compost tumbler and the spirit of co-operation

I am always on the lookout for useful stuff I can share with fellow allotment holders.

So, containers and sacks that may be of use are given to our allotment shop to be given away. We have also given glass frames and plastic hoops. I recently was able to give bird boxes donated by Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust. The spirit of allotment holding is co-operation. Plant swapping is one of the most obvious ways that we help one another. We are at our most effective when we co-operate and work collectively to improve our site and the experiences of our members. A handful of dedicated members work tirelessly for our association - benefiting us all.

On a recent visit we spotted this compost tumbler in the place where donated equipment is left.

We have had a problem recently with a rat that has inhabited our compost heap- possibly attracted by kitchen waste.

So, using the opportunism that allotment holders are famous for we placed the donated tumbler on our plot. It faces our New Zealand boxes - conventional compost bins that receive garden waste, weeds, straw, paper and activating manure. Tumblers aerate compost, speeding the breakdown of waste into useful soil conditioner and mulch. It is a super addition to our organic gardening.

We primed the tumbler with some rotted compost replete with brandling worms and the tops of beetroot. We then 'christened' it with our first bucket of kitchen waste. A quick spin of the tumbler and the process of composting kitchen waste begins.

Our thanks to whoever donated this valuable piece of organic gardening equipment.