Gardening; Marathon Key Style

First, this is a wonderful breakfast/brunch/lunch stop in Marathon. A cozy atmosphere, free wifi, with excellent coffee and menu plus a very friendly waitstaff. 

Now, about the veggie garden... While a little mish-mash in style, this is an excellent example on how to conserve/contain organic soil in a harsh environment. Don't let the green fool you. The Keys "dirt" is every bit an empty as a desert. In fact, there is very little dirt, but limestone from an ancient reef.

This was the only compost I know of in the entire Keys, which is a shame. The bio-load is so minimal that any effort to compost would greatly improve any garden in Monroe County. While I loved seeing this one, I could not help but think of a couple of steps that would greatly improve both the look and efficacy. One - make the compost boxes out of "repurposed" wooden pallets. Four pallets, with wire mesh on the inside and several handles on the sides and maybe a loose pallet on top (to keep the critters out). This design would allow for easy movement and turn over. I also would crush the egg shells a bit more in the kitchen for faster conversion. Still, big time kudos for having the piles.