"Victoria Clare" wrote in message


(Yes, I know I could have made a pie. It was a busy week and I find
preparing rabbit from scratch very tedious. Skinning takes forever and
all those little bones!)

I am very lucky) My SO shoots and always cleans the kill in the field)
He says it is food for the other wild things there and no mess at home

O

Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article ,
"Sarah Dale" writes:

I can't find this web site at all! However, if you have some
further info I would be interested. It always annoys me to have to
put waste meat scraps and bones in the bin when they are highly
bidegradable. (Although not suitable for a home garden compost
heap).

Why not? I have composted them for 25 years with no problems.
Others have done so for longer.

Seems an excessively long time to wait for compost ;o)

--
William Tasso

In article ,
"William Tasso" writes:
| Nick Maclaren wrote:
| In article ,
| "Sarah Dale" writes:
|
| I can't find this web site at all! However, if you have some
| further info I would be interested. It always annoys me to have to
| put waste meat scraps and bones in the bin when they are highly
| bidegradable. (Although not suitable for a home garden compost
| heap).
|
| Why not? I have composted them for 25 years with no problems.
| Others have done so for longer.
|
| Seems an excessively long time to wait for compost ;o)

Nice one! Admittedly, beef leg bones to take getting on for that
long to break down :-)


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On Mon, 31 Mar 2003 07:17:59 +0000, Nick Maclaren wrote:

| I can't find this web site at all! However, if you have some further info
| I would be interested. It always annoys me to have to put waste meat
| scraps and bones in the bin when they are highly bidegradable. (Although

Why not? I have composted them for 25 years with no problems.
Others have done so for longer.

Well, I can't put in chicken or other light bones in case the cats get at
it. But you raise an interesting point in one of your other responses to
this thread. So many people on URG have said don't put meat or bones on
the heap because it attracts rats - you're saying that it doesn't make any
difference.

In my household, all vegetable based scraps - cooked and uncooked go on my
(cold heap, sarah-rigged wooden containers, open topped) compost heap, as do all
prunings and garden waste. All meat bones and inedible bits (skin, gristle
etc.) are binned. All the meat is eaten.

I'm willing to have a go by putting in big bones, gristle and skin - what
sort of decomposition rate should I expect based on the fact I run a cold
heap? And possibly I would need to look at putting some sort of lid on the
heap perhaps... Mind you given that the compost bins are starting to need
rebuilding (PLEASE wait to Autumn!) that could be interesting!

Sarah

In article ,
Sarah Dale wrote:

Well, I can't put in chicken or other light bones in case the cats get at
it. But you raise an interesting point in one of your other responses to
this thread. So many people on URG have said don't put meat or bones on
the heap because it attracts rats - you're saying that it doesn't make any
difference.

In general, it doesn't. That doesn't mean it never will. I don't
keep cats, but I agree that they raid the heap - the only solution
there is to cover the bones, because cats won't dig far.

In my household, all vegetable based scraps - cooked and uncooked go on my
(cold heap, sarah-rigged wooden containers, open topped) compost heap, as do all
prunings and garden waste. All meat bones and inedible bits (skin, gristle
etc.) are binned. All the meat is eaten.

I'm willing to have a go by putting in big bones, gristle and skin - what
sort of decomposition rate should I expect based on the fact I run a cold
heap? And possibly I would need to look at putting some sort of lid on the
heap perhaps... Mind you given that the compost bins are starting to need
rebuilding (PLEASE wait to Autumn!) that could be interesting!

I run a cold heap, too. I find that most chicken bones go by the time
I use the compost (12-18 months), but leg bones that dry out need to go
round again. Large mammal bones are a bit more durable, and beef leg
bones can take a decade!

But there isn't a problem, as all the decomposable matter has gone
within a month or so, inside the bone and out, and the stray bones
are 'clean'. My wife isn't een on them in the flowerbeds, but that is
really the only issue :-)

There is no long-term accumulation, even of the heaviest bones.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

The message
from "Sarah Dale" contains these words:

In my household, all vegetable based scraps - cooked and uncooked go on my
(cold heap, sarah-rigged wooden containers, open topped) compost heap,
as do all
prunings and garden waste. All meat bones and inedible bits (skin, gristle
etc.) are binned. All the meat is eaten.

Same here... what is it with these households that throw out uneaten
meat? :-) When I've finished with a chicken, there is a cupful of bare
clean bones left; absolutely nothing else.

I'm willing to have a go by putting in big bones, gristle and skin - what
sort of decomposition rate should I expect based on the fact I run a cold
heap? And possibly I would need to look at putting some sort of lid on the
heap perhaps... Mind you given that the compost bins are starting to need
rebuilding (PLEASE wait to Autumn!) that could be interesting!

I think it's more beneficial to plants, to bury bones beneath them
when making a planting hole. Think of it as longterm bonemeal.

Janet.

Victoria Clare wrote:
[-]

The one thing I have found attracts rats is fresh grains in rabbit or
guinea-pig food. They really like that, and will hang around to get it.

