Random thoughts on pitchforks.

[Jimmy Snyder]

My daughter is finally learning to drive a car. She is just starting out so she hasn't made all the mistakes yet. For instance, last night she drove over a pitchfork lying in the road. It was dark, so I guess she didn't see it in time. But I was in the passenger seat and I saw it. By the time I opened my mouth to warn her, she had driven over it. I heard it thwack the bottom of the car, but I won't know until tomorrow if it caused any damage. The tires are ok. After she ran over it she stopped and I got out and picked up the implement and tossed it into the car. In North Jersey, they have a phrase "fell off a truck". It means stolen, like "Where did you get that mink coat? My boyfriend gave it to me. He said it fell off a truck." But this is South Jersey, so I guess this garden tool/political symbol really did fall off a truck. She drove on and that was the end of the story.

However, there is a slight twist. I have a compost pile that has been growing for about 15 years. I never do anything with it, just pile on the grass clippings, leaves, and table scraps and let it stew. My company held a 'Be Green' information fair just a few days ago. Several of the booths had information on composting, so I asked them what I should be doing with the pile. I never really intended to do what they said, but I was just interested. They said I should turn the pile upside down and inside out every now and then with a pitchfork.

 

[Evo]

Good things come to those who wait?

Watch out for snakes, I'll be you've got a million of them living in there.

 

[ExactlySolved]

Turning compost with a pitchfork is kind of satisfying, as using the right tool for a job always is.

 

[Astronuc]

turn the pile upside down and inside out every now and then with a pitchfork.

That's about it. And keep it moist, and perhaps add some cow manure.

As Evo said, there could be snakes in the pile. We occasionally find snake skins in our back yard, and something (possibly a copperhead) bit my hand while I was working in the pile. We have our compost pile on a wood pallet, and I put my hand underneath to lift some of the pile, and something bit down hard. I had two puncture wounds, my hand and forearm become swollen and partially numb. All that subsided after a couple of hours or so.

Wear leather gloves and use a pitchfork to flip the pile and stir it up. There should be some good sized earthworms in there too.