My compost pile is cooking at a 144 degrees F

[BrotherBuzz]

Friday, I harvested and sifted 96 gallons of black gold from last years compost pile in preparation for the fall rush. Saturday, I did some early pruning and threw the debris into the pile. Today, I stuck a thermometer in and was surprised at how fast it took off.

Damn, I got to thinking that I need to harness this heat source and supplement my house needs. Hot water or heat, any Rube Goldberg ideas? :)

[Blue_In_AK]

1. I love turning my compost

and watching the steam/smoke rise into the air.

[BrotherBuzz]

2. Yes I agree, but it's that steam I want to harness and put to work...

lowering my utility bill. Any crazy ideas? :shrug:

[NMDemDist2]

3. ask over in Environment and energy group

I'll bet someone has a link......

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=115

[BrotherBuzz]

4. Done, Thanks

[NMDemDist2]

6. see what I mean? somebody has already popped you a link n/t

[BrotherBuzz]

7. Indeed

:thumbsup:

[Jamastiene]

5. Ah, the sweet smell of earthy compost.

I love that smell. Nothing like pure fresh dirt hot off the compost pile. You have found a secret society who understands. I would recommend composting to everyone who can get their hands on some fresh greenery and some brown (already dying) greenery. Put the two together and you get great dirt for your garden and/or house plants. It's truly magnificent.

As far as harnessing it. I'm not sure how you would do that.

[Gormy Cuss]

8. I have a fence lizard who seems fond of mine.

It's a lidded plastic bin (biostack)but there is no floor and the lizard comes in under the bottom layer, climbs to the top and hunts for bugs. When I see the lizard in the bin I know that it's time to turn the heap.

[BrotherBuzz]

9. An interesting barometer

My compost is an open wire bin about four feet across (12 feet of welded wire fence material - you do the math :shrug:) Blue Jays are my top feeders and they get fat eating the earthworms and sow/pill bugs, but I turn mine about every week just before I add another load. I monitor and water to keep the temepeture between 120º and 145º (155º was my blue-ribbon high)

[Gormy Cuss]

10. It strictly observational.

The lizard wants a warm shaded place with plenty of bugs to eat. Since the bug population goes down dramatically when I turn the pile and I've disrupted his sanctuary, he goes elsewhere for about a week to 10 days then returns.

In the summer I need to wet the pile every few days because we don't have rain. In the winter I need to feed it plenty of dry leaves to dry it out. The Biostack is a 3' cube so it's not terribly forgiving about bad environment -- it just stops cooking. I have open bins for excess yard trimmings but by law I can't have my kitchen scraps in an open bin, thus the Biostack.