On Wed, 08 May 2013 17:44:04 -0400, Norminn wrote:

"Attracting rodents" is reason #1, #2 and #3!

To test whether the "diggers" were attracted to my compost,
I left the fence open the past two days at my compost pile:
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12915025.jpg

Checking this morning, I don't see evidence of animals
digging up the salmon or steak bones yet ...
http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12915027.jpg

On 5/12/2013 11:52 AM, Danny D wrote:
On Wed, 08 May 2013 17:44:04 -0400, Norminn wrote:

"Attracting rodents" is reason #1, #2 and #3!

To test whether the "diggers" were attracted to my compost,
I left the fence open the past two days at my compost pile:
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12915025.jpg

....

Keep it up and you can be sure rats and other _will_ find it. A day or
two isn't long for new food sources to be discovered but rest assured it
will be found if it's kept up.

--

On Sun, 12 May 2013 12:46:22 -0500, dpb wrote:

you can be sure rats and other _will_ find it.

The holes in the fencing are big enough for rats
to get through, so, if/when they find the compost,
I'll see some evidence of that, I hope.

http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12918527.jpg

On Sun, 12 May 2013 12:46:22 -0500, dpb wrote:

Keep it up and you can be sure rats _will_ find it.

Tonight, I was working on the pool equipment after dark, about a dozen
feet from the compost area, when I see this cute rat walking calmly along
the pool plumbing.

I couldn't snap a picture quickly enough, but I did set out two traps and
continued working on the pipes under the light of the moon, although one
of the traps got the better of my finger in the process:
http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13058021.jpg

Anyway, I wasn't back working on the wires, only two feet away, for more
than five minutes, when I heard the tell-tale snap.
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13057973.jpg

The rat died immediately as I was there within a couple of seconds and it
wasn't moving at all, as I gently removed it and set it aside to see if
it was breathing:
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13057980.jpg

I felt really badly for the little guy, but I can't have them chewing on
the wires in the heater (which might be why the heater isn't working).

Can't prove it was eating the compost or not - but it could have been, as
it was a small one, that could easily get inside the wire mesh fence.

On Fri, 17 May 2013 09:27:18 +0000, Danny D. wrote:

Can't prove it was eating the compost or not - but it could have been,
as it was a small one, that could easily get inside the wire mesh fence.

Looks like it was identified elsewhere as a (big) deer mouse.

Danny D. wrote:
On Sun, 12 May 2013 12:46:22 -0500, dpb wrote:

Keep it up and you can be sure rats _will_ find it.

Tonight, I was working on the pool equipment after dark, about a dozen
feet from the compost area, when I see this cute rat walking calmly
along the pool plumbing.

I couldn't snap a picture quickly enough, but I did set out two traps
and continued working on the pipes under the light of the moon,
although one of the traps got the better of my finger in the process:
http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13058021.jpg

Anyway, I wasn't back working on the wires, only two feet away, for
more than five minutes, when I heard the tell-tale snap.
http://www5.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13057973.jpg

The rat died immediately as I was there within a couple of seconds
and it wasn't moving at all, as I gently removed it and set it aside
to see if it was breathing:
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/13057980.jpg

I felt really badly for the little guy, but I can't have them chewing
on the wires in the heater (which might be why the heater isn't
working).

Can't prove it was eating the compost or not - but it could have
been, as it was a small one, that could easily get inside the wire
mesh fence.

1 down .. probably a large family to go ..

--
Natural Girl

Danny D writes:

R On Wed, 08 May 2013 17:44:04 -0400, Norminn wrote:

"Attracting rodents" is reason #1, #2 and #3!

To test whether the "diggers" were attracted to my compost,
I left the fence open the past two days at my compost pile:
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12915025.jpg

Checking this morning, I don't see evidence of animals
digging up the salmon or steak bones yet ...
http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12915027.jpg

While discussing compost piles, I thought you might appreciate a
real compost pile:

http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/...0/12915722.jpg

The fence is 6ft high. Last years leaves are compacted and partly
broken down.

--
Dan Espen

On Sun, 12 May 2013 13:51:11 -0400, Dan Espen wrote:

you might appreciate a real compost pile:
http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/...0/12915722.jpg

Wow. I wish I had that much compost!

Danny D writes:

On Sun, 12 May 2013 13:51:11 -0400, Dan Espen wrote:

you might appreciate a real compost pile:
http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/...0/12915722.jpg

Wow. I wish I had that much compost!

Only if you really like exercise.

1 years leaves pile up much higher than that.

--
Dan Espen

On Sun, 12 May 2013 20:36:40 -0400, Dan Espen wrote:

Only if you really like exercise.

I have a lot of Spanish & Scotch Broom, which I pull out
(Scotch Broom) by the hundreds, and I cut & glyphosate
(Spanish Broom) by the scores; but I don't want to compost
that so I put them in the green recycling bins.

It takes a few months because each bin only holds about
an hour's worth of cuttings; yet I generally cut for
four or five hours at a time.

