Nature's balancing act

It's not the change in temperature, but the shorter days that make the leaves turn colors and fall. Has to do with photosynthesis.

I've been creating piles and piles of leaves all around my yard.


I load them into the wheel barrel and then unload them onto a tarp in front of the shredder. I don't have a collection bag, but just let the output spray onto "receiving tarps".


My process is not "carbon neutral" but much less toxic than if I were using chemical fertilizer. I just roll up the output tarps and funnel the shredded leaves into my compost.

This addition is about 4 wheel barrel-fulls of leaves.


My compost is hot! It's so exciting to lift it with a pitch fork and see steam come out. It's warm to the touch. It should be alternating layers of "green" and "brown" --- but I have an overabundance of brown.


It's only November, but when the leaves are raked away, I find sprouts already budding.


Turn, turn, turn. It never stops.