All composting supplies and rain barrels are available for preorder only. Get one of each and be ready to conserve precious water and make compost to improve garden soil.
Knox-Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District, in cooperation with Maine Resource and Recovery Association, is again offering local residents the opportunity to improve soil and conserve water right in their own backyards at deep discount prices.
It’s easy with the tried-and-true 80-gallon Earth Machine backyard composter and the 55-gallon Systern rain barrel. Both are made of recycled materials, designed to fit into any landscape, and are offered at wholesale prices. The Earth Machine composter has an “in at the top/out at the bottom” design and a 10-year warranty. The Systern rain barrel fits under a downspout to take advantage of roof run-off for garden watering and has built-in mosquito mesh and overflow capability.
This year, the organizations are offering a 3-by-3-foot trap-wire bin made by Brooks Trap Mill in Thomaston that has a ¾-cubic-yard capacity. This larger bin, made of coated lobster-trap wire, is perfect for yard debris and has the seal of approval from some of Maine’s top composting experts.
To make it even easier to convert kitchen scraps into soil, these accessories are available: a 2-gallon Sure Close kitchen scrap pail with vented, locking lid that keeps odors in and flies out; a Wingdigger compost aerator and turner to mix compost layers and decrease compaction without straining one’s back; and the REOtemp compost thermometer with a 20-inch stem to monitor interior temperatures and turn anyone into a serious composting enthusiast. Prices for all items are well below suggested retail.
Backyard composting items will be on display at the Knox-Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District office at 893 West St. (Route 90) in Rockport and at the spring plant sale at the Union Fair grounds on Saturday, May 4 (9 a.m. to 2 p.m.) and Sunday, May 5 (10 a.m. to 1 p.m.). Order online or download an order form at knox-lincoln.org/backyard-sale and send with a check by May 4, or place an order at the spring plant sale. Pickup for composting items will be in early June at the district office.
For more information or to request an order form by mail, contact Knox-Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District at 596-2040 or info@knox-lincoln.org.
