Thanks for describing your system--I have a second big lidded tub I could haul over there to use to turn it into the same kind of operation. I've never done this in a tub or container before, always on the ground. Guess I'll get out the drill and put a few holes in the lids.

No need for compost starter, I'll scoop a shovel of the existing non-food compost out in the yard. (The dogs don't fool with that.) The grass is to kick start the heat. Fastest way to torque up a compost heap around here is to use some freshly mown grass. Lots of leaves out there also, since I've been pruning limbs in preparation for bulky waste in about 10 days (these are the limbs on trees I'd like to cut down, they're ratty hackberries destroying the fence, but for now I trim them). I'll have to be sure to keep this working fast enough so it doesn't start to smell. That's the other factor I'll monitor, it's between two houses, not way at the back of the yard like before.

Good compost keeps good neighbors. . . or something like that. ;-)

I thought about Janie and her leaves when she described the yard. She might not have to rake them all herself. If it's like here in Fort Worth, for years I haven't had big trees out front yet I have to rake several times from the neighbor's trees. There seems to be some averaging out over the neighborhood so everyone gets a share.

SRS