Easy Question...

I've had a compost pile for about three years. It's a big round plastic form, like 5' across, with no bottom or top. I got it at the Ag Extension Service. I've added and added debris on top of it, for three years, stirring it from time to time.

The compost is at the bottom, the new additions are at the top.

Stupid Question: How do I get the compost out of the bottom of the pile? Do I have to dump the top 1/2 out into something so I can use the bottom 1/2? I've never "used" my compost because I'm not sure how to do it correctly.

Thanks for answering my stupid question :)

Can you lift up the bottom at all and spade it out from underneath? That's where the Good Stuff would be, of course.

Yeah, no way to 'lift it up'. I'm thinking I'll have to empty 1/2 of it, dig out the good stuff, then put the other 1/2 back in... do you think?

Unless you could maybe scoot the top stuff over (depending on how deep it is), pull out what you can, then mix the whole rest of it up. (I'm thinking on my feet here and that already doesn't sound good.) Could you hacksaw a "door" at the bottom, maybe leaving it attached at the top, sort of like a doggy door? Then you could access the bottom pretty easily. It wouldn't be pretty, but it would assure some aeration and it's not like stuff will fall out but a little. Or cut an actual hole and cover it with something like guttering screen?

(My ex was the farthest from handy a male can be -- I got used to brainstorming ages ago.)

brigidlily, thanks for the suggestion. I'll think about it. The "wall" is round, and is heavy plastic. If I cut a hole in it, the whole thing would probably fall down. You've given me something to think about. Thanks!

You could leave the pile to sit for a while and start another next to it. Then you could harvest the first one with no problem, since you won't be adding to it continuously, and it will be able to finish composting.
Josephine.

Tip it over and dig out the compost and then set it back up and fill with the new stuff.

Yeah, thanks Soferdig. That's what I'll have to do. I have three piles that are partially composted. I guess it will take me a whole day to do all three of them, but that's what I really need to do. I could combine all of the "leftovers" into one pile, I think. I just dread the elbow-work!

Then you need to buy your compost. Compost comes only with elbows hard at work.

Flowrlady
I think you should do what I do - see my pic - I have 2 - mine are made from fencing - I fill one up - when there is enough in it I start the other one. By the time the 2nd one is full the 1st is usually ready to use. I simply lift the cylinder of fencing off (takes 2 of us) - move the cylinder to a new location and start again. Works great !.
Judy

Have you tried a car jack - you could jack up one side and dig stuff out from the bottom.

I have also piled stuff over to one side so I could get to stuff on the bottom.

You guys are go good to give me ideas...

Soferdig, I expect to find lots of elbows in mine!

Car jacks won't work for me! I think I can use the 'fencing' kind. It is kinda like mine is now. I'll just lift the bin and transfer everything that's not composted into the place where I sit the bin back down. Then I'll have probably about 15" of good compost ready for use!

I use to compost,like Judy,and that was not a bad idea,I would fill a cylinder,and plant my tomatoes around it.They were some of the best tomatoes I ever grew,I tied the tomatoes to the wire cylinder,and never worried abut them, they were well fed, and watered. Mike

not too many elbows needed for my compost bins - they seem to do the work themselves - can't plant anything around them like your tomatoes Mike because the compost would be ready before the tomatoes are

I had that problem last year with the compost being ready before the tomatoes were, but I left those tomatoes alone, and had some wonderful tasty fruit!

This year, none volunteered, only one lonely holly hock. I'm gonna do my compost moving probably after August 22, when my Anthropology class term paper is due. :)