I have composted leaves from the yard the last two falls. I had been buying “LeafGro” to amend my veggie garden raised beds. When I started, it was $3/bag - last year it was up over $5. So, I could only buy so many bags (10), enough for 2 beds.
Composting my own leaves, I was able to add compost to ALL the beds last fall, when I made room for the new batch of fallen leaves. When I calculated what I’d saved, it was close to $175 at a minimum.
I do add some Milorganite fertilizer to the composting leaves - helps them break down & works well in the garden. A 32 lb bag is $16.98 .... I’ll have to get a bag this year, but I still have some left over from last year.
While, home gardeners can brew their own, I don’t see it as practical for large commercial growers.
I have been trying to source my food and goods from the “parallel economy” since the pandemic showed us the handwriting on the wall of things to come, but it isn’t as easy as just bopping over to the grocery store.
Good. Any pics of your composter? What % is green vs. brown material? No problem with flies?
My horse provides about a hundred pounds of manure a day, and my trees and grass give me mor good additions to compost. My garden will be okay and I’ll be able to feed myself. But the whole world can’t do that.