Mostly what you see is clumps of dried leaves..
*I have two full lawns of leaves I have to use...
so, I stuff my bins full, and sometimes it doesn't get all rendered down...
So, there's those clumps..
*I don't have any access to manure..
well, none unless I want to pay for it..
But I did just work for some bunny poop!*
It wasn't a whole lot though.
(I did just load that stuff into one bin,
and it sure does cook faster...)
I sift my compost for stretching my gardening dirt/soil, when doing my
seeds, I make up a
seed mix of half compost and half
seed starting bags..
*in a wheelbarrow full, usually doing at least 2 wheelbarrow's for
seed mix..* then I sift again, to stretch the dirt/soil for potting soil...when fill up gardening pots/containers..at least 4 wheelbarrows full between my mother and myself...
I sift it, so it is finer and no so clumpy like you see in the picture..*especially for starting
seeds, they can't break thru the big clumps*
I also use it as a top and side dressing to my gardens, and it's easier to have the
plants grow thru it, when emerging thru the soil...
Yes, those beds are for gardening...
and I used to use a mini~rototiller, but stopped..
got to reading about rototilling isn't all that good for the soil.. it breaks down the worm tunnels, and chops it up into fine particules, and then can act more like clay...
So, I stopped... and to be honest, since they are in raised beds...and no one walks on the soil, I don't really need the roto~tilling... cause it's always light and fluffy from year to year... *no compacting it*
When I did till it, I stood on those flat panels on top of the sides *the seats actually* and used one of those mini~tillers, a Ryobi.....
It was quite easy...
Here's the other 3...
*and I would love to have two more 4' x 30'...
man that would be most excellant..