Wanted: Borrow an electric composter for natural indigo dye experiments?

[nicholaswenner]

Hello!

I'm looking for an electric composting machine (e.g. Compostio C30) to run some experiments for a local sustainable textile organization called Fibershed. We're working to develop a local industry of natural indigo dye, as well as many other components of a regenerative textile economy.

See more info here.

One way to make indigo dye is to compost indigo plant leaves outdoors over the course of about 3 months, and we're curious if an electric composting unit will allow us to speed the process and give greater control.

We're hoping to borrow a small unit to run some proof-of-concepts tests. Please let me know if you have one of these and would be willing to support our efforts!

Thank you!

-Nick Wenner

[nicofrog]

Hi Nick;
Composting by it's nature is run by Bacteria,mold,enzymes,yeast,and air. or the lack of air.
I am interested in your experiment. I teach composting and generally use a combination of Hot composting and worm composting to produce a safe and potent product from Post consumer food waste.
the results from Anaerobic composting on your dye would almost certainly be hugely different that those of Thermophilic composting (mesophilic or thermophilic conditions) .
for instance Iron based clays turn black in anaerobic conditions (Fe1) or red (Fe2)in oxidizing or hot conditions ,so the same clay from the same region can be completely different depending on the presence of oxygen .

I imagine the same thing might take place with your indigo leaves and suspect that the slow,stinky anaerobic may well be where your mellow dye is eventually birthed . not to mention that hot enough hot composting could simply incinerate the leaves entirely.

The idea of a composting "machine" is funny to me,Compost happens,it is not all THAT mysterious,and I'll bet if you do not set up that machine with meticulously perfect ingredients you wind up with some kind of mess,or a jammed machine. why try to speed up the river? (or shovel sand against the tide!) Composting is an easy process of nature,when you understand the basic components of organic materials in question,contents of "food"{nitrogen }fiber starchy bulk and texture (allowing for airflow) you can steer the mix to act as you like.

Rotation compost systems are a big granfaloon biz that produce next to nothing, asides from the horrible amounts of effluent that usually appears on the outside of the bins,and gets on your hands,and stinks for the neighbours .most people forget to rotate them for a few weeks ,the whole mess hardens on one side and rotation becomes next to impossible .Some clever scientist figured out that if you take exactly the right mix of all the carefully chopped ingredients compost would happen most efficiently, and that no doubt is true ,but does not relate to real life and nature. A hobby ,not a practical solution.

probably the leaves fell off the plants or trees,piled up flat and just sat there for six months, folks dug in and went wow!this stuff makes your hands turn blue! (hmm maybe that where all that Blue Krishna stuff got started!! )


you can pile and wait,you could build a simple worm box(but worms might eat up and convert the goods?!) or try hot and see. but you are very wise to BORROW a machine, rather than wasting a bunch of money on something unlikely to produce the results you want ,or need.


wet some leaves,pour a bit of yoghurt water on them ,jamm them into a large ceramic of glass crock ,put on a tight lid ,and check in in three weeks,(plug your nose!) if its too stinky,put it out on the ground for another week. ???
imagine a tree.....

Hello!

I'm looking for an electric composting machine (e.g. Compostio C30) to run some experiments for a local sustainable textile organization called Fibershed. We're working to develop a local industry of natural indigo dye, as well as many other components of a regenerative textile economy.

See more info here.

One way to make indigo dye is to compost indigo plant leaves outdoors over the course of about 3 months, and we're curious if an electric composting unit will allow us to speed the process and give greater control.

We're hoping to borrow a small unit to run some proof-of-concepts tests. Please let me know if you have one of these and would be willing to support our efforts!

Thank you!

-Nick Wenner