Proverbs 31:10-31

A wife of noble character who can find?
       She is worth far more than rubies.

 Her husband has full confidence in her
       and lacks nothing of value.

She brings him good, not harm,
       all the days of her life.

She selects wool and flax
       and works with eager hands.

She is like the merchant ships,
       bringing her food from afar.

She gets up while it is still dark;
       she provides food for her family
       and portions for her servant girls.

She considers a field and buys it;
       out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.

She sets about her work vigorously;
       her arms are strong for her tasks.

She sees that her trading is profitable,
       and her lamp does not go out at night.

In her hand she holds the distaff
       and grasps the spindle with her fingers.

She opens her arms to the poor
       and extends her hands to the needy.

When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
       for all of them are clothed in scarlet.

She makes coverings for her bed;
       she is clothed in fine linen and purple.

Her husband is respected at the city gate,
       where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.

She makes linen garments and sells them,
       and supplies the merchants with sashes.

She is clothed with strength and dignity;
       she can laugh at the days to come.

She speaks with wisdom,
       and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

She watches over the affairs of her household
       and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Her children arise and call her blessed;
       her husband also, and he praises her:

"Many women do noble things,
       but you surpass them all."

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
       but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

Give her the reward she has earned,
       and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

 How to Make A Compost Bin 
  1. Obtain a plastic storage bin.

    Plastic storage bins are available just about everywhere, and most of us have at least one of them in our basement or garage. The bigger the storage bin is, the better. The bin you decide to use for composting should be no smaller than 18 gallons. The bin must have a lid. If you are able to obtain a second lid, this would be perfect to catch the liquid that leaches out of the bin. Otherwise, this nutrient-filled liquid will just be wasted.

  2. Prepare the bin.

    You need to have air circulating around your compost to help it decompose faster. To manage this in a plastic bin, you will have to drill holes in the bin. It really doesn't matter what size drill bit you use, as long as you drill plenty of holes. Space them one to two inches apart, on all sides, bottom, and lid. If you use a large spade or hole-cutting drill bit, you may want to line the interior of the bin with wire mesh or hardware cloth to keep rodents out.

  3. Place your bin in a convenient spot.

    Because this bin is so small, it will fit just about anywhere. If you are a yardless gardener, a patio, porch, or balcony will work just fine. If you have plenty of space, consider putting it outside the kitchen door so that you can compost kitchen scraps easily, or near your vegetable garden so that you can toss weeds or trimmings into it. It can also go inside a garage or storage shed if you'd rather not look at it.

  4. Filling the bin.

    Anything you would throw in a normal compost pile, you can throw into your storage container composter: leaves, weeds, fruit and vegetable peels, egg shells, coffee grounds, tea bags, and grass clippings all work well. Anything you put into the storage bin composter should be chopped fairly small so it will break down quicker in the small space. Fruit and vegetable trimmings can be chopped small with a knife, or run through a blender or food processor to break them down. Chop leaves by running a lawn mower over them a few times. Crush eggshells finely so they will break down faster.

  5. Maintain your bin.

    Every day or so, as you think of it, you can aerate the bin by giving it a quick shake.

    If the contents of the bin are staying very wet, or there is an unpleasant odor coming from the bin, you'll need to add some shredded fall leaves, shredded newspaper, or sawdust to the bin. These will dry it out and help restore the ratio of greens to browns that makes compost happen more quickly.

    If the contents are very dry, use a spray bottle to moisten the contents, or add plenty of moisture-rich items such as fruits or veggies that are past their prime.

  6. Harvesting and using your compost.

    The easiest way to harvest the finished compost from your bin is to run it all through a simple compost sifter so that the large pieces are kept out of the finished compost. Anything that still needs to decompose can go back into the bin, and the dark, crumbly finished compost can either be stored in a bucket or bin for later use or immediately used in the garden. It is also wonderful to use in container plantings.

    A plastic storage bin composter can be used year-round, and is a convenient solution for those of us who don't have space for a large pile.

Tips:

  1. Do this project outside. The drilling step creates quite a mess.
  2. If possible, toss a few handfuls of leaves or shredded newspaper into the bin whenever you add very wet items to maintain the correct moisture levels.
  3. To turn the compost easily, just give the bin a shake every couple days.

What You Need:

  • Plastic storage bin, eighteen gallons or larger
  • Drill and sharp drill bits
  • Kitchen scraps, yard waste, or shredded newspaper to fill the bin
  • Wire mesh, if you are drilling large holes
 
    "To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed." ~ Titus 2:5