Ode to the Compost Pile

(This blog post is from guest author, Joy Landry)

For International Composting Week, we found ourselves waxing poetic about our favorite green hobby.

Ode to the Compost Pile

“Hope springs eternal,” once said a poet,

So do dandelions and other weeds, wouldn’t you know it?

A windy spring has scattered the leaves,

And twigs aplenty have been cast off by the trees.

These natural materials don’t belong in the trash,

And burning is wrong – too much smoke and ash!

You want to help the environment, it’s true

So what is a homeowner going to do?

We suggest composting – it’s not very hard

First find a good place in your backyard.

A few small stakes and a bit of wire,

You can build it yourself, no contractor to hire.

Collect all those yard trimmings to start your pile,

Then go back to the kitchen, just for a while.

Consider your garbage, I know it sounds strange,

Your way of thinking just needs a small change.

Go bananas, and grab your discarded fruit,

Apple cores, orange peels, and berries to boot.

Limpy lettuce and spoiled spinach are perfectly green,

To add to your compost pile – it’s a biology machine!

Mix in your grass clippings if you like,

Coffee grounds and tea bags are also all right.

Be sure to turn your compost with zest,

Rain and sunshine will all do the rest.

By the time fall arrives, what have you got?

Rich moist compost and there’s a whole lot.

It’s perfect for flower beds and trees,

Mix it in with potting soil if you please.

You can continue to compost year round,

You’re putting back what first came from the ground.

Composting is fun, we hope you agree!

And it all started with a mere pile of leaves.