Birdfood. My very large feeder was (very briefly) sited where the wind
caught it, knocking it against a branch. This spilt a feeder-full
(several litres) of seed on the ground while we were away for a
fortnight. When I returned I found a rat's castle beneath the paving
slabs under the feeder.

regards
sarah


--
"Great is truth, but still greater, from a practical point of view,
is silence about truth." Aldous Huxley

On Sun, 30 Mar 2003 20:07:30 +0100, "Sarah Dale"
wrote:

Hi Pete,

I can't find this web site at all!

Nor can I now! It could be that their server is down, though it seems
to be quite a long time, or perhaps they've had to withdraw it due to
it being rubbish.

However, if you have some further info
I would be interested. It always annoys me to have to put waste meat
scraps and bones in the bin when they are highly bidegradable. (Although
not suitable for a home garden compost heap).

The leaflet I've got gives 2 phone numbers if you want to try them,
either 01556 650116 or mobile 07754 401381. There's no snailmail addy.

--
Pete The Gardener
A room without books is like a body without a soul.

On Mon, 31 Mar 2003 22:12:52 +0100, Janet Baraclough wrote:

I think it's more beneficial to plants, to bury bones beneath them
when making a planting hole. Think of it as longterm bonemeal.

Very true Janet - but given that I think I've finished moving shrubs in
this garden I may end up with a surfiet of bones waiting for a hole....

Sarah

Its even worse in the Rural areas ......Rats will climb into any compost
bins even when they only contain grass and shreddings


"Paul Kelly" wrote in message
...

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...

In article ,
"Sarah Dale" writes:
|
| I can't find this web site at all! However, if you have some further
info
| I would be interested. It always annoys me to have to put waste meat
| scraps and bones in the bin when they are highly bidegradable.
(Although
| not suitable for a home garden compost heap).

Why not? I have composted them for 25 years with no problems.
Others have done so for longer.


Do you live in town or country?

In town putting meat on the compost bin is an open invitation to foxes and
rats.

pk

sarah .........just start a worm bin and put the bones and scraps in that
.........no rats have ever got into my converted dustbins /wormeries
"Sarah Dale" wrote in message
news
On Mon, 31 Mar 2003 07:17:59 +0000, Nick Maclaren wrote:

| I can't find this web site at all! However, if you have some further
info
| I would be interested. It always annoys me to have to put waste meat
| scraps and bones in the bin when they are highly bidegradable.
(Although

Why not? I have composted them for 25 years with no problems.
Others have done so for longer.

Well, I can't put in chicken or other light bones in case the cats get at
it. But you raise an interesting point in one of your other responses to
this thread. So many people on URG have said don't put meat or bones on
the heap because it attracts rats - you're saying that it doesn't make any
difference.

In my household, all vegetable based scraps - cooked and uncooked go on my
(cold heap, sarah-rigged wooden containers, open topped) compost heap, as
do all
prunings and garden waste. All meat bones and inedible bits (skin, gristle
etc.) are binned. All the meat is eaten.

I'm willing to have a go by putting in big bones, gristle and skin - what
sort of decomposition rate should I expect based on the fact I run a cold
heap? And possibly I would need to look at putting some sort of lid on the
heap perhaps... Mind you given that the compost bins are starting to need
rebuilding (PLEASE wait to Autumn!) that could be interesting!

Sarah

"
I can't find this web site at all!

Nor can I now! It could be that their server is down, though it seems
to be quite a long time, or perhaps they've had to withdraw it due to
it being rubbish.


Their site is up and running again. I think it was down whilst it was
getting a makeover!

Natalie

On Thu, 3 Apr 2003 08:04:21 +0100, "Natalie"
wrote:


Their site is up and running again. I think it was down whilst it was
getting a makeover!


Or putting the price up:-( It was 34.99 the other day.
So what do you think, I'm still in 2 minds about trying it because I
can't see how it would work so quickly.

--
Pete The Gardener
A room without books is like a body without a soul.

"Pete The Gardener" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 3 Apr 2003 08:04:21 +0100, "Natalie"
wrote:


Their site is up and running again. I think it was down whilst it was
getting a makeover!


Or putting the price up:-( It was 34.99 the other day.
So what do you think, I'm still in 2 minds about trying it because I
can't see how it would work so quickly.

--
Pete The Gardener
A room without books is like a body without a soul.


I find it very hard to believe that it will make useable compost in just 2
weeks. In fact instructions say you have to bury the fermented waste!

I think I'll stick to the compost heap and wormery for now.

I'm going to make two compost towers, out of plastic bottles, tomorrow with
my Environment Club at school. One with and without worms....

Natalie

"bnd777" wrote in message
...
Its even worse in the Rural areas ......Rats will climb into any compost
bins even when they only contain grass and shreddings

What is worse in rural areas?

Alan
--
Reply to alan(at)windsor-berks(dot)freeserve(dot)co(dot)uk