Some Call it Conniving...We Call it Composting

Not long ago, Jane at Hardwork Homestead posted about an awesome addition to her composting collection.  It was this:

Jane's "Big Mama"

Now, I am truly never a jealous person.  More like, I see something and think it's super cool, smart, worthy etc.  But this made me green with envy.  For real.  I have wanted a great composter for well over a year now. 

Originally, I thought one of those fancy fangled appliance types would be great.  Just put your kitchen scraps in and within a few weeks you'd have compost.  Like what, a cupful???

Well, around here (as with your homesteads), something this small would never do.  So I gave that option up.  We need large scale.

We have two open air compost piles out back.  They don't get turned like they should.  And I have learned that if you don't turn your compost on a very regular basis, you are simply fertilizing the ground it sits on and nothing more!  All the nutrients you want and need for your gardens are lost.

At first, I met with resistance from Pig Pen.  Always skeptical.  Then...when forces align...as in two like-minded, powerful, conniving and intelligent women connecting...well heck!  Things just happen!

Now without disclosing too much here ;) and as if you don't already know, Jane's a pretty darn resourceful gal!  But she has an addiction...yes folks, she does.  I am "outing" her.  It's called Craigslist.  As any good addict will tell you, it's more fun if you have another addict to play with.  I'm not an addict yet...but she's getting to me fast! 

I did find one on Craigslist for $200.  I'd have to travel about 10 hours round-trip to the Southern most tip of IL and pay about $3.89 a gallon, but it's there. 

Or...you set Jane loose on a mission, without even asking, cuz that's what friends do!  She just hits it!

And HIT it she did!  She found the exact same ComposTumbler as her "Big Mama" for $75.00.  Yes my friends, you read that right, seventy - five dollars! 

Ummmm, but it's in Pennsylvania!

Now here's where the fun really begins.  Some quick math and a few shipping websites later, guess what Jane and The Ice Man did?

Come to Mama!!!

Not only did they have to go get it; they had to tear it down, package and ship it! 

How do you ever thank a friend enough for all that trouble? 

I'll work on that for a long while!

Remember the websites that I checked for shipping?  Do I need to tell you they were wrong???  Of course they were!  This behemoth weighs in at about 113 pounds.  Which we knew, but of course there is never anything as simple as plugging a few numbers in and thinking what comes back at you is truth.

So, we hymned and hawed for a day or two thinking maybe it would work just driving out to pick it up.  Nope, gas still higher than FedEx.  So, we shipped it. 

It arrived today!!!

 If you have never looked into the price of the Original ComposTumbler, they retail for around $460, before shipping!

And since I have no problem with good, used merchandise...what else were us girls to do?

The cost of my ComposTumbler you ask?

$190 -delivered.

Maybe that's crazy, you may think we're nuts...but man, if that isn't the best darn looking box blocking my garage door, I just don't know what is!

Jane and The Ice Man, THANK YOU!  

We'll be seeing you soon, my friends! 

Who knows what kind of trouble we'll stir up!