Hello and welcome to The Compost Bin. I'm Compostwoman and I live with my family in rural Herefordshire. We have nearly four acres of garden and woodland, all managed organically and to Permaculture principles, which we share with Chickens, Cats and assorted wildlife. We also grow a lot of our own food, run courses in all sorts of things and make a lot of compost!

I am a Master Composter and have spent more than a decade as a volunteer Community Compost adviser with Garden Organic and my local Council.
I'm a self employed Environmental Educator so I run workshops and events where I talk about compost, veg growing, chicken keeping, cooking, preserving and sustainable living. I also run crafts workshops and Forest School/outdoor play sessions in our wood.

We try to live a more self sufficient lifestyle here, as best we can, while still having a comfortable life and lots of fun.


To learn more about us click on the About Compostwoman tab and remember to click on the photos to make them full size!


Showing posts with label holidays. Show all posts
Showing posts with label holidays. Show all posts

Sunday, 2 November 2014

Half term fun


So, the end of another month and what strange weather we have had. Climate Change deniers must be finding it harder and harder to justify their position!

Compostgirl had a good half term, she went to the stables on four separate days, one of which was with her friend who we gave a "Pony for a day" session as our birthday present to her. She really enjoyed it and the pair of them got into the spirit of the Halloween theme by making themselves Vampire costumes.



Compostgirl really enjoys riding and has made lots of friends at the stables and as they are only a mile away it is nice and local to us.

I had fun buying up art last weekend at blue-ginger gallery. Betty Sloth Bear is now being introduced to the various other wildlife.




The half term ended on a high note with us all taking part in the Lugg Valley Archers Halloween shoot at Mordiford on Sunday. Weather was a bit damp and variable but I took along a gazebo and we hid from the occasional downpour while drinking coffee and chatting.



Costumes were required- I wore my long black velvet cloak and a bat mask, Compostgirl reprised her Vampire costume and Compostman hung garlic and a crucifix arond his neck and went as a vampire hunter - wielding a pointed stake at any vampires who got too close :)

A fun end to a good week

Wednesday, 3 September 2014

Tour of Wales Day 3 - Dyfi Ospreys, blog friends and familiar places


After a good night sleep and another excellent breakfast provided by The Ship Inn, I paid my bill, said goodbye and was on my way for a very exciting (and long) day. My family are from around St David's/Carmarthen so I know the area well and couldn't wait to re visit some familiar places.


First stop, The Sea! Abereiddi beach where I had a walk up the cliff path and also a potter on the (black from the local slate) sand. Wonderful.


I love picking up beautiful shaped stones and fossils.


There were very few people on the beach early on a Sunday morning.


Then back in the car and on to park and then walk to Pentre Ifan Burial Chamber. Amazing views out to sea from the footpath.




Some very pretty Welsh Mountain ponies were in the adjoining field






Then back in the car again and onwards past Castell Henllys Iron Age Hill fort, where I stopped and wandered up to the Sacred Spring for some quiet reflection. I then went down to the shop and bought some coffee, some celtic silver earings and a celtic pattern throw (in the sale and incredibly cheap!)


I stopped at Newport, where I watched the ferries come and go. I spent some time with family to say hello and visited some graves of relations to pay my respects.  I then headed up towards North Wales, through spectacular scenery to my next destination


Dyfi Osprey Project! I have been following the adventures of the Dyfi Ospreys for several years; they have a brilliant set up with live camera feeds observing the nest platform and now have a terrific observatory. I have been dying to see the place for ages.


After buying my ticket, I started the short walk across the marshes to the 360 observatory


Fabulous views from the upper floor





The Osprey nest platform through the lenses  in the observatory


I got to see (in real life, not via the live streaming camera!) Monty the male Osprey and his young ones Deri and Gwynant. The mother bird, had already migrated a week earlier.


Inside the Observatory there was an amazing full sized wooden model of an Osprey hanging from the ceiling - see how large they are!


Finally I had to leave ( it was closing time and they had to throw me out!) and walked back across the marshes to my car. Amazing views everywhere.

I then set off even further north, to my final destination, nearly to the very top of Wales.


The welcoming smiles of Sue and her Lovely Hubby, from the blog Our New Life in the Country. 


I had a lovely evening - met the dogs Suki and Rosy and Charley


and Ginger the cat.

Sue and LH were both so welcoming and after a lovely meal and lots of wine and lots of chat (we stayed up very late!) I was shown a beautiful guest bedroom and fell fast asleep.

Another really wonderful day :)

Friday, 14 September 2012

A visit to Wroxeter Roman City

As is traditional, August Bank Holiday Monday was wet. VERY wet indeed. So we decided to go out for the afternoon. Being members of English Heritage we decided to re-visit Wroxeter, a Roman city in Shropshire, near to Telford.

This was the reconstructed villa as seen is " Rome wasn't built in a day" on C 4. We saw it being built, on our last visit back in 2010 - the day we also went to Acton Scott.

This time, when we went the reconstructed town house was inhabited by re enactors " in period" and very good they were.







We had a really good day out at Wroxeter, despite the (traditional on a Bank Holiday in the UK) dreadful weather! We even sat in a shelter, eating our packed lunch and drank tea while the rain poured down outside. Ah traditions!  This reminded me of many an August Bank holdiday as a child, sitting with my parents and brother in our car or in a cafe, looking out over a deserted Welsh beach which was being lashed by Atlantic wind and rain :-)

The rain did stop though and we had a look around the rest of the site.


El looking through part of the Forum wall


The Baths




The sunken Calderium




After we left Wroxeter, we all went and had a nice meal in our local pub before heading for home. A good day out for all of us :-)

Sunday, 3 June 2012

Jubilee Sunday at Compost Mansions

Bloomin Heck it is STILL raining here! Has been since yesterday evening!  It MUST be a holiday in the UK lol

Apart from hen, polytunnel, cat and guinea pig duties, we have been having a peaceful day resting, reading and playing on her DSi ( Compostgirl) , fettling JCB's ( Compostman) crochet, sewing and reading (Compostwoman) and all of us eating and watching bits of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Thames Pagent - not particularly monarchist here - indeed some of us* are Republicans-   BUT the ships, barges, boats etc were amazing and I was really impressed by "Gloriana" the lead rowing barge.

After a lovely meal we all then watched the first 2 episodes of last years BBC adaptation of Just William, and Compostman and I watched various Disco themed proggrammes later on, on BBC   ( about Donna Summer and the History of Disco)

Slightly worried ( in a sort of good way lol) that, yet again, I know all the words to all the songs -

Question - why does my brain not explode with all the rock, pop, disco, folk, classical, poetry, plays etc I seeem to be able to spout at a moments notice? Why, when I didn't learn them on purpose?

Especially when I can't remember if I have shut the polytunnel door or not ...!

Isn't the human brain a wonderful thing?
( *that would be me, then!)

Friday, 24 December 2010

Merry Christmas and a blessed Yule!

To all my readers and blog friends, old and new, Season's greetings, A festive Yule and a Happy New Year!




From all of us here at Compost Mansions, the humans, the feathery two legged and the furry four legged ones.







May you have a lovely, lovely holiday time!





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