I was thinking maybe a small container that rolls, that I could drag down the steps? Or a bag of some sort? I'd like to do a pile in the back of the yard, but I am not sure I can do that walk every day, yet. I had the garden planted right inside the fence, close to the steps, so watering would be easy. I think I could get by with a pile near the fence on the non-neighbor side, about halfway to the back.

Any tips, especially from others who have rheumatoid autoimmune disorder (RA) or something similar would be appreciated very much. Thank you.

Lloyd

Worms are wonderful, definitely look into that option (Worms Eat My Garbage is a good book, likely available in the library). If you could pay someone to dig trenches that you gradually fill with compost ingredients and cover with soil, that could work too. Another option would be to keep the kitchen scraps in the freezer, in containers of a size that would not be too difficult to lift. When you are having a good day, you could then place the containers in a wagon and pull that to the compost pile.

I have seen RA suck the life (and money) out of my mother. I think that it is wonderful that you are having more good days and wish you the best in all your composting and other endeavors.

I'm definitely going to look into the worm thing. The freezer is out of the question, at least for a while, because ours is tiny and full of ice packs lol. I am hoping that if the garden does well, I'll be able to justify getting a small deep freeze, and may do that anyway, to keep from buying grocery store meat. But for now, it's not possible.

I am thinking probably that I will just start with a small bucket and just empty it every night. It may be that we generate more than I think, but we'll see.

I don't think I can turn it, though, and DH is not on board with anything garden-wise, so I am doing it all this year. I have read that I can just poke it, though, to keep air going through.

So, for my shopping list tomorrow, so far I have:
a small bucket
a small, light pitchfork, if they exist

In our household of 6 mainly plant eaters, we still do not take out the compost every night. There are some nice buckets that have charcoal chips for absorbing odors that could be nice. We just use left over ice cream buckets. I have 2 under the sink, I would love to say that as soon as they are full they go out, but what is more accurate is that as soon as they are full and a mixing bowl on the counter is full, I inform one of the kids that it needs to go out.

Just do a little worm research, find a bin design that works for you (plenty of designs on the internet and in books), and you'll be good to go. Best of luck.

I am bitter because when I first started composting it did not work out so I emailed the company because my compost was a rock hard failure and they wanted to sell what is basically just a pointy stick to poke my compost, instead of telling me to add bagged browns, so it took me years to figure out how to actually compost. But, they will tell you anything to make you buy something else, but they don't care if you compost fails or not. Just buy more accelerators that also do nothing.

When I first started reading about the worm composting, it seemed way complicated, so much info about it out there, but the ONE thing that is pushing me in that direction is that it doesn't need to be turned. DH has agreed to build me a home for them, too! So I think that's the way I'm gonna go. He's going to build one bin this weekend, and another later, and I'm going to get my daughter to paint them nice and pretty when she is here (and hopefully get her to do it at her house too). We should have an appliance arriving tomorrow, so I can use that cardboard to see what I can get myself, and then figure out where else to get some wormy friends. :)

Only problem left would be getting finished stuff out of there, but either my daughter can do it, or my friend from the nursery can, if DH is still stubborn by that point. I am hoping that he won't be, and will see how much easier trash day is going to be for him. :)

Thanks so much for all of your suggestions and help.

Harvesting from the worm bin can be easy. Mine are in rubbermaid containers and if I am planning on just mixing the castings into the soil, I just take a scoop, worms and all, and mix them into the soil. If I want to use the castings for seedlings or making a casting tea, then I will sieve the castings through hardware cloth (although I would really prefer to just get an easily maneuverable soil sieve, which would make this easier on me).

There is a lot of information out there on worms but I find it is one of many things that can be either as complicated or as easy as you like. I go with easy, put the bedding in a bin, add worms and food scraps, done. Wait,harvest castings. Repeat.

