True. I noticed the compost starts to smell very rich and mushroom-like when mixed with some worm castings and let to sit for a few days. Interesting to think about the different phases of microbial communities within the compost.
Makes sense to me, I think sometimes big pieces come out half decomposed so chopping them beforehand helps. I think also because it’s being rotated often the material is well aerated.
No but that would be cool. It is ribbed but not in a spiral way like threads. The whole thing is on a very slight slope which is what makes the material advance slowly.
Are there slats inside the culvert angled to help move the compost closer to the other end or is it angled slightly lowered at the finished end to help the compost keep moving down as it’s turned?
It is angled slightly, I think only a few percent. I think that’s one of the main factors in how long it takes the material to pass through and can be adjusted slightly.
@@AgroecologicalSystems how much would you think it weighs when it is full with materials? Thinking about building a set up similar to this and wondering if it would be possible to rotate it with a hand winch set up or do you think it needs an electric motor set up like yours?
I know the cost of making the composter was $15k. I think the whole building would have been quite a bit more, it also houses the water treatment facility, aeroponics lab, metal shop and electric tractor. I’ll see if I can get a more precise figure.
@@korganrivera4659 good question, I think if you could get around $25 per cubic yard, it would take 600 cubic yards to pay it off. I’m not sure exactly the volume that we’re producing but we have easily created that much in the past 2-3 years.
With all that moist, nitrogen-rich food waste, there needs to be some dry, high carbon material to help encourage the thermophilic bacteria. People use dry leaves, shredded newspaper, or other carbon rich materials to achieve the right ratio between nitrogen and carbon. We’ve experimented with used paper towels but they sorta clump together and it didn’t work right. With the pellets it comes out great, but it’s an external input that raises the cost and environmental impact of the system. Our pellets are locally made from sustainable tree farms so it’s not too bad. But ideally it would be some kind of diverted waste, to make use of something that would otherwise be landfill.
@@AgroecologicalSystems I live in a zone which is pretty much like a desert; do you think it would work if I add just soil? I mean, the soil from here tends to absorb a lot of wet naturally
A lot of which comes from hydro and solar but yea, there are always ways to improve. It’s also requires a minuscule amount of electrify to rotate the drum.. Many people rely on tractors to turn their piles so it at least cuts out those emissions. This method also reduces off-gassing and sequesters more carbon into the compost compared to open piles.
I absolutely love this. Thank you for showing it and making it available open-source.
@@onegrapefruitlover glad you enjoyed!
Nice set up
Thanks!
Soo cool! Only thing id do different is wear a mask when shoveling.
Yea, I agree.. not sure you’d want to inhale those gasses / dust particles regularly.
the pre mixing and after sifting still seems like a lot of work.
Yea it is… I think those things could be relatively easily engineered into the system, and other tweaks to make it easier to load / unload.
Very cool to see in action!
Very interesting and inspiring. Thank you for sharing!
Glad you enjoyed!
Very cool! Though it seems like they'd be losing out on some fungi/microbes if they are turning the compost too frequently
True. I noticed the compost starts to smell very rich and mushroom-like when mixed with some worm castings and let to sit for a few days. Interesting to think about the different phases of microbial communities within the compost.
Pretty sweet..👍👍👏👏
I think so too!
Could you use a clean cement mixer to speed up the initial mixing of the food scraps and the hard wood pellets?
Yea that could work. Others pointed out the rotating drum itself might be enough to mix the food scraps and pellets.
@@AgroecologicalSystems Sounds like an experiment is in order. 😁
Question: wouldn’t you want the chunks in the compost to create pockets for air?
Makes sense to me, I think sometimes big pieces come out half decomposed so chopping them beforehand helps. I think also because it’s being rotated often the material is well aerated.
Does it have a "threaded" shape? So che material "advance"?
No but that would be cool. It is ribbed but not in a spiral way like threads. The whole thing is on a very slight slope which is what makes the material advance slowly.
Are there slats inside the culvert angled to help move the compost closer to the other end or is it angled slightly lowered at the finished end to help the compost keep moving down as it’s turned?
It is angled slightly, I think only a few percent. I think that’s one of the main factors in how long it takes the material to pass through and can be adjusted slightly.
@@AgroecologicalSystems how much would you think it weighs when it is full with materials? Thinking about building a set up similar to this and wondering if it would be possible to rotate it with a hand winch set up or do you think it needs an electric motor set up like yours?
@@kenp8991 not sure, I’d say it’s at least a ton. But I think a hand winch could work, maybe with the right gear ratio.
Where can I buy a composter like that
I’m not sure about buying one but the Compost For Good website in the description has free open-source plans for building one like in the video.
What did this cost to construct (and/or purchase), including the building?
I know the cost of making the composter was $15k. I think the whole building would have been quite a bit more, it also houses the water treatment facility, aeroponics lab, metal shop and electric tractor. I’ll see if I can get a more precise figure.
Did you guys build this?
Yes! Not me personally, but members of our community designed and built it.
@@AgroecologicalSystems Awesome! Assuming you sell the compost, how long would it take to pay off the $15,000 initial cost?
@@korganrivera4659 good question, I think if you could get around $25 per cubic yard, it would take 600 cubic yards to pay it off. I’m not sure exactly the volume that we’re producing but we have easily created that much in the past 2-3 years.
hello, i started make compost these days.
I have a question. After you put food scrap into a drum composter, how many day it takes to making compost?
For this one I think it's about 3-4 weeks for it to make it through.
Hello, why do you need tyhe wood pellets ?
With all that moist, nitrogen-rich food waste, there needs to be some dry, high carbon material to help encourage the thermophilic bacteria. People use dry leaves, shredded newspaper, or other carbon rich materials to achieve the right ratio between nitrogen and carbon. We’ve experimented with used paper towels but they sorta clump together and it didn’t work right. With the pellets it comes out great, but it’s an external input that raises the cost and environmental impact of the system. Our pellets are locally made from sustainable tree farms so it’s not too bad. But ideally it would be some kind of diverted waste, to make use of something that would otherwise be landfill.
Understood thank you, I asked in my area wood pellets are not found easily
@@AgroecologicalSystems I live in a zone which is pretty much like a desert; do you think it would work if I add just soil? I mean, the soil from here tends to absorb a lot of wet naturally
@@lucianofrizzo507 might work to help absorb the moisture somewhat, but you also want to get the right ratio of carbon to nitrogen.
👍👍👍👍👍
Middle Earth Composting?
Hehe yea silly font choice.
@@AgroecologicalSystems lean into it! Make a shire.
Wait tell you hit about 55 yr you will wish you would have bought a tractor with a LOADER!
Definitely. Would be nice to be able to load this one that way because it’s still a good amount of work.
this isn't eco, too much use of electricity
A lot of which comes from hydro and solar but yea, there are always ways to improve. It’s also requires a minuscule amount of electrify to rotate the drum..
Many people rely on tractors to turn their piles so it at least cuts out those emissions. This method also reduces off-gassing and sequesters more carbon into the compost compared to open piles.
@@AgroecologicalSystems people all over the world, like me has been doing it without machinery!
@@frankytrevor7great let's see your video so we can all learn something.