut 250 gallon barrels which works good also. People don't realize just how much worms can eat and break down scraps once you get them going. If the pile gets to hot the worms will die or leave that's why its good to let it sit on the ground to let the worms move away from the pile when the temps rise.
I wonder if you can expand these geo bins? Add another to the existing bin, increasing the diameter? That way you have better access to turning--couldn't think of a better phrase--via gravity. You release a seam, attaching one side; expand the bin, allowing the existing compost to fall/spread; pull the other sides out a bit, if needed; and continue on. It will probably take more than one person, but that way you will utilize your space better.
Yes, you could connect several together to make a massive bin. But since I don't have enough waste to fill a massive bin at one time, I thought it might be best to have individual bins with some that will be composted prior to the others. I can "turn it" by moving the contents from a full bin to an empty one.
Hey, I love rutabaga greens . What’s the name of your rutabaga seeds. I am growing rutabaga my bottom not big . Your rutabaga are awesome, I didn’t know you can freeze rutabaga.
This variety we harvested in this video is called Helenor. Here's a link to where we got the seeds: www.johnnyseeds.com/vegetables/rutabagas/helenor-rutabaga-seed-197.html
One more question Travis... In looking for material for composting and/or mulch in the garden... We live in an area where there are a lot of Amish around. And there at one time, I counted 7 (Amish) sawmills within 8 miles of us (some larger than others). My question is about using either wood chips or sawdust for composting or mulch in the garden? I do know that there some woods you wouldn't want in the garden, and I find the sawmills seem to use particular woods... i.e. some use a lot of cottonwood...others oak, maple and an occasional walnut... No pine in the area. I have used wood chips as mulch around my fruit trees (paying attention on what type of tree it came from), but not in the garden. I see there are RUclips videos that say to use in the garden, others say NOT to use in the garden. What is your recommendation on this subject?
I think wood chips are okay as long as you don't incorporate them into the soil. Just put them on top as you have done around your fruit trees. Not sure you'd want to add them to a compost pile with garden waste and scraps that will break down much faster.
@@LazyDogFarm once you get most of it composted well you can sift it and add the big chunks of wood that didn’t compost well back to the new compost bin. We have a big sifter we made with a wood frame and wire stapled on.
I'm definitely going to try that with the next one. I don't think I can get a pipe down into the center of this one until some of the cardboard breaks down.
the only thing I use swede for is chicken soup - I buy a soup mix which usually is comprised of a swede, a turnip, an onion, a parsnip, a carrot and a decent stick of celery. I don't think we eat a lot of swedes in Australia (Swede = Rutabaga)
I have been composting for years in black trash bins that I drill holes in (top, bottom, sides). I do this because my HOA does not allow compost bins but allows trash bins -- they are scared of them bringing in animals (This is funny because we have a big farm next to the neighborhood and every fall when they cut back the cotton or soy the field mice are all over the neighborhood). I keep them raised off the ground by short concrete blocks (patio block) because I have Bermuda grass so it does not get in and I can trim under them easily. I have worked days keeping Bermuda out of my garden and I am not letting it get in via compost! I have found worms and slugs in my bins. I use to keep them on a concert slab too and had no problem -- besides the compost staining the slab. Is it optimal? Probably not. There are so many people that are very opinionated about the best way to compost. I worked with this eco-nut at my last job that every time she would come over she would tell me I am not composting enough and I am doing it wrong (she would even bring her own plates to the BBQ because she would not use disposable, paper plates -- I mean I use to compost them haha). Meanwhile, her compost pile always smelled so bad and mine always just smells like it should --- sweet compost. I personally am just happy anytime I see someone composting anyway they like because it is a great help for your garden. As for the worms, I put about 2 dozen red worms (they were leftover from some bait I bought at Walmart when I went fishing at the river, and the weather got too bad to use) into my bins and garden when I first moved to my new home because there were none. It was the only place I ever moved that after a hard rain, I could not find a single worm on the sidewalk. Two years later, I have so many worms in my yard that my back patio gets covered in them after a couple hard rains and my daughter plays doctor by collecting them and putting them into the compost bins, and building homes for them. What is funny is they have spread into my neighbors' yards too. Luckily they garden (mostly just flowers) but they love the worms too. However, if you go a couple houses down, there are still no to few worms after a rain. They seem to know who is feeding them!
After those rutabegas are dry, if you wax them, they can last for months. They are most awsome made au gratin :) (of course "anything" au gratin is most awsome) :)
You spend 9 minutes on your new compost operation, then you go to harvest rutabaga's and throw the bad leaves on the ground. I'm here yelling NO, put them in your compost. It may have been the spiked egg nog talking. 🍸 Happy New Years to you and your family! 🎉
I have a quick question. I got a short frost in south texas and my onions an carrots seemed to get hit hard. Are they ok and is there anything I should do?
I recommend you cubed the Rutabaga, add a little olive oil, salt and pepper and roast them. I hardly ever boil any veggies any more. Roasting taste so much better.
Yep, roasting is the best. I do a combination of root vegetables. I mostly use rutabagas, parsnips, carrots, and sweet potatoes. I also add some red onion. You can also add turnips, beets, and any other root vegetable you like. I use a high roasting temp so usually use vegetable oil. Roasting brings the sweetness out, caramelizes the veggies. No boiling for me either.
