Leaf pile update

Day 1, 2, and 3 of a leaf pile:

As pictured, last fall a landscaper dropped off a truck load of leaves. Supposedly shredded by his equipment, I found much of it is intact leaves which of course matted down in wet layers with dry pockets in the pile too. In other words, minimal decomposition.

The book "Step by Step Organic Gardening" warns that leaf piles become sodden matted layers incapable of decomposing. True. He recommended shredding with a machine.

Well, I have s shredder and they are a pain with leaves. I've done it. Imagine lifting 1000 pounds of leaves rake full by rake full, unclogging jams, throwing out nasty dust. Time, noise, fuel - it's simply not worth it.

Solution? The chickens. All it took is a pitchfork to toss them a big pile each day. They are one happy flock! They break down the pile doing their instinctive scratch of search. and they get amply rewarded with worms. Each day they finish a full wheelbarrow. I would say about 2 dozen worms are in each. So the hens remain very motivated workers!

So the leave pile is more the half gone. I used probably 1/3 to mulch paths in the garden. And the girls have been working on the rest.