THAT is NOT Composting!!!

     I smelled something the other day.  On the way out of the house I smelled something hot, wet and on the edge of rot.  I couldn't figure where it was coming from.  I walked around the house and I didn't smell it anymore.  It must have been something on the wind.  I let it go.  

    The next day was trash day.  I took the last bag of trash to the curb and as I opened the lid of the can, I thought, "Oh, yes, that is what I smelled."  It must have been a neighbors' can going bad.  I let it go.  When I came home from work, I smelled it again, stronger, louder, urging me to do something, so I cleaned my garbage can and the smell, still there.  The neighbor laughed, she did the same thing, but it wasn't us.  It was the guy behind her and two down.  He had a pile of kitchen garbage outside his back door on the ground  covered with leaves and every time a cat dug into it, the smell came to visit!  I called the yard Nazis.  I had to do it.  The smell was getting inside the house.  Then I went to the store.  

    The neighbor was outside when the park guy came and explained in his best English, you can't leave trash to rot.  The man told him it wasn't rotting, it was composting.  The guy did not know that word so my neighbor translated.  He scratched his head and told the resident, "No composting."  Then he left.

   My neighbor tried to explain to the man that he said he would have the property manager look up the rules, but he was sure there would be a problem because of the smell.  The man was bewildered.  He said he had to leave it outside, because his wife said I told her to use compost and work it into the soil to get the plants to yield like mine and the smell in the kitchen was driving him mad!   
     

Green Kitchen

 Compost Pail

$19.99

Bed Bath & Beyond.

simplehuman® Compost Pail

Price: $59.99
Brand: simplehuman

     By this time, I was home and my friend was laughing at me.  (That's what she told the man!)  So, I had to explain composting in the kitchen to him because apparently his wife wasn't listening.  I apologized.  

     Bed, Bath and Beyond sells kitchen composters that have lids to keep the smell of decomposing matter trapped.  Trash cans with matching lids are good outdoor composters here in Florida, if you can get the sun to hit it most of the day.

MAKE |Trash Can Composter

makezine.com 

     But, piling last night's supper, and the dogs' food on top of some coffee grounds is not composting.  It's nasty and it smells bad and people complain.  And I guess I did start it, but, seriously!  She asked me and I told her.  Am I to blame when you only hear half what I say, do no research of your own and the kitchen starts to wreak?  My friend is still laughing.  

So, for those of you who are considering composting in the kitchen or outside, whether you have close neighbors or not, do some research.  Use only plant materials.  No gravy, meats or fats.  My organic friend on the other side of town, says"If worms won't grow in it, it isn't good for you."  Her husband throws his leftover fish bait (red wigglers) in the compost heap at their place and swears the material breaks down faster.  

Go ahead, try composting, but, please don't blame it on me.  Do some reading online, keep the lid on tight to keep the vermin out, throw the stinky stuff in the trash, compost organic material, turn your pile, simple! It's good for the garden!