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!


Sunday 29 May 2016

Back to Archery




After a very long lay off due to injury I re started Archery again recently, with lighter poundage limbs and less stiff arrows. Tonight I finally tried my previous set up with my previous  poundage limbs and my lovely arrows :)

And this was the result :)

No pain, either, which is good

Monday 23 May 2016

Serama Chicks :)


Pearl has hatched four chicks :) One embryo died in the shell and another egg was infertile, but 4/6 is not bad :)

I think the black two are cockerels and the blonder ones are pullets.


Sunday 15 May 2016

2 days training as an Orchard Champion

I have just finished a fantastic weekend of 2 days training as an Orchard Champion at Worcester Woods Country park venue, training provided by TCTOP's Karen Humphries and Garden Organic's Alexandra Heelis. Really really great weekend. So good to connect up with some lovely people and I can't wait to start promoting the value of traditional orchards to the public and to landowners in particular :)















Saturday 14 May 2016

TCTOP champions enjoying the lunch break sunshine


TCTOP champions enjoying the lunch break sunshine at Worcester Woods Centre.




Setting up a practice stall at a school fete for TCTOP. Note the jazzy polo shirts!

Friday 13 May 2016

SSE interview day


Remember I applied to the Lloyds Bank Social Entrepreneurs Programme back at the end of March? I got through the application and the first sift and was invited to interview.

Well yesterday I spent the day in Bristol, making a short presentation about my social enterprise plan and then having an hour interview. I think it went well, but I won't find out if I have got through to a panel interview for another two weeks.   


Plans are still underway for a social enterprise to offer all the things I used to do as a volunteer  with Garden Organic and Herefordshire Council (after 10 years of volunteering) 


So I can follow and enable the vision I talked about last May at The Eden Project/ Big Lunch Extras weekend (Best.Weekend.Ever!) 



Forms to convert my dormant Ltd company to a CIC are ready to be filed. I hope this will allow those who cannot employ me as Moors Wood (usually because they are grant funded with conditions applied) will still be able to access my expertise. I also want to carry on "to give something back" to my community and setting up a CIC seems a good model.

Wednesday 4 May 2016

River Carnival and Blossomtime

Spent the weekend being very busy at Hereford River carnival  I had an excellent day - weather could have been kinder but a lot of brochures were taken and many people made various craft items

 emotand Algy and Mrs the Serama chickens were admired 



This child really enjoyed leaning how to stick weave.

and then I was at The Big Apple Blossomtime event at Putley on Sun and Mon. 
This is just over the field and up the lane from me and I love doing it.

Weather was cold and wet and there were a few less people than previous years but despite that it went well. Algy and Mrs A the Seramas wowed the crowds as usual and sales of my tomato plants went well. I have repeat customers who come each year for unusual varieties. Lots of brochures for all the things I offer here at Moors Wood were taken away. I love local food events 

smile emoticon 












Small boy having fun with Hapa Zome



And this is what he made :) 



Morris Men!






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