composting

[The Porch]

Steve has a great chapter section on composting,

Composting is like fermentation

I have mine open, on the ground. I make different piles, I want the ratios balanced




kitchen scraps
garden stuff the chickens didnt eat
grass clippings
forest floor pine needles/ dirt/ forest mulch
chicken poop
and a good soil pile
and sand is good to have


a big mixing pile - here I layer stuff
a big cooking pile
a big done ready to use pile

I have used bins build with pallets, but it was to hard to get in and turn them

[a few things I underlined in the chapter]
>Compost needs time to decompose
>vegetables need to assimilate a goodly portion of their nutrients from decomposing microorganisms
>putting enough soil in the heap to support the bacteria types is more important than putting in manure or other strong sources of nitrogen


this is how I do it,

 

[Trying2keepitReal]

very informative. How long does it take, generally speaking, for it to cook down enough to be used? and how many do you get started 1 or 2?

 

[tortoise]

Y'all are inspiring me. I stopped composting when we moved to this farm. Food scraps go to chickens or goats. Problem is, if they go to the goats, I don't get anything out of them. We don't eat the goats (2 wethered pasture pets), and we don't collect goat poo, they spread it on their pasture. I prefer to give scraps to the chickens. I figure anything they don't eat will attract bugs, and they'll eat the bugs, and the rest will decompose in the litter and end up in the garden someday. Problem with that is RATS.

Might be time to start a compost bin of some kind. 🤔

 

[Trying2keepitReal]

Like on the new property, I won't have any ready to use until maybe fall, at the time I'll be adding a winter feeding to the garden. So if I am able to get all the new garden ready by no later than April 1 I am going to have to truck in cow or horse poop to turn in with the soil of the new area.

So I am going to be starting at least 3 piles to hopefully be used in the fall, and have 3 more started in Oct to be used in the spring of 23

This sounds like a good plan-3 piles. I might reach out for help, guidance and wisdom

 

[Trying2keepitReal]

Y'all are inspiring me. I stopped composting when we moved to this farm. Food scraps go to chickens or goats. Problem is, if they go to the goats, I don't get anything out of them. We don't eat the goats (2 wethered pasture pets), and we don't collect goat poo, they spread it on their pasture. I prefer to give scraps to the chickens. I figure anything they don't eat will attract bugs, and they'll eat the bugs, and the rest will decompose in the litter and end up in the garden someday. Problem with that is RATS.

Might be time to start a compost bin of some kind. 🤔

This is where I am at....I don't want rats but I want to be able turn the compost with ease and use the natural ground as a base not a plastic bin. Gotta think on this.

 

[Trying2keepitReal]

I'm lazy. I made several bins using concrete blocks with gaps for air. Fill one up and let it sit. Occasionally I throw some water on it if it seems dry beyond the top (no turning). When one is full, I start the next. It generally takes about a year for them to finish this way, but it works for me.

This would definitely be a way to start for me---I will have to pencil in turning time otherwise.

 

[Medicine Woman]

You can double dip and use the compost bin as a water heater. It’s on my to do list.

 

[flowerbug]

Hmmmm...this I didn't know, more research tomorrow

you'll need a pretty big pile to get much heat from it, but if you can take the edge off cold water before having to heat it further that is better than nothing. if you're going for a hot pile to kill weed seeds and certain disease microbes you'll have to monitor the temperature and also rotate the pile.