4 Spring 2011 Applegater
Compost happens
By DElla mErrill
Did you know it takes thousands
of years for the earth to create an inch
of rich topsoil? And every time we pull
a carrot out of the ground or harvest a
tomato or pick a weed, we are taking with
them precious dirt. You can only do that
so often until your soil becomes depleted.
Composting is a perfect solution for re-
plenishing the dirt because it not only ad-
dresses the soil’s need for more nutrients,
it keeps otherwise discarded materials out
of the landfills and it reduces our reliance
on fossil fuel fertilizers.
Compost happens, but not without
some attention to details. It takes just the
right amount of carbon and nitrogen,
consistent amounts of oxygen and water,
and you have the recipe for a really HOT
party. So hot it would hard-boil an egg!
Now most people have heard of
composting and many even practice cold
composting. Simply put, cold compost-
ing is piling all your yard clippings in a
pile and forgetting about it. Sure it takes
less effort than hot composting, but it
also takes much longer for the material to
decompose; say one to three years longer.
Hot composting, on the other
hand, is truly an art form much like very
good cooking. In fact being a conscien-
tious composter takes some of the same
skills as being a master chef; ability to
follow a recipe, the courage to change it up
when necessary and the wisdom to know
when to do what. You’ll also need to recall
some of those math and science basics
you learned some time ago, but believe
me the effort is worth it! A hot compost
pile, properly created, will decompose
the materials much faster, as in two to
six months (as opposed to years the cold
way), and heat up to temperatures of 145
degrees and beyond.
In the case of hot composting, size
really does matter. You’ll want to create a
pile that is at least 3’x3’x3’. And bigger
here, is often better. As far as compost
bins go, it’s my opinion that a free form
pile not only does the job just right, but it’s
free. No need to purchase “compost bins”
sold at local nurseries unless you’re really
cramped for room.
Believe me, there is nothing like
visiting your compost pile for the first
time and inserting the thermometer and
watching the needle as it approaches the
150-degree mark. It’s quite magical. And
just think, what’s creating that heat is mil-
lions of microorganisms having a party;
munching, digesting, and expelling all the
stuff in your pile.
You might wonder what supplies or
equipment is needed. Actually it’s quite
simple. In addition to the materials you’ll
use for composting, such as old hay, weeds,
manure, and vegetable scraps, you’ll need
a wheelbarrow, pitch-
fork, water, and com-
post thermometer.
No w d o n’t
forget, not all com-
post piles are created
equally and some
need a little more
attention to detail,
especially if things
start to stink. If you’ve created the correct
mix of carbon to nitrogen, it shouldn’t
stink. But here again, pay attention, your
nose will know the truth if your pile needs
tending. The odor is impossible to ignore.
Usually it’s a case of too much water or too
much nitrogen that causes the really bad
smells. But other issues can also slow down
the decomposition process such as lack of
water or a pile that’s too small.
So if you have yard clippings, weeds,
leaves, and garden waste you have what it
takes to heat up your compost piles. If you
have farm animals, horses, goats, chickens,
you are in an even better position to make
great compost. And there’s no reason to
wait. You can take Sanctuary One’s com-
posting class, Compost Happens, and learn
the dos and donts, and go for it. With a
little education, practice and attention to
the details, you’ll be cooking up your own
hardboiled eggs on no time, not to men-
tion enriching your soil!
If hot composting doesn’t inspire
you, then you might consider some of the
other techniques for turning materials into
usable soil enriching compost; vermicul-
ture (worm composting), hugelkultur (uses
wood scraps for composting), and making
compost tea. Whatever method you try,
just go for it and have fun.
As a care farm, Sanctuary One
cares deeply about the earth. One of the
essentials to caring for the earth is creating
healthy soil using materials that would oth-
erwise be turned into waste. So we compost
and want to teach others how to do so as
well. We offer composting classes Thursday
and Saturdays, from April through Octo-
ber. For more information, please visit us
on the Web at www.SanctuaryOne.org, or
give us a call at 541-899-8627.
Della Merrill • 541-858-3304
Photo far left: A hot compost pile.
Near left: Rich soil made from compost.
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