How long do you roast them for and at what temperature? Thank you in advance.
Yum!
@@timehasbegun5828 I usually roast at 400-450 degrees for about 30 minutes. Depends on the vegetable and the size of the pieces. I'll start at 450 and if things begin to burn or start to brown before the veggies start to get tender I'll turn the heat down to 400.
@@DC-rd6oq Thank you!
Travis I agree about the Bermuda grass. You can always add a shovel or two of your native garden soil to the pile to add all those beneficial organisms. About adding worm that works but only after the compost has went through the heat cycle. Compost can get in excess of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Those temps will kill your worms. Good luck on your compost adventure.
Sounds like we'll wait on the worms then.
I have 3 of the Geobins. I move compost from one to another as it breaks down. I always have one with finished compost, one that is actively working, and one to add new material to. I've had them for a few years and like them a lot but have a few tips that might help others. The Geobin brand doesn't have the stabilizer rods so I start off with the circle doubled up, and expand it out when it gets to the top. I use twist ties because they are easier to remove/replace than those clips they provide. i put each Geobin in a 100 gallon fabric grow bag. The Geobin holds over 200 gallons but by the time the compost breaks down, the total is less than 100 gallons. When the compost needs to be turned into the next bin, I just lift up the Geobin and the compost is left in the grow bag which makes it easy to turn/move to the next bin.
Great idea! I'm thinking I'll have 4 or 5 so I can have some succession composting and don't have to wait on one big pile. I'll keep one empty for turning purposes.
I've been using 2 Geobins for about 5 years and really like them. I love the grow bag idea!
Adding a grow bag to my geobin now!
@@LazyDogFarm Travis, you probably won't have any trouble reaching down into the Geobin to turn the compost into the next bin. And since you're on a concrete pad you really don't need anything underneath since it will be easy to scoop up with a flat shovel. For those older folks like me, especially women, turning the compost gets strenuous, and somewhat difficult with the Geobin if you are not tall. Also, the "dirt" beneath my bins is sand, and I don't need anymore sand in my garden soil I tried tarps and they worked ok, but the grow bags have been the best solution for me so far.
@@LazyDogFarm One more thing I forgot. My lot is not large, only about 1/4 acre, so all of my bins are in one area. But with a large area like yours, and all the individual plots, you could put a Geobin in a grow bag in/near each active plot and load it up with garden waste right at the plot site. Leave it there for a season or two, and compost is where you need it, when you need it.
Well, you got me thinking…and my wife would tell you “that’s dangerous”. LOL! We live on a farm and our mode of trash removal is a burn barrel and a way of burying non-burn able items (cans, etc) . You got me to thinking about composting. My wife has 30 chickens, so a lot of our food scraps go to the chickens and wouldn’t have for compost….of course cleaning out our coop of chicken poop and straw makes good for our garden. We live in a ‘throw away” time. We use a lot of paper towels, never thought about using that as mulch or in a compost bin. Just ordered a compost bin like you showed and we’re going to give composting a go… thanks for this video. 😃😃
Good to hear we got those gears turning! lol That was my thought process too -- put less in the trash can or burn pile and compost it instead.
Used coffee grounds from a local coffee shop will heat it up as well. Mine is on the ground. I unfasten it move it a few feet then just move the compost into the new location with a shovel. Also I would take a piece of steel run to the ground and just move it around in a circle the size of a baseball from top to bottom creating air flow and you could see the steam and feel the heat rising. I would make about five of those air tunnels. By the time you get it filled up it will be heavy and just take it slow when pushing. My advice is to get another one and experiment with one on the ground. I am truly pleased with mine. I've got tons of volunteer tomato plants poppin out the holes along the sides. Keep us updated with the expertise you gain.
I like the idea of adding a pipe in the middle. Probably going to try that on the next one.
@@LazyDogFarm Now I just round out several holes in several locations in the pile so the heat and steam will get going and it also allows me to get water down towards the bottom of the pile and else where. Mine did not come with the side stakes. But honestly if they are cumbersome or a pain I really think it works fine without them. The tumblers are useless in my opinion. I bought one and regret it. It's hard getting the compost in and out and they are to small even for a backyard Gardner like myself. I would keep corn stalks out of it. I threw some in and they attracted ants. I rinse our egg shells off as well for that reason.
@@LazyDogFarm Here is a link to the RUclips video where I got the idea from. This video shows what I am trying to explain. ruclips.net/video/48CVemo_ELM/видео.html
i make my own compost, couple thoughts i have learned over the years, . i can make enough for my own needs. i use primarily oak leaves and grass clippings, but also kitchen scraps of all sorts and anything that once was living plant matter. shredded paper and card board work well. i keep pile in contact with the soil. i make as large a pile as i can. i shred everything i can with the lawn mower. if i turn the pile, i'll only do it once and this is usually because im either bord or i want the pile in a dif location. i have discovered that using two foot logs set on end makes a great border for the pile (and seems to compost it much much faster). my currant pile is approx 16 x 6 border with logs and has composted down to about 3.5 feet tall from about 5 foot 2 months ago. i don't cover it, i hose it down with water while im building it. i will let the pile set as it is until next august, (may or may not turn it). in fall i will use it on my beds about a 3 inch layer, then cover with chopped up fall leaves for the winter. i have found that in winter i have plenty of carbon and little nitrogen and the opposite in summer. basically i throw it all in a pile, maybe turn it maybe not, and i get enough dark rich compost in about 9 months............... be very careful you don't let compost become a hobby in and of itself, very easy for this to happen. hope this run on sentence helps, good luck and just throw it in a pile somewhere and wait> LOL
I could easily see where it would become quite the hobby. Thanks for sharing.
