Now is a good time to make this screener-sifter so that you will be ready to make some wonderful Black Gold to use this spring!
Basically, you need to make a frame that will fit on your wheelbarrow, just overlapping on the sides so that all the compost will fall into the barrow.
I used a 2 x 4 for the four sides, 1/2″ hardware cloth for the screen, eight T braces for the corners (top and bottom) and large staples to hold the wire in place. You also need to attach two pieces of 1 x 2 on the bottom (with wood screws) to fit just outside the barrow, to keep the sifter from shifting out of position. The longer pieces extending to the front and back enable two people to carry a loaded sifter from place to place.
Wheel the loaded sifter into a comfortable place, pull up a chair, and with two hand tools, work the compost back and forth, letting the small pieces and wonderful earthworms fall into the barrow. Whatever stays on top can be returned to the compost pile to ‘finish’ or can be dumped as is into a natural area of the garden.
Your garden will thank you for this wonderful topdressing!
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