Compost pile or barrel?

It's been suggested that we bring this thread out for the benefit of those who want to be "green" by recycling their kitchen scraps and other organic material which would otherwise be discarded as trash. It's already especially good since there are those here who know that tumblers work rather than dismissing them simply because they don't understand them.

Here's what I've learned. Since 1996, the amount of compost produced from my big ComposTumbler would be valued at $10,000 at today's prices for even average finished product of $2 per cubic foot. 2013 ended with only 4 batches so only about 3 cubic yards when settled. That's still over $150 worth. Not a bad investment when one also considers the 20 or so pints of black raspberries in the freezer from where the piles used to be.

Anyway, winter batch is frozen solid. Tumbler was only filled about two-thirds full with shredded oak and maple leaves. It was still thawed enough at Thanksgiving to fold in a couple of deer heads, 16 lower legs (shattered) and the accumulative kitchen scraps. Just before freeze-up, stopped it so that there was sizeable hole right inside the door. Since then, have been slowly filling it up with kitchen scraps, several squirrels, rabbit offal, and a few sparrows and mice. That's going to be one super-rich batch when it cooks down those deer parts and other critters. Although much of my gardening is done in a community garden complex, everything I make from now on is staying home. Going to be just too good to share.

Spring batch already planned. 120 gallons of fine-shredded oak and white pine needles for a base. Three feed sacks full of pigeon loft droppings. Since 16 deer feet went into the winter batch, and only 2 heads, there's 2 more heads in reserve along with other trimmings. Before that can be done, the fall batch is still stored beneath the tumbler and will have to be moved before the winter batch can be dumped. Should be one busy few days in early May when all that takes place.

Martin