Add a whole bunch of nitrogen (greens).

Used coffee grounds, horse, cow, chicken, or bunny manure,dry molasses (in 50 lb bags at the feed store for maybe $12 if I remember correctly), & alfalfa pellets, also from the feed store, will eat up that carbon very quickly.

A knife, saw, hatchet to break them up a bit first then pour on the nitrogen. Even if you hit it with a hammer to smash up the stalks to allow the nitrogen to get inside.
Sandy

Do you have a lawnmower. Most of them will shred up the plants pretty well, some better than others, of course.
Bill P.

Your pruners will cut them into smaller bits and pieces, but if your compost mix is close to the optimal ratio it should not take much time for the bacteria to digest even the long, whole stalks. Adding more N, if the stalks are still green probably is not necessary since those green stalks witll have a lot of N in them.

Thanks for all the advice. Right now my compost pile is covered by about two feet of snow (at least). The winter compost pile is in a garbage can with holes where I can sort of control what goes in. I shred a lot of paper and put that in plus leaves and vegetable leftovers. I definitely put no meat in since I understand that is a no-no. Can always depend on you nice folks to help me. - Barb

Here in Belgium, shredders and other composting-related things are subsidised by the State: I got back thirty percent of the price of my (low-noise) shredder!

Not much use to you, unless you decide to move one day.

Just pile them up, they'll be gone before you know it. Especially if you cover them with mulch and plant around them.

I use a sharp machette. Throw them on the pile, and swing wildly. Scream a lot and swear at them when you do this: it doesn't break them up any better, but it keeps the neighbors away.

I'm always amazed at how much my piles shrink without much additional work on my part. I have better things to do with gas, electricity and sharp tools than use them on compost.

Maybe, if you have the space you could build a cold pile where you can just leave the bigger things longer? It sounds to me like you need more than one pile/bin.

I've always thought the best thing about compost is that Mother Nature is doing most of the work--not me.

Here is a link that might be useful: tropical garden photo blog

Add a whole bunch of nitrogen (greens).
Used coffee grounds, horse, cow, chicken, or bunny manure,dry molasses (in 50 lb bags at the feed store for maybe $12 if I remember correctly), & alfalfa pellets, also from the feed store, will eat up that carbon very quickly.

Horse, cow and Chicen manure are considered "hot" manure that will burn your plants! These manures need to be aged for a year or more to be safe on your plants.
Rabbit, goat and sheep manure as well as water from fish aquariums and ponds can also be used directly into the garden.
I don't use cat, dog or human waste.
JMHO Nancy

"In the Fall when I take out all of the tomato vines,etc and throw them in the compost bin, I always have such big items--like the corn stalks and thick tomato vines, etc"

The material is in a compost bin, not in the garden.