A new compost jar.
One of the great things about being a potter is to be able to make a pot to fulfill a need that I have at home. I can make something that is 'just right' instead of 'good enough' for the job.
We were in need of a compost jar. I had many parameters in mind when designing it. You might think that it just looks like a regular old jar, but it is oh so much more...
You might remember that we live in the middle of Chicago and you probably don't think about Chicago and composting going very well together. (Actually, you probably don't think about Chicago and compost at all...) Well, here's how we do it... We're friends with our next door neighbors (neighbor Eric is a potter and we work at Lillstreet together.) and they have a great yard and a compost bin on the other side of our scrappy fence. So we just reach over the fence and dump our compost in their bin (the bags make this especially easy). It's all very quaint and neighborly. We chat over the fence, share homegrown veggies and compare grilling tips.
It might sound a bit silly, but this is another one of those things that makes me happy to live where I live. When we moved to Chicago 9 years ago, I didn't think that my city life would have much in common with my life growing up in New Hampshire. But it does. We grow vegetables and herbs (on a porch instead of in a garden), go to the farmer's market, we compost our food scraps and have truly great neighbors.
We were in need of a compost jar. I had many parameters in mind when designing it. You might think that it just looks like a regular old jar, but it is oh so much more...
We have these great compost bags that needed to fit the jar but have a bit of an overhang so they can get tied off. There is a groove cut into the jar about a half inch from the lip of the pot so a rubber band can be used to hold the bag in place. The hefty lid is super snug and also acts as a compactor.
You might remember that we live in the middle of Chicago and you probably don't think about Chicago and composting going very well together. (Actually, you probably don't think about Chicago and compost at all...) Well, here's how we do it... We're friends with our next door neighbors (neighbor Eric is a potter and we work at Lillstreet together.) and they have a great yard and a compost bin on the other side of our scrappy fence. So we just reach over the fence and dump our compost in their bin (the bags make this especially easy). It's all very quaint and neighborly. We chat over the fence, share homegrown veggies and compare grilling tips.Here's Ian dumping the compost tonight:
It might sound a bit silly, but this is another one of those things that makes me happy to live where I live. When we moved to Chicago 9 years ago, I didn't think that my city life would have much in common with my life growing up in New Hampshire. But it does. We grow vegetables and herbs (on a porch instead of in a garden), go to the farmer's market, we compost our food scraps and have truly great neighbors.