But, other than that, I don't have compost since I'm in
a windy location exposed to the Pacific Ocean winds, which
do all my leaf raking for me during the winter storms!



Of course, it all ends up in the pool ...

On Sunday, May 12, 2013 8:30:06 PM UTC-7, Danny D wrote:
On Sun, 12 May 2013 20:36:40 -0400, Dan Espen wrote:



Only if you really like exercise.



I have a lot of Spanish & Scotch Broom, which I pull out

(Scotch Broom) by the hundreds, and I cut & glyphosate

(Spanish Broom) by the scores; but I don't want to compost

that so I put them in the green recycling bins.



It takes a few months because each bin only holds about

an hour's worth of cuttings; yet I generally cut for

four or five hours at a time.



But, other than that, I don't have compost since I'm in

a windy location exposed to the Pacific Ocean winds, which

do all my leaf raking for me during the winter storms!







Of course, it all ends up in the pool ...

Maybe I did the wrong thing...but...a few years ago I dismantled my compost and
sold it on Craigs List. I hadn't really been keeping it up properly anyway. So when the City announced that they were now accepting food waste to incorporate into their (quarterly give-away compost events), I decided to go with that. I was surprised when the hand-out said that meat,fat,bones, etc. could be included, but when I called, they said that the compost was produced at such high temperatures that the no-no stuff was rendered harmless.

It's actually a nice community event; people line up in their cars with their bags, pails, other containers. When you get to the head of the line, you climb into a huge "bin" full of this lovely powdery compost, break out your shovel and load up.

Dan Espen said

Danny D writes:

R On Wed, 08 May 2013 17:44:04 -0400, Norminn wrote:

"Attracting rodents" is reason #1, #2 and #3!

To test whether the "diggers" were attracted to my compost,
I left the fence open the past two days at my compost pile:
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12915025.jpg

Checking this morning, I don't see evidence of animals
digging up the salmon or steak bones yet ...
http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12915027.jpg

While discussing compost piles, I thought you might appreciate a
real compost pile:

http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/...0/12915722.jpg

The fence is 6ft high. Last years leaves are compacted and partly
broken down.


Wow, the wife would never tolerate that pile. I had to pitch a fit to
get two 4" square bins accepted. :-)

DirtBag writes:

Dan Espen said

Danny D writes:

R On Wed, 08 May 2013 17:44:04 -0400, Norminn wrote:

"Attracting rodents" is reason #1, #2 and #3!

To test whether the "diggers" were attracted to my compost,
I left the fence open the past two days at my compost pile:
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12915025.jpg

Checking this morning, I don't see evidence of animals
digging up the salmon or steak bones yet ...
http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12915027.jpg

While discussing compost piles, I thought you might appreciate a
real compost pile:

http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/...0/12915722.jpg

The fence is 6ft high. Last years leaves are compacted and partly
broken down.

Wow, the wife would never tolerate that pile. I had to pitch a fit to
get two 4" square bins accepted. :-)

The pile isn't visible from the rest of the yard.

You can't make compost in 4 inch bins. Well you can, but you can
turn the compost over with a teaspoon.

--
Dan Espen

Dan Espen wrote:
DirtBag writes:

Dan Espen said

Danny D writes:

On Wed, 08 May 2013 17:44:04 -0400, Norminn wrote:

"Attracting rodents" is reason #1, #2 and #3!

To test whether the "diggers" were attracted to my compost,
I left the fence open the past two days at my compost pile:
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12915025.jpg

Checking this morning, I don't see evidence of animals
digging up the salmon or steak bones yet ...
http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12915027.jpg

While discussing compost piles, I thought you might appreciate a
real compost pile:

http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/...0/12915722.jpg

The fence is 6ft high. Last years leaves are compacted and partly
broken down.

Wow, the wife would never tolerate that pile. I had to pitch a fit
to get two 4" square bins accepted. :-)

The pile isn't visible from the rest of the yard.

You can't make compost in 4 inch bins. Well you can, but you can
turn the compost over with a teaspoon.

It wouldn't get very hot would it.

D

David Hare-Scott said

Dan Espen wrote:
DirtBag writes:

Dan Espen said

Danny D writes:

On Wed, 08 May 2013 17:44:04 -0400, Norminn wrote:

"Attracting rodents" is reason #1, #2 and #3!

To test whether the "diggers" were attracted to my compost,
I left the fence open the past two days at my compost pile:
http://www2.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12915025.jpg

Checking this morning, I don't see evidence of animals
digging up the salmon or steak bones yet ...
http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12915027.jpg

While discussing compost piles, I thought you might appreciate a
real compost pile:

http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/...0/12915722.jpg

The fence is 6ft high. Last years leaves are compacted and partly
broken down.

Wow, the wife would never tolerate that pile. I had to pitch a fit
to get two 4" square bins accepted. :-)

The pile isn't visible from the rest of the yard.

You can't make compost in 4 inch bins. Well you can, but you can
turn the compost over with a teaspoon.

It wouldn't get very hot would it.

D

Hmmmm, maybe that's my problem. Too small! :-) (oops)