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Successful Manure & Waste Management
Micro-Bin Cover Design
October 4th, 2007 by peter
When talking to people about setting up their Micro-Bins, many have asked me whether they should cover the bin while it’s composting. Intuitively, I could see the advantages of doing this in rainy and snowy climates during the winter months as well as arid climates during the summer months.
To answer this question, I have designed and built a cover (as shown) and it seems to dramatically help the composting process. The intention is to shed excessive water (i.e. rain or snow) and to retain both heat and moisture derived through the composting process.
I am frankly amazed at how much water collects on the underside of this cover. I knew it would be wet, but as this design is, it is extremely effective at retaining moisture and heat. Given these quantitative results, I now suggest that everyone should cover their Micro-Bins throughout both the active and curing phases of composting throughout the year.
One Response to “Micro-Bin Cover Design”
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Hi - I use burlap coffee bags from organic fair trade coffee roasters as interior covers for my compost piles. Going with organic coffee helps insure there is no pesticide residue on the bags. The bags are a waste product for roasters.
Mike in Toronto