Gorgeous rutabagas!
Thanks D!
Travis, my bro!! This is actually something I have quite a bit of experience with. Your compost pile will help a LOT with killing your Bermuda grass as long as you can get it nice and hot. Take advantage, my dude!
Ours are on bare soil, but zone 5b gets cold so they migrate into the warm soil below (so they don't freeze). In your area with no deep freeze you'll probably be ok. With all your garden waste - you will need more bins. Good video, thanks
We have three now. They sink down quite a bit a few days after adding new material. I wouldn't mind if we had 5 or 6 of them though.
I just bought my second one. They are great and easy to set up or take down. I could see this product lasting well over a decade easily.
Same here. Was impressed with it and looking to get more.
I've got 3.
They've survived their 5th year of service with no noteable degradation.
The only thing I could see is UV damage.
Mine are under a pair of apple trees and receive no direct sunlight.
Pretty sure they'll last a lifetime under these conditions
@@SgtSnausages I'm near the FL GA state line and mine are in direct sunlight. But the thickness of it makes it seem like I will get a decade out of them minimum. Mine seems about an eighth of an inch thick. I think the dark color will help with UV damage. My first one I got last season hasn't weakened or faded yet. Famous last words. LOL.
My grandmother used to have rutabaga cubes in with the greens. My husband said his grandmother used it in some stuffed pig dish, along with greens, cabbage and a few other things.
Many folks around here put the rutabaga cubes in the greens. I like my greens and roots separate, but I'm probably in the minority on that.
Those rutabagas sure look yummy. Compost ring I need to order. Thanks Travis great video.
Thanks Ima! I think you'll like it!
I am so glad to hear you saying you eat the nontraditional greens. I never see people saying they do. I thought I would use all those greens. Those hybrids were much bigger than the heirloom, figures.
Rutabaga greens are some of the best! Gotta eat those!
I am so glad you are starting your own compost. I don’t have enough raw inputs from my property to make enough finished compost for my entire garden, but I still do it. It reduces my costs for sure. If it makes enough compost for even one bed, then that’s one less bed I have to buy amendments for.
Even if we don't end up making a significant amount, I like the fact that less stuff is going in the garbage can.
Stuff does settle and breaks down well in the geobins. I gathered bags of leaves this past fall and filled one bin with just leaves for the pure leaf mold. Enjoying your channel Travis! 😁👍
Happy New Year to you and your family. See you next year!!!! ✌
Happy New Year Mark!
Put a shovel full of either garden dirt or some of the soil from under your trees in the compost bin every few layers. That will get your worms going in it. It you can buy the fishing worms. They might migrate out of it gets too dry, since it's in a concrete pad. BUT if it's got greens in it and some moisture, it should be fine. I have a tumbler system. We use as shovel full of dirt as the compost starter/innoculant and it always has worms in it, 3 feet above the ground on metal legs. I turn it occasionally, but the works do much of the work. I need more compost so I've been looking at systems and might try one like yours.
I like the idea of adding a little soil to help get it going. Thanks for sharing!
that bin would make a great verticle potato garden
I bet it would!
Hey Travis..You will overflow that setup quickly. Pulling pea or lima bean vines will fill that one in a day. With the size of your garden you will probably need ten. I use 16ft cattle panels made into a circle with a t post. Chicken wire or plastic fencing on the inside will hold the compost inside. I fill one or two per season and let it work for at least a year. Putting it in your plots will put the runoff where it will benefit your plots.
I'm going to see how quickly 4 or 5 of them fill. If I overflow that quickly, I might start building something with some scraps I have around the barn. What I've found so far is that it packs down pretty quickly. I've been alternating green material with a layer of cardboard and it drops several inches in a day.
@@LazyDogFarm If they fill quickly and you need to build something, the bigger the better. In the meantime, it looks like the pad you have is large enough for you to line them up around the edges so you can access all of them from the center of the pad without having to push or pull them around.
In the UK they are called swedes, short for Swedish turnips. I like them boiled and mashed with carrots and butter. But my favorite way to eat them is in a Cornish pasty, a simple recipe hundreds of years old. They were made for the miners to carry and eat for lunch, deep in the bowels of the tin mines. Bits of meat, onions, potatoes, and rutabagas cooked in a hand pie. Amazing how the sum is greater than the parts. Add a little steak sauce or ketchup if you like.
That sounds yummy!
@@LazyDogFarm It is! Kid friendly, too.
Yay compost! I made something similar out of hardware cloth and zip ties. I did find it helpful to pop a T post in to keep it from falling over but you can probably put one side of your bins up against the fencing to keep it upright. There should be no reason that you couldn’t make compost on top of a concrete pad, lots of people use tumblers and they’re not in contact with the ground either. It might be helpful to throw a shovel full of native soil in there to inoculate your soil with the micro organisms that will break down the compost. I’m a lazy composter and I do not turn mine I just keep making more and more bins knowing that they’ll eventually all break down. Keep in mind though, a part of the reason that you turn it is to incorporate the material on the edges of the pile into the center where the heat is actively breaking it all down into compost. I just usually take the soil from the center and toss the unfinished compost into the next bin and let it keep breaking down. So glad to see you venturing into the compost journey!
