Compost: how it sinks down

I often find myself telling people that their compost heaps will "sink" as they rot, and often, they don't quite believe me, or they don't quite understand what I mean.

So here is a pair of photos to illustrate how much a compost heap can sink in a week.

Exhibit A:

Last week, here it is, piled up to the rafters.

Much of the material is sopping wet, hence the mud splashed all over the front of the grid.

(And I would just draw your attention to the right-hand pen, and the mass of beautiful compost waiting to be used, and do please admire how neat and tidy it all is.)

Now, exactly seven days later, you can see just how much it has sunk over that time - it's at least a foot lower than it was.

Good thing too - as you can see, there are barrowloads more of material to go onto it!

(And yes, this is a two-wheelbarrow garden. Lucky me!)

So there you have it, that's how much a compost heap can sink in just a week!