First Gardening Failure of the Season

So I started a compost bin last fall. I've been adding things here and there but have been struggling to find enough carbon material to balance all my nitrogens. It has dried out a few times inside and it never seems hot like it is supposed to be. I checked it this afternoon for the first time in a month or two. I'm growing potatoes in there. Which I suppose is good news and bad news. Bad news because it's supposed to be hot and decaying not nurturing plants! Good news because apparently there are some nutrients in there and also good news because I had read somewhere that you could grow potatoes in a garbage can (which is similar to my rat-proof bin I bought). And now I have proof that it really can work!