Thanks for sharing your experiences!
thank you. similar situation, got a concrete pad and i will probably not be turning mine either. just need to get it started. thinking of getting a smaller wire fence cage type composter
I've been using DTG method and compost it all. Even what you shouldn't. Meat cheese bread it all. Ratio isn't needed. I've been using pallets they work great and if they break down cool more for the pile. Just more pallets needed. I don't mess with lining them or anything they do good holding everything in. Bailing twin and 4 pallets are practically free
I've been putting food scraps in ours too.
I can guarantee you, you can't make enough compost. I compost all my garden waste, our household waste, and our chicken droppings/shavings from the chicken house... and it makes very little compared to how much I use each year... and I skimp because I' buying in by the bag... you are indeed lucky to have an affordable/and available source of good compost.
Oh I know I won't come close to making a huge amount. But if I can put less in the garbage can by the road, that's worth it to me.
I use a tumbler to make my compost because I can’t keep the raccoons out an open one. It doesn’t make a huge amount at a time but it does make it quick. I always add a shovel full of my native soil to my compost every time I add greens to it and that seems to speed things up.
Happy New Year and Geaux Dawgs!
I hope we don't critters in ours. I've been trying to layer cardboard on top of any food scraps so that they're not in the open as much.
Living in Hawaii, where we get rain pretty regularly, I love my Geobin, especially since I only have a small space to garden. I bokashi my kitchen waste to cut down the smells & throw that in with my abundance of carbon every month to keep my heat at about 110-150 degrees.
Love love love the geobins and have 5 of them. Have one inside our greenhouse too! Found them new on marketplace for cheap. Glad to see you making your own compost. 👏😁🌱
I'm definitely about to order some more!
Travis,
I have had to go back on all my compost bins and put a layer of plastic between the compost and the soil bc roots are growing up into my compost bin. I think you made the right decision
Thanks for sharing. Hope you're able to solve that issue you're having.
Welcome to composting Travis. Red wigglers worms will definitely contribute to making quality compost but the bin can't be too hot. The concrete should be fine and keep that bermudagrass out. The big leaves you don't want from the rutabagas need to be added to the compost bin too. :) I make a decent amount of compost for topping off the beds. I made a series of bins using pallets. My favorite method is using a Johnson Su type of design so all the work is done upfront filling it up and letting nature work her magic. I have several videos on this topic on my channel.
I think I just saw a thumbnail where you made one of those. I'm definitely going to check that out and try to mimic that with a PVC pipe and these geobins.
@@LazyDogFarm On the 1st flip of my hot bins, I used a pair of 6 inch PVC pipes in place of the wire fencing/chicken wire combo. It will make it easier to scoop out when I go to do the 2nd flip.
Thanks for sharing. Happy New Year. 😎🏖🏝
Happy New Year Nancy!
I put it on pallets on the bare ground and let some stuff fall though for earthworms to move in and out but try to keep air flow and in the center of the pile I have a section of 6” pvc pipe that i pull out after I fill the bin and settled a bit for more air. Approximately 5’ diameter 4’ tall wire fence holds it
I like the pipe idea in the middle.
I have about 5 of the geobins. You’re going to want to turn them from time to time. If not, the center will be composted and the edges won’t. You don’t have to add worms. They’ll come once the hot compost cools.
I think I need 5. Liking it so far.
My plan is to use the geobin as my secondary bin. So the compost will start off in a pallet bin that chickens can access and then as it breaks down move it to the geobin to finish
Great video. I like that compost. I think adding some worms would work fine. I've done that. You can also add some you find around the garden.
I have the geobin, in the height of summer with all those ventilation holes I have to "water" my compost in order to keep it from drying out. Also with frequent rain, I have to cover it so it doesn't go anaerobic and smelly.
Noted. I'll keep an eye on the moisture of it all.
Happy New Year Travis may 2022 be full of Blessings for you and your family 🎉 Love the Lazy Dog Farm, Hoping your channel grows greatly in 2022 💗
Thanks and Happy New Year!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Happy New Year Connie!
one of my neighbors is an experienced composter... she innoculates the new compost with a shovelful of good soil.
I might do that. I pulled up some decaying lettuce plants today with a little soil attached to the roots. Hoping that will help.
Hey Travis. Great to see you trying your hand at composting. Probably won’t be enough for all the plots but anything is better than nothing. You will want to go in on occasion and turn the piles so that the material on the outside is moved to the interior of the pile. Definitely speeds up the process. Don’t waste your time or money with worms in the pile. The ones you get at bait shops are not good for that kind of work. Red wrigglers are the best for composting and you’d have to buy those from a supplier. Because the compost pile can get 140-160 degrees inside the pile, the worms will flee. Maybe you can get a simple worm farm and let Titus and Avram (I hope that is the right spelling) manage that for you. I think they might enjoy that. Hope you and the family had a happy and safe New Year!!!