I do get really bad tendonitis on occasion too...sometimes, the only reason I wake up when it's 'really' morning, is because both my arms are numb and throbbing from overdoing it the day before. For that reason, I gave up with using a regular pitchfork... to me, that's more of a torture device. If my tendonitis really acts up... there's no substitute for my 'hand claw' tool.

With my sleeping disorder, the worst that could happen with me...I could forget to take my meds, fall asleep outside, and inadvertently...compost myself. But, I realize that might be much different from the challenges you face, everyone has different challenges.

You mentioned PT... If I were in your shoes, I would talk to your PT therapist about the possibility of using composting as a means of building your strength. A good PT will send you home with a bunch of (boring) excercices that you're supposed to work on at home. See if there might be a way to integrate some of the techniques you're supposed to work on anyway... with the processes involved with composting/gardening in general. If so, see about incorporating some of that into your PT plan?

If you explain to your therapist(s) what you are trying to do, at the very least...they should be able to suggest some ways to engage in gardening/composting in a way that's 'safe as possible'... for someone with your disability. But there's also the possibility... gardening/composting could be used as a means to help overcome some of the limits you deal with now. Your doc/physical therapist would be among the first people I'd ask. OT also, if that's an option. Those professionals are supposed to be in your corner at all times, and by all means... put their expertise to work for you, as much as possible.

Whatever you do, try not to get discouraged on the bad days. Everybody has those. I can lay down for a nap, and oops! Accidently slept 30 hours. It is what it is. Accept that some days are going to be better than others; focus on making progress when you can, and celebrate progress you do make. Before I was diagnosed with narcoloepsy, I was a workaholic and made good money. Now, I tell people my time is worth 3x more...because I sleep twice as often, and need to work twice as hard in order to get anything done...it would be really easy to get discouraged sometimes, but I don't allow myself the option. If you want to do something badly enough... trust me, you can always find a way.

Les in CO

Les, I can't imagine that kind of disability, but it sounds like you've become comfortable with yourself, and that's a good thing. I have a sleep disorder which makes my bioclock backwards than everyone else's, which is fine with me now that I am retired, because the sun can make me pass out, and with the meds I take, I have to watch that anyway. Not going to be taking care of it much in the daytime. Plan to water in the evening, and weed as I can at night, though I may try to find an alternative to weeding.

With the PT, the main thing we're working on is posture, but of course, strength is part of that, too. Just to give you a hint at how bad it is, I'm doin really well if I can sit without back support for 3 minutes. Lots of damage over time, lots of work to fix it. But I'll definitely talk to her about that. I won't be doing much of the work, really. Just watering, and possibly weeding. And of course EATING! :) DH is at least on board with going into the back yard and gathering free groceries lol! If my tomatoes yield enough, I will probably can or freeze, so that would give me an opportunity to build some back strength and focus on my posture. I will be done with PT by the time that happens, though, and hopefully will be practicing good habits I'm learning now. All of this will definitely benefit me. A sedentary life has taken its toll and it's time for that to end.

I have a "built in" bad day every week due to meds, and that's just par for the course, so no discouragement there. The other bad days, eh. Sometimes I let myself get down about it, sometimes I don't, but I have a really awesome support group on facebook where I can go to whine. :) Just hoping that nothing prevents me from taking my poison so that I can continue to have mostly good ones to be thankful for. Those are all used up getting caught up on things that I've had to let slide, but I'm very busy doing that so I can get back to living a somewhat normal life, if there is a such thing. :) Thanks for the encouraging words, and please don't forget your meds, because you didn't used to be a plant!!! <3

One other tip I would suggest is to get scuffle hoe and keep it moving among the plants. Otherwise you are goingto have weed problems which will be worse than carrying a pail of scraps down some steps.

Another thought. If you line your compost material collecting pot with a plastic bag could you just tie the top of the bag, throw it out into the yard and then follow it at your own pace?

If you want to work on some of this at night, a good headlamp comes in very handy...if you don't have one already. ;)

Les

Beginning next week, I'll be emptying one out, and fill it again over the next 12 months, leaving the other to rot another year.