Re: Composting

The recommened thing to do with animal manure is to let it "compost"
(sit) for at least six months before you use it.  If you are going to
compost it with yard waste it still needs to sit. For yard waste (grass
clipping and fallen leaves) the smaller the particle and the more you
turn, the faster the break down. 
   When we first started composting we made the mistake of looking up
the "proper" ratios for green to brown materials.  No one told us that
the brown stuff wasn't wood chips from the shredder.  What a headache
that was! 
   To make compost is a very simple thing to do.  Green stuff is grass,
plant and kitchen (no meats or fats) waste.  The brown stuff will be
fall leaves (do not add wood chips!) and anyother fall clean up plant
mterial.  Use the lawn mower to pick-up the leaves and dump them into
your bin or pile.  Let it sit over the winter.  In the spring you'll
have leaf mold, which is very good for your plants, then start mixing in
green materials.  Turn when it's temp.  is less than 120 degrees, or at
least once a month.  
   We do not put soil, compost activators or anyother
chemicals/fertilizers in our compost bins.  We did at one time use horse
manure, but it is harder to shovel than leaves!  You'd be surprised at
how many people will give you their fall leaves! 
  Two of the best gardening investmants we ever made were an 8 HP
chipper/shedder and this thing called a Billy Goat which is 11HP.  What
it really is according to our 8 yr. old is a "sucker-blower".  And
that's exactly what it does, but in between it also chops.  It has
speeded up the composting process, and has reduced work time by 2/3.
  We know who gives us the leaves, and that they don't use any
pesticides or herbicides.  When you raise earth worms and you garden
organicly those are very bad words. 
Sally K.
zone 6, west KY

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