Compost aerator and monitor

A process for aerating and monitoring a compost pile, which comprises:

• rotating a brace attached to a second end of a shaft, a first end of which shaft is attached to a second end of a screw, which screw is shaped as a cylindrical helix, wherein the diameter of the central cylindrical cavity formed by the cylindrical helix of the screw and the tightness of the windings of the screw are of such sizes that, when the screw is inserted into a compost pile, there is collected within the windings of the screw a core of compost material that is sufficiently large to be cohesive and representative but not so large that the weight of the core will cause the core to fall from the screw when said screw is withdrawn from the compost pile;
• continuing such rotation, which causes the screw to be driven into the compost pile, until the screw has reached a desired depth;
• and
• then pulling the brace in the direction opposite to the direction in which the screw entered the compost pile while the brace is held with sufficient force, considering the leverage created by the brace, that the screw does not rotate.

A process for aerating and monitoring a compost pile, which comprises:

• rotating a handle attached to a second end of a shaft, a first end of which shaft is attached to a second end of a screw, which screw is shaped as a cylindrical helix, wherein the diameter of the central cylindrical cavity formed by the cylindrical helix of the screw and the tightness of the windings of the screw are of such sizes that, when the screw is inserted into a compost pile, there is collected within the windings of the screw a core of compost material that is sufficiently large to be cohesive and representative but not so large that the weight of the core will cause the core to fall from the screw when said screw is withdrawn from the compost pile;
• continuing such rotation, which causes the screw to be driven into the compost pile, until the screw has reached a desired depth;
• and
• then pulling the handle in the direction opposite to the direction in which the screw entered the compost pile while the handle is held with sufficient force, considering the leverage created by the handle, that the screw does not rotate.

A process for aerating and monitoring a compost pile, which comprises:

• activating a power drill to initiate rotation of a chuck of said power drill, which chuck is removably connected to a second end of a shaft, a first end of which shaft is attached to a second end of a screw, which screw is shaped as a cylindrical helix, wherein the diameter of the central cylindrical cavity formed by the cylindrical helix of the screw and the tightness of the windings of the screw are of such sizes that, when the screw is inserted into a compost pile, there is collected within the windings of the screw a core of compost material that is sufficiently large to be cohesive and representative but not so large that the weight of the core will cause the core to fall from the screw when said screw is withdrawn from the compost pile;
• continuing such rotation, which causes the screw to be driven into the compost pile, until the screw has reached a desired depth;
• and
• then pulling the power drill in a direction opposite to the direction in which the screw entered the compost pile while also pulling a guard against the power drill, which guard is slidably mounted on the shaft and which guard has a pliable, high-friction insert on the inside of the guard in a position so that it will be in contact with the chuck when the guard is pulled against the power drill, with sufficient force that the chuck and, therefore, the screw do not rotate as the screw is withdrawn from the compost pile.