> <hypati...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >On Feb 22, 6:16 am, Brooklyn1 <Gravesend1> wrote:
> >> Higgs Boson wrote:
> >> >Brooklyn1 wrote:
> >> >>Dan Espen wrote:
> >> >> >Higgs Boson writes:

> >> >> >> Now the City has announced that food waste may be added to the yard
> >> >> >> waste bins.  Result should be will be that their next quarterly free
> >> >> >> distribution of
> >> >> >> (lovely, fine-textured compost) will be even richer because of the
> >> >> >> food waste.

> >> >> >> So I have dismantled the bin and saved the little that looks something
> >> >> >> like compost.  I'll clean it out, put on Craigs List, see who bites.

> >> >> >> Looking back over this and the previous composter, I probably should
> >> >> >> have just made a pile at the back of the garden and turned
> >> >> >> periodically w/pitchfork.

> >> >> >> Anybody else think their municipality would set up such a program?

> >> >> >Ours collects branches twice a year but only collects yard waste
> >> >> >that has been placed in large paper bags that you must purchase.

> >> >> >How I'm supposed to fill about 40 of these large bags per year
> >> >> >is a mystery.  I'd need some kind of mulcher and a lot of time.

> >> >> >Most of my neighbors use yard services.

> >> >> >I just create a big pile and late in August run it through a
> >> >> >framed screen.  It ends up on the lawn or in a flower bed.
> >> >> >(Where I found the leaves in the first place.)

> >> >> I mostly compost household waste in my composter.  Most of my yard
> >> >> waste gets dumped in the woods.  I don't have grass clippings because
> >> >> I use mulching blades.

> >> >Mmmm....maybe I should ask the gardener to do the same -- if he *has*
> >> >mulching blades.  I can see that in the "winter" because grass doesn't
> >> >grow quite as fast, but in the summer?  Wouldn't it create a thick
> >> >blanket of mulched grass?  Remember, this is a mild "Mediterranean"
> >> >climate.

> >> I mow ten acres of lawn, no way can I collect the clippings.  Mulching
> >> blades chop grass blades into such tiny bits that on the first cut
> >> parts they shrivel and disappear before I finish the last parts.  By
> >> the time I clean up and have the mowers put away there are no
> >> clippings to be seen.  I don't bother raking leaves, I mow them and
> >> let the wind sweep them away.  Downed trees, branches, and prunings
> >> get piled in the woods for critter homes.  My composter is for
> >> household vegetation and for whatever comes from my veggie garden.  I
> >> don't have a gardner, I'm it.  If you have a gardener doing your
> >> mowing he should be using mulching blades or sucking up the clippings
> >> and taking them away,

> >Sounds like you live in a really kewl rural area - woods!  Wow!

> >As I said earlier, gardener had been putting grass clippings in the
> >composter until I stopped him doing it every week, but by then, it was
> >bulging.

> > if not then you don't need a gardner.  If after  your gardner leaves
> >you have to rake up debris then you are being
> >> ripped off.

> >No, I don't have to rake up debris. Gardener sweeps and blows.
> >Blowing is considered a capital offense by the City, so he has to be
> >very careful and blow at low revs in order not to get busted.   There
> >are nuisance gardeners who blow loud and long,  but he is not that
> >kind.

> > People who end up with lots of clippings on their lawn  it's because
> >they mow at too great a speed.  You really ought to  consider mowing
> >your own lawn.

> >Actually, I have considered it from time to time. if I did, it would
> >be with an old push mower, as I don't have anywhere near 10 acres;
> >just a front & back lawn.
> >Part of the back is consumed by the veggie garden.

> >I keep the gardener because on alternate weekends he does a heavy job
> >that I don't have time,  ability,  or patience to do.  All of his work
> >is class A.

> >Friday I will ask him about the mulching blade.

> Usually grounds keepers in surburbia bag the clippings and take them
> away.  When I lived on a small lot in surburbia I had a gardener come
> once a week to mow, edge, and blow... put down chems regularly, etc.
> Was only $25/wk so it hardly payed to own a mower.  But ten years ago
> I retired to my roots and live very rural, I like tending to the
> grounds, and keeps me active.  Quite a few people I worked with
> retired to a condo where they mostly looked out a window, they didn't
> last long.  I don't work hard but I don't sleep till noon and lounge
> about all day.  My favorite part of retirement is not wearing a
> watch... I only need to know day time and night time.  My cats are my
> alarm clock, 6 AM every morning.  This quiet life is not for everyone
> but I love it.