They certainly do! My guess is that our vegetable scraps lack the caloric density of fruits, nuts, berries, honey, fish, grubs, etc., and therefore are much less likely to attract bears. However, I'm no expert and don't mean to be making any guarantees.
On Mon, Aug 12, 2024 at 1:13 PM Jennifer Saffran <[email protected]> wrote: > Bears do eat vegetable matter. > > On Aug 12, 2024, at 1:08 PM, Jai Kaur <[email protected]> wrote: > > Thanks for this feedback ! I just ordered one of those two options on > Amazon and thanks, Paul, for your endorsement on that. > > It's our responsibility to steward and preserve our lands and I’m glad I > live in a town where many residents understand the common sense importance > of - and are dedicated to - composting. > Since I believe composting is a very interesting and worthwhile topic, > I’ll add more context and share my composting story - for what it’s worth, > and for those who give a heap - read on! > > > Composting food waste just has seemed like normal practice to me since > childhood when I remember the huge composting piles that my Nonni kept at > their small family farm in Pleasant Valley Methuen. > > > But, it does require effort to set up properly and maintain a composting > system, and it’s unfortunate when people who have the option, choose not to > make the effort. But when you are a tenant and not a landowner, you might > not be permitted to have a compost pile. That was the case for me for > several years before moving to Lincoln in 1991. > > > But, soon after I moved here, I discovered the Down to Earth Organic farm > run by Keith Shields on the Umbrello parcel that is now home to Hannan > Healthy Foods Farm. > I was one of many volunteers at that farm and we used a large three bin > system with pallets. > That really works best when you have a very large amount of composting > material and people who are willing to turn it. I am not able or willing to > do that and as I am still a tenant, I opt for much smaller set ups. > I had a really cool heavy duty, octagonal metal thing about 3 feet high > that I used for a composter, but I left at a previous residence. That was > very effective and I’ve lamented not still having that. But, I can’t put in > fencing or anything like that and it has to be portable. > > > Happy composting ! > Ciao! > Jai > > On Mon, Aug 12, 2024 at 9:16 AM Paul Shorb <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Jai - >> Those Amazon items probably would work. My guess is that a bear wouldn't >> bother them if you put only vegetable matter in. >> >> What you choose and how you use it depends on what your goals are. >> One good reason to compost your kitchen scraps is to avoid adding them to >> the trash stream at our Transfer Station, which then gets incinerated. (The >> less stuff we burn, the better for the climate.) For that purpose, Sara M's >> method is fine. If one of your goals is to make compost for gardening, >> those Amazon items with a door at the bottom make it somewhat easier to get >> the older, readier stuff out from the bottom. >> >> Whether you want usable compost or just want to warm the planet a little >> less, my impression is that you should (A) add enough "brown" (e.g., dry >> leaves) to mix with the "green" (e.g., just about all your kitchen scraps) >> and (B) allow enough aeration that it doesn't get stinky and start >> generating methane gas. Those Amazon items have vents that are intended to >> let some air in - but it helps to also stir the stuff up with a pitchfork >> or whatever now and then. An open bin made of chicken wire or whatever has >> more room to add brown leaves and is easier to stir than those >> Amazon items. >> >> How big you need your compost bin is affected by (A) how quickly you >> generate kitchen scraps, (B) whether you plan to add brown leaves, and (C) >> how often you are willing to have to empty it. >> >> My problem for a while was not adding enough "brown" to my black plastic >> tumbling compost bin (it spun on an axle, to facilitate mixing and >> aeration). So I replaced that system with the following, which I have found >> to be easy to use and to make great compost for gardening. I set up a >> large chicken-wire enclosure near my composting bin, to store leaves raked >> up in the fall. That way, it's easy enough every now and then to >> pitchfork some more brown leaves onto the kitchen scraps in the >> adjacent composting bin. The composting bin is a 4-foot cube made of >> 2-by-4s and hardware cloth (my original version, built like Sara's, turned >> out to be insufficient to keep our highly food-motivated dog). But one of >> those Amazon items could also work, if they are big enough for your output >> rate. >> >> Photos available on request! >> >> - Paul Shorb >> >> On Mon, Aug 12, 2024 at 12:07 AM Sara Mattes <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> We have been composting for 40 years, in the same spot. >>> Metal fence posts in the ground, wrapped in heavy chicken wire >>> As it gets high, we dig a deep hole and throw kitchen scraps/ compost >>> in there. >>> We have never turned, or rotated, just let things take their course. >>> No animal / dairy products ever. >>> No problem with anything being dismantled. >>> Compost abounds. >>> Good luck! >>> Sent from my iPad >>> >>> On Aug 11, 2024, at 7:59 PM, Jai Kaur <[email protected]> >>> wrote: >>> >>> >>> There has not been any news lately about Lincoln bear sightings. >>> Does anyone know if it is still around ? >>> >>> I wonder because some animal completely dismantled my composter. It is >>> one of the composters sold by DPW so obviously, not the highest end. But, >>> it has been secure for 3 years. >>> >>> So, now I am seeking recommendations for a new, >>> sturdier, composting system. >>> >>> Here are a couple links to ones on Amazon that I like and I'd love to >>> hear from anyone who has recommendations on this type of composter. >>> Otherwise, I would very much appreciate hearing other opinions / >>> suggestions. >>> >>> I would also very much like to know if anyone has a composter they are >>> not using and would like to unload, or sell. >>> >>> Garden Compost Bin >>> >>> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BWH7Z9HF/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3LRDQCJ73A2H4&psc=1 >>> >>> >>> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B092DN9WD6/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=A1DWKI6UPOP9K9&th=1 >>> >>> Thanks heaps ! >>> ~Jai 781-738-1920 >>> -- >>> The LincolnTalk mailing list. >>> To post, send mail to [email protected]. >>> Browse the archives at >>> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. >>> Change your subscription settings at >>> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. >>> >>> -- >>> The LincolnTalk mailing list. >>> To post, send mail to [email protected]. >>> Browse the archives at >>> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. >>> Change your subscription settings at >>> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. >>> >>> -- >> The LincolnTalk mailing list. >> To post, send mail to [email protected]. >> Browse the archives at >> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. >> Change your subscription settings at >> https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. >> >> -- > The LincolnTalk mailing list. > To post, send mail to [email protected]. > Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/ > . > Change your subscription settings at > https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln. > > >
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