Seems like I read a while back about plans to build a rotating compost drum from a 55 gal. barrel. Was this in Countryside somewhere? I'd like to make one like I've seen commercially, but don't want to spend $400 for theirs. Does anyone know where this was or more details?

-- Derrick Comfort (dcomfort@ccnmail.com), January 01, 2000

Answers

My husband made 1/2 inch holes in the barrel and a very simple latch door that he could open to get the compost out. I don't know how it was held shut (improvise).At first it was on a woooden stand with a handle to turn it,but now it's on the ground. As we fill it, we kick it around to turn it. Make sure that a few handful of dirt get added to the barrel now and then. It speeds up the compost action. It doesn't have to be fancy.

-- Ardie Storch (gloryhill@vbe.com), January 02, 2000.

This is a simple one. You can use ANYTHING to make a closed rotator device. I read about a guy who used the ends off of a big industrial wire reel. It was 7 feet in diameter and about 10 feet long. he just used the ends for the ends of his turner and he bought some 2x6's, (easy to scavenge if you know where to look, call your local extention office or recycling spot), and cut them to the length he wanted them. you could make yours as small or as large as you like. Any sort of drum will work. If you have a tractor you could rig up a PTO hookup for turning it every day.

-- Nicholas, (Nick), A. Walton (bignicholas@hotmail.com), November 14, 2001.