I definitely want to add a worm farm, but wasn't sure if I could do that in combination with this system or if I'd need a separate setup for that.
Nice to make your own compost, yes I think it would be good for the kids too.
Agree you’ll still need to buy the same amount next time.
Even if the compost you make just goes in the flower garden.
I get a lot of outside for my compost, vegetable scrap, coffee grounds,shredded paper saw dust and horse manure.
May have enough for some of the raised beds for the kids. Even if that's all we make, it should be fun.
I roast rutabagas in olive oil, salt and pepper. Super tasty!
That does sound tasty!
I have three of these and they have made many rounds of great compost!
Good to know!
Lots of great info here. I had to leave my ComposTumbler when we moved - I loved it, but what you're doing looks like a pretty good plan, and price-wise, I could get 9 of those bins for the price of the fancy composter.
You're making me wish I'd grown rutabagas this year, but I've still got some canned from the last time I grew them. I use them in soups and stews, especially when I use lamb or mutton. I also can them in larger chunks with carrots to use in stew.
I saw some of those fancy composters when I was looking around online. But for the size and the price, the bin seemed like the best option for us.
I cube or cut into the shape of fries, then saute them in ghee. It brings out the sweetness.
I literally laughed out loud when you said they’ll make your whole house smell like a poot. It reminded me of one time I dropped a care basket off on someone’s porch who was sick. She called me later and said if I smelled anything out of her house, it wasn’t her. She said she was cooking collard greens. I call it a good stink. But man they do stink. Happy New Year sweet online friends. 👩🌾💚🥬
🤣
@@ronaldcummings6337 😂🤣😆
@A Piecemaker Brooklyn always complains about that collard smell when we take a pot of greens to someone's house. They make my truck smell for several days.
@@LazyDogFarm lol 😆😂🤣 I totally get that. I don’t even like restaurant leftovers in the car because they foul up the car for days. But I love to eat them stink or no. Had mustard greens today though for New Years with black eyed peas and baked pork chops.
You haven't smelled chitterlings yet
I’m excited to see you making compost! The only disadvantage I see with the concrete pad is that worms can’t move in from the soil, I think your idea to add some worms will fix that! Worms breed like crazy in compost, I see lots of worm eggs in my compost. Sometimes the compost almost looks like worm spaghetti! I suspect that even with the concrete pad worms would still find their way in and out.
Klaus
We're excited about it too!
Need to try them again I didn't have luck this year. We will be in teens and single digats for the next 10 days so even though I covered them I guess I will lose my garden and it was looking so good.
Not a bad idea to cover them for single digit temps. They're pretty cold tolerant, but maybe not that much.
@@LazyDogFarm I did put 3 layers of fabric over them. It's my first try at a fall planting.
Happy New Year 😀🇦🇺😀
Happy New Year Rick!
Looks like you are making sauerkraut with the compost basket, you can dip the rutabagas in wax and they will last months. Thanks for all the information and HAPPY NEW YEAR.
I've noticed the ones at the grocery store are waxed. Makes sense now.
Rutabagas are wonderful roasted. I do mine with beets and parsnips. Cut all into approx. 1" cubes, mix with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and olive oil. Takes an hour and 1/4 to 1/2 at 375F. Sometimes I top with pancko and parmesean cheese.
I've heard composting requires "green" or wet and "brown" or dry ingredients. What do you plan using for the brown?
HAPPY NEW YEAR. THE FIREWORKS ARE EXPLODING ALL AROUND ME.
Beets should be ready soon. Gonna have to make a roasted medley with some! As far as the "brown" goes, we've added some leaves so far. Not sure if cardboard counts as "brown," but we have plenty of that to add as well. Happy New Year!
I felt dirty rooting for Georgia and Alabama tonight, but us SEC fans have to stick together. GOCOCKS!
Go Dawgs!
I used one GEOBIN this past year. It did work very well and quickly, but I chop my leaves and kitchen scraps pretty small before adding them to the pile. That really helps. I only turned it three times, but it wouldn't have hurt to have turned it more. I like it so much that I've got THREE of them lined up now for 2022. Mine are on dirt, but there is no running grass nearly.
Probably going to have to "flip" these into an empty bin from time to time.
@@LazyDogFarm I plan to start two full bins (lots of leaves this time of year!), and eventually turn and combine those two over into the 3rd bin as they compost down and decrease in volume. Rinse and repeat. I keep telling myself it's cheaper and easier to just buy some bags of compost, but my garden is just a hobby for me. I enjoy your videos. Pet the cats for me.
Your soil is looking so much richer then it used to, i wonder what your thoughts on it now over what it was 3 years ago is. And what you think of what you do differently now then you did then. Personally im amazed how different my thoughts are on soil management now then ten years ago. might be a good video title.
I started adding a lot more compost -- several tons per plot per year. I also do significantly more cover cropping that I did 3 years ago. That helps too.
That soil is really good looking. Wish I could find a place that had good soil. I have been making my own compost for several years now. I have a bag on my mower and mix with leaves, shredded cardboard,and kitchen scraps
We've been adding lots of compost the last few years. Tons and tons of it. It didn't always look like that.
