Thanks,

I've only been grinding the shells of stuff since it just seems to
speed up the "breakdown" time. I guess I've been getting too
impatient since I keep coming across 4 year old peanut shells in the
soil when I turn the soil in spring. Every time I come across a shell
now it goes into the blender for "size reduction". If I don't see it
it won't bother me so much.

And yes, I've stood in front of a microwave on occasion and
yelled...faster, faster! I've really been thinking of getting one of
the turning compost bins if it can make it faster....although I tend
to stir it regularly it still takes too long.

I blend all those nice hard banana peels, orange rinds, egg shells and
nut shells. Maybe I just like reducing things from big to small
pieces? If I had a method to do this without using electricity that
didn't involve a windmill or something laboriously difficult I would
love to. Any ideas?

Thanks again.

On Sat, 25 Feb 2006 14:17:56 -0000, "Oxymel of Squill"
wrote:

no prob, but why waste time and electricity grinding the shells?

"submon" wrote in message
.. .
Hi, I've gotten into composting and I like to get everything in
there. During XMas we had tonnes of nuts and I have gone to the
trouble of using an old blender to take the shells of the nuts and get
them down to a smaller consistency. I just wonder if my enthusiasm
got the better of me and is this wise? I've ground hazelnuts, pecan,
walnut. Now I've read in this group that walnut trees can affect
other plants, but what about the shells? Will I have to toss my
compost?

Thanks in advance for any help.