This is the site of the composting area that we decided to build as we needed to make a decent amount of compost and as you will already know, the bigger the garden, the more waste you acquire. It seemed a good spot to put it as it was fairly sheltered, had a strong back wall to build to, and would be in the walled garden area which would make it easier to distribute the finished compost as it was ready.
We cut down the area with the strimmer to prepare the ground for building and then brought up the concrete blocks to stack ready for use. In adhering to our mission we were to use recycled materials whenever we could and this build was to be no exception! All of the timber to be allocated for this job was to come from the existing fences around the fields, this would also keep the costs down as well as being eco-friendly.
Using the concrete blocks, Paul built the ends of the composting area retaining walls as can be seen here in these photos. After the walls were done, a trench was dug along the front and dividing base which were to be used as sections for the separate composting bins. These sections were to have slats on the front and between bays so composts could be turned easier without taking it out of one and into another. For some reason, we did not take many photos of the compost area being built so we are limited on showing how it progressed, too keen to get on with it I think.
Using some of the thick fence posts to form the uprights, 4x2s to finish the frame and hold it together, and batons to hold the slats, meant that the build was done very quickly and without much fuss. There are four 1 metre bays in all, and on the right side, there is a small storage shed that holds the tools for use in composting along with cardboard and papers.
The roof was finished with the same concrete panels we took off the stable block and guttering fixed so we could collect water for the plants in the summer months. The slats on the bays were reclaimed wood from old pallets that we were given so that added to the recycling overall. We may well need another composting area as we build up our waste resources so that may well be on the cards in the future.
