I will admit that I am a bit of a novice when it comes to composting. I understand why people do it and I am familiar with the idea of how to do it, but I myself have never taken on starting a compost pile in my yard. I understand it is good for gardens and the environment so I feel like I should consider it.

You may ask if I don't compost, what do I do with all my food scraps and rotten fruit? The truth is, I try not to waste fruit and vegetables. When I go to the store, I only buy what I plan to use for that day and possibly a day or two going forward. However, I would be lying if I didn't say that between stale bread and a few rotten veggies I haven't wasted a fruit or veggie a time or two.

Composting in the Hudson Valley, NY

There are many good reasons to compost, but let's face it, having a pile of rotting veggies piles up in your backyard can lead to a few issues. Compost piles, even barrels, have been known to attract animals. Bears often find compost an easy snack. It can also be smelly on a hot summer day.

Earthworm in soil.
Ockra
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So what do you do if you want to compost but you don't want to have a stinky bear-inviting pile in the corner of your yard? Well, you could do what I do which is throw the rotten veggies far into the woods if you are lucky enough to live near the edge of a forest, or you could Trench Compost.

Trunch Composting in the Hudson Valley

This past Tuesday (March 22, 2022) on Facebook, I saw that the Farmer's Almanac shared a post explaining the ease of Trench Composting.

Basically, this is a great way to feed your garden and get rid of your food scraps.  Instead of having a compost pile, you simply put the scraps in a trench in your garden, cover it back up, and let mother nature do the rest. Fair warning though it is called the "lazy man's" way to compost.

The full article that the Farmer's Almanac shared also goes on to explain what you can and can't compost. So before you go throw out all of your food scraps be sure to read the list. There are a few things like meat that you never want in your compost even if you are just digging a trench.

None of these Items Should be Compost with the Possible Exception of the Salad Shaker

 

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Checkout the Food From the Year You Were Born

LOOK: Food history from the year you were born

From product innovations to major recalls, Stacker researched what happened in food history every year since 1921, according to news and government sources.
 

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