| The word compost is old French componere; to put | | | | water bill since the soil amendments you put on your |
| together. Compost is a mixture largely of decayed | | | | land actually stops water evaporation because of the |
| organic matter used for fertilizing and conditioning the | | | | mulching effect of the compost,(you might even |
| land,( Webster's New Encyclopedic Dictionary copy | | | | want to consider rain barrels for a drip system to |
| right 1993.) | | | | water the garden or greenhouse plants if your |
| Point being; organic matter must first decompose in | | | | county allows the use of them). |
| order to be compost. There are different degreesof | | | | And you now have the bragging rights to show the |
| decomposition and in order to reach the degrees of | | | | world how you personally lesson your carbon foot |
| decomposition certain conditions must be met. | | | | print on this beautiful planet by improving your |
| Since organic matter is the raw material of the | | | | environment, conserving earth's resources and adding |
| composting process which under the correct | | | | to the futures sustainability. |
| conditions breaks down and forms into humus | | | | In a nut shell here is why we make compost: |
| composting can now be called making of humus. | | | | - Knowing compost replenishes the nutrients in the |
| Humus is defined by Webster as; the brown or black | | | | soil and growing healthier plants for our consumption. |
| organic portion of soil formed