You should check out the "No-tiil garden method"
A barrier against tree roots and invasive roots is smart. Be sure to tell your worm guy what you going to use them for. Some worms are in a cold storage thing and you need ones that will naturalize. We got educated by our bait guy. Oh, we have our compost pile in just about full shade. My Mom did it that way. I don't know if that makes a difference but that's how I was taught
Thanks for the tips Nola!
You need a compost thermometer for proper compost…you turn it based on temperature…you also need to test the moisture by squeezing it in your hands to keep it right at 50% moisture…there’s many videos showing how to use the thermometer and how to do the moisture test with your hand…you can promote bad pathogens if you do not do it correctly
My question is are you planning on more of these bio bins placed around your farm? I would use this as a springboard, or as you stated a learning opportunity. Check with your school district regarding credit in life sciences for this experiment.
Lots of variables though. It may be qualitative only.
Fascinating idea!
Peace on your doorstep!
I'll probably add as many as I can fit on this pad and still move them around a bit.
The Bermuda grass absolutely grows and climbs in the bins if sitting on the ground. I have two.
Yep. That stuff can climb walls.
recipe: cut into cubes 2 large Rutabaga, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons butter (cut into small pieces and spread out), salt and pepper and roast at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until they are fork tender.
Thanks for the recipe Marie!
Story idea: What are the top 3 things one should be doing in 2022 to increase our self-sufficiency or preparedness.
Great idea!
How bout dem dawgs! Orange Bowl now!
Damn, I forgot!! Cheers.
@@bennywalsh2038 Giggity giggity
Go Dawgs!
Happy New year
Happy New Year Katherin!
We added worms to our compost bins that I made out of pallets and there seems to be a ton of them still in there. We also get a lot of soldier fly larvae things that eat the heck out of it. Soldier flies are not bothersome.
I noticed some big grubs in there earlier today.
The good thing about cooking rutabagas here is Joanna cant blame me or the dog for the smell in the house!!!
Hahaha!
We add rutabaga to our mashed potatoes. Can boil with the potatoes. Sometimes turnips too
Nice!
I have an old pool storage container I drilled holes in that I throw food in and when it’s full I move it to our compost bins we made with pallets.
Good idea!
I like to roast the roots and sometimes I like to add with potatoes and carrots to a pot roast, both beef and pork.
OOOH! Never thought about adding them to pot roast, but I like that idea a lot!
Don't forget to put your bin in the shade to keep the worms from getting to hot. If you keep them cool they will keep working at breaking down those scraps. Don't forget to add a couple hand fulls of lime to help regulate the PH levels every couple of months.
This spots gets a good deal of morning and afternoon shade. So hopefully that's good enough. Can't really move that concrete pad. lol
@@LazyDogFarm Yeah, If you put worms in the bin, shade will be a must because the pile will build heat and kill your worms you can tell when they get to hot they will crawl out on warm foggy nights bad but they will probably work back to the bin as it cools and breaks down. I been raising worms around twenty years and I am still learning something new each year. I also keep honeybees and like worms you will never know all there is to learn about them.
Main lesson i learned from this garden training session is Rutabagas make your house smell like a poot. Hahahaha alright alright alright
Yes!
Haven’t done my own composting yet, I did just start a bin of “ swap water “ seemed pretty easy just needs time to ferment...,
Swap Water? Exactly what is that?
@@LazyDogFarm ,well I have never tried it before, and am a bit Leary , will try on bananas trees and and some sample plants first, but it is a anaerobic liquid compost. Basically your weeds,greens and left over organic waste in a container with water that it kept covered. And it just “rots “ then diluted that with clean water to fertilize. Like the fact it seems easy and reuses waste ,but holly Hanna open the lid and the smell is very bad. Just trying with a 5 gal bucket.
Hi, Travis your best to keep it on the pad, ( easier to work ) If you were going to sell tomato plants, what would be the best plants to sell ?
I think it depends on your location. If I was selling plants down here, I'd sell a determinate like Red Snapper. But if you live in a place where the tomato-growing season is longer and indeterminants will survive the summer, you might consider more of the heirloom, novelty types.
@@LazyDogFarm Thanks, Do you like Better Boy, and Brandywine ?
You could just put a couple Geobins in each of your thousand sf garden beds. Then go back to the drawing board on what to do with the dog pin. How much does a semi load of compost cost? We just have free leaf compost from the county seat city utility department that they load you up in your pickup for you. Great video!
A semi-load (25 tons) for me costs about $700 -- that's delivery and everything.
Hey Travis Could you link 3 or 4 together and make 1 big bin ?
You definitely could! But I think it would be more manageable to have individual bins considering I might not have enough to fill a huge bin at once.
Good video to end the year! We have two compost piles, I used skids to keep the pile from spreading out... I alternate Adding scraps between the piles, from one year to another. I think adding worms would be good. We have so many naturally i dont have to add. but the piles are full of worms .. Happy New Year!
Happy New Year!
I've been making compost for years in a 50 gallon garbage can with several holes on the sides close to the bottom so worms can get in and speed up the process. It works great for me but I still have to buy some because it can't make all I need.
