Cedar Compost System Joins Magnificent Urban Homestead

Anne Carter Smith’s property nestles alongside the fairway of Charlotte Country Club like a Southern Belle with a trackside view of the Kentucky Derby.

A massive hedgerow along the front of the property creates the impression of a dreamy, private wonderland, while out back, oak trees old enough to recall golfers stroll by in knickers, shade their home from hot afternoons.

To the right of the house, sits a delightful organic garden complete with pea gravel pathways, and  a painted wood fence. A tree laden with plump brown figs sits just outside one of the garden’s three ornamental gates, while one of the city's most magnificent chicken coops lies just a stone’s throw down a gravel pathway.

In fact, the property had just about everything the family of homesteaders needed except a place to put all those garden trimmings, dry leaves, grass clippings, used coop bedding, coffee grinds, and apple cores.  Of course, composting in a backyard setting is really just a controlled version of the same decomposition process that happens naturally in any forest, and a simple pile of material in a corner of the garden could have done the job.

Anne Carter Smith's Cedar Compost System from Microfarm Organic Gardens on Vimeo.

But the magnificent landscape had set the bar very high, and the situation called for an elegant, sturdy compost system design that could process a large amount of material while enhancing the property's visual appeal at the same time.

Our two-bin cedar compost station fit the bill, and we placed it alongside a gravel pathway, just behind the family’s organic garden. This location will mean easy access with a wheelbarrow, and a short trip to and from the garden. The compost station measures 8’ long, 4’ wide, and 4’ high, and the system is divided evenly into two compartments so that compost piles can be staggered. This will create a more consistent supply of premium homemade compost for their garden.

A simple design of slats drop into grooves at the front of each bin, providing both a strong system of keeping heavy piles of material in place and an uncomplicated way to access finished compost. The 64 cubic feet of volume in each bin allows for a pile with enough mass to help accelerate the decomposition process, while still small enough to be turned with a hand tool.

Interested in a one, two, or three bin cedar compost system for your own urban homestead? CLICK HERE or write us at hello@microfarmgardens.com to get started!