permaculture

[steveread@free.fr]

I missed the bit on red wrigglers which I imagine are Eisenia foetida? They'll
probably move in anyway along with Lumbricus rubellus around the edges where 
its
cooler. Vermicomposting is where these are really designed in.

Another quick compost bin design is to use an old chest freezer, lay some mesh
at the bottom raised off the floor by about 20cm, pierce holes under this
through the sides. Fill with materials, using a few vertical pipes about 
10-15cm
diameter to leave ventilation tunnels bottom to top when you side them out. 
Then
you can either install a black chimney fixed to the top to provide draught or
wedge the lid ajar. Well run with the right C:N ratio these get well hot. To
empty you can dig out or just tip it over.

Following general PmC principals it is best perhaps to make the compost where
you're going to use it, I tend to make my bins moveable and this leaves an
enrriched baresoil patch for planting/seeding.

Then you've got the hot V cold composting debate.

The Jean Pain system developed here in France is very effective and gives lots
of surplus heat.  
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/1980-03-01/The-Genius-of-Jean-Pain.aspx

SteveR