Good that you're still making your own though!
i garden suburbin-style in central florida. compost invites moles and mice/rats and racoons and possums. i have tried several styles over the years... currently i am trench composting... someone online suggested putting a bucket with holes into the ground to throw compost into. the earthworms can get in/out but the critters like cannot. So for a small home garden i might try that.. just got to dig several holes in the ground and put some holes into some 3 or 5 gallon buckets and drop them into the ground kinda like a verticle french drain.. now just have to figure out what to cover it with.. piece of wood and a brick most likely..Once the compost become living soil then just lift the bucket out. gardening is a great experiment. i did not major in Biology for nothing.
I saw something for sale on Amazon that worked very similar to that. It was like a small box that you put into a hole so that it's flush with the ground. Looked pretty neat.
@@LazyDogFarm i am using 3 gallon pots that i already have. they have a hole in the bottom and a few around the sides... so the worms can visit. i will look for a piece of wood and a brick to put over the top to keep the coons and opossums out
Do you have a compost bin update? Did you end up having to add a little finished compost or anything to get it cooking?
Having a hard time getting it cooking. Thinking about just adding some worms and using them to make worm castings.
Build it on the ground especially if you plan to add worms to speed the process. I've never had rhizome grass infiltrate a bin & grow up through it if you keep it relatively full. I think the heat & density of material kills the grass.
I move mine bins every year or so down the line. The ground underneath is then perfect for planting into. I use T-posts/rebar & wire fencing so moving them is easy.
Makes sense, although I'm not sure I want something else to mow around. lol
It would be beneficial to chop up your weeds before you compost them. That way they will break down fast You can also add some already made compost to the mix to get the compost off to a good start.
Good idea. I think I may add a few shovels from one of the heavily composted plots.
The geobin is Very ;interesting; I will follow to see how it works for you. I think you are better on concrete which will keep tree roots out and make it easier to control fire ants if they move in. I am too old to be turning piles of compost, so I bought a tumbler this year but I am also looking for a better alternative. I will also be interested to see how long the geobin holds up in southern sun and heat.
I looked at many different tumblers, but couldn't find one as big as I wanted. I guess if it was so big, it would probably be tough to tumble though. lol
Homemade compost is wonderful stuff, but maybe not so much for the scale of Lazy Dog Farm. If I had gin trash and chicken manure compost nearby, I wouldn't bother trying to cook up just a little dab of the stuff that wouldn't make the least difference on 10,000-sf of garden. Instead, I'd put an open shed roof over that slab and install a worm farm bin frame, right on the concrete. Maybe one 4'x8' to begin with and plenty of room to expand. The Georgia Red Wiggler compost worm (eisenia fetida) is a treasure from your part of the country and could easily transform every little bit of your garden waste in a matter of days instead of months. Potential for a business opportunity for Abram as well.
I like that idea. Might evolve to that at some point.
If you take the gio bins off the concrete pad and put them on bare ground they will work better since it allows all the soil organisms that breakdown organic matter to enter from the bottom.
You're probably right, but I didn't want to fight the bermudagrass trying to crawl into the bins.
@@LazyDogFarm I have three. They are in a shadier area where I have wood chips.
Throw a shovel full of dirt on it from time to time if you keep it on the concrete, or a shovel of finished compost even better.
I like them cut up into small pieces and roasted with butter, brown sugar and sometimes a little maple syrup.
Gonna have to try that!
Onion sets are in at our local store.
Good deal! All the stores around here get them in November and they're usually gone by now.
Travis, another question. Since I'm going to include some paper in composting and/or mulching...no problem with used paper towels, but what about paper with print? Is the ink on the paper going to be something that I would want in my garden? (Like all those seed catalogs) ... I have a paper shredder that would make the paper better for mulch/composting (wouldn't really shred paper towels, LOL). What about toilet paper? Thanks...
I don't think the ink would be an issue. I was thinking of getting a paper shredder myself so I could recycle that stuff into the compost bin.
Use a second one and flip from one to the other. You still need to flip it, despite being well ventilated you will still need to flip it once or twice in order to get the top layer to break down.
I like that idea a lot. Probably going to do that.
Glad your making your own compost, I enjoy making it. Are you going to add y’all’s chicken manure to your compost?
I'll probably dump the nesting box into there from time to time to add some extra "juice."
You could put black plastic down to keep the bermuda grass at bay. Cut a circle at the bottom of the bin in the plastic and let the bin sit on the ground over the plastic. I raise worms in cut 250 gallon barrels which works good also. People don't realize just how much worms can eat and break down scraps once you get them going. If the pile gets to hot the worms will die or leave that's why its good to let it sit on the ground to let the worms move away from the pile when the temps rise.
I might scoot the geobin to the edge of the pad so they can enter and exit easily as they wish.
I wonder if you can expand these geo bins? Add another to the existing bin, increasing the diameter?
That way you have better access to turning--couldn't think of a better phrase--via gravity. You release a seam, attaching one side; expand the bin, allowing the existing compost to fall/spread; pull the other sides out a bit, if needed; and continue on.
It will probably take more than one person, but that way you will utilize your space better.
Yes, you could connect several together to make a massive bin. But since I don't have enough waste to fill a massive bin at one time, I thought it might be best to have individual bins with some that will be composted prior to the others. I can "turn it" by moving the contents from a full bin to an empty one.
@@LazyDogFarm my intention was to connect more as your quantity increased. Apologies for not making that clear!
Hey, I love rutabaga greens . What’s the name of your rutabaga seeds. I am growing rutabaga my bottom not big . Your rutabaga are awesome, I didn’t know you can freeze rutabaga.
This variety we harvested in this video is called Helenor. Here's a link to where we got the seeds: www.johnnyseeds.com/vegetables/rutabagas/helenor-rutabaga-seed-197.html
One more question Travis... In looking for material for composting and/or mulch in the garden... We live in an area where there are a lot of Amish around. And there at one time, I counted 7 (Amish) sawmills within 8 miles of us (some larger than others). My question is about using either wood chips or sawdust for composting or mulch in the garden? I do know that there some woods you wouldn't want in the garden, and I find the sawmills seem to use particular woods... i.e. some use a lot of cottonwood...others oak, maple and an occasional walnut... No pine in the area.
I have used wood chips as mulch around my fruit trees (paying attention on what type of tree it came from), but not in the garden.
I see there are RUclips videos that say to use in the garden, others say NOT to use in the garden. What is your recommendation on this subject?
I think wood chips are okay as long as you don't incorporate them into the soil. Just put them on top as you have done around your fruit trees. Not sure you'd want to add them to a compost pile with garden waste and scraps that will break down much faster.
What about sawdust? I have an unlimited supply around here.
@@LazyDogFarm once you get most of it composted well you can sift it and add the big chunks of wood that didn’t compost well back to the new compost bin. We have a big sifter we made with a wood frame and wire stapled on.
take a 2-4 inch pvc pipe drill holes in it and put in the middle to help air get to the middle
I'm definitely going to try that with the next one. I don't think I can get a pipe down into the center of this one until some of the cardboard breaks down.
Hi Trav, have you tried planting rutabaga on double rows? If yes what’s your thoughts on that.
I have and it works well.
Oh yeah! I'm dealing with Johnson grass in mine. I chop it down and that compost blows it back up! Keep it on the pad! Worms might not make it though.
We might have to figure something else for the worms, but I'm definitely keeping it on the pad for the time being.
Put it on soil but first put a thick layer of card board . I have 3 card board will smother the grass
the only thing I use swede for is chicken soup - I buy a soup mix which usually is comprised of a swede, a turnip, an onion, a parsnip, a carrot and a decent stick of celery. I don't think we eat a lot of swedes in Australia (Swede = Rutabaga)
Might have to try that!
Have you seen the worm bed that Jason at cog hill farm has. He has a RUclips channel. He also uses the tea off of it.
I have not, but I'll go take a look.
I have been composting for years in black trash bins that I drill holes in (top, bottom, sides). I do this because my HOA does not allow compost bins but allows trash bins -- they are scared of them bringing in animals (This is funny because we have a big farm next to the neighborhood and every fall when they cut back the cotton or soy the field mice are all over the neighborhood). I keep them raised off the ground by short concrete blocks (patio block) because I have Bermuda grass so it does not get in and I can trim under them easily. I have worked days keeping Bermuda out of my garden and I am not letting it get in via compost! I have found worms and slugs in my bins. I use to keep them on a concert slab too and had no problem -- besides the compost staining the slab. Is it optimal? Probably not. There are so many people that are very opinionated about the best way to compost. I worked with this eco-nut at my last job that every time she would come over she would tell me I am not composting enough and I am doing it wrong (she would even bring her own plates to the BBQ because she would not use disposable, paper plates -- I mean I use to compost them haha). Meanwhile, her compost pile always smelled so bad and mine always just smells like it should --- sweet compost. I personally am just happy anytime I see someone composting anyway they like because it is a great help for your garden. As for the worms, I put about 2 dozen red worms (they were leftover from some bait I bought at Walmart when I went fishing at the river, and the weather got too bad to use) into my bins and garden when I first moved to my new home because there were none. It was the only place I ever moved that after a hard rain, I could not find a single worm on the sidewalk. Two years later, I have so many worms in my yard that my back patio gets covered in them after a couple hard rains and my daughter plays doctor by collecting them and putting them into the compost bins, and building homes for them. What is funny is they have spread into my neighbors' yards too. Luckily they garden (mostly just flowers) but they love the worms too. However, if you go a couple houses down, there are still no to few worms after a rain. They seem to know who is feeding them!
Thanks for sharing Joshua. Composting does seem to be a very polarizing and opinionated subject -- almost as bad as chickens! lol
After those rutabegas are dry, if you wax them, they can last for months. They are most awsome made au gratin :) (of course "anything" au gratin is most awsome) :)
Might need to try waxing them.
You spend 9 minutes on your new compost operation, then you go to harvest rutabaga's and throw the bad leaves on the ground. I'm here yelling NO, put them in your compost. It may have been the spiked egg nog talking. 🍸 Happy New Years to you and your family! 🎉
I was yelling the same thing
Haha! I should brought something with me to put them in.
I have a quick question. I got a short frost in south texas and my onions an carrots seemed to get hit hard. Are they ok and is there anything I should do?
Nothing you can do once they get damage, just keep the soil moist next time. They should recover just fine.
Do you need a hard surface to put it on or can you just put it on the ground?
Most folks actually prefer to put them on the ground. I didn't want to deal with grass crawling into them, so we used the pad that we already had.
Best thing with the inputs to it chop them into smaller pieces
Good to know, although my lack of patience will inhibit me from doing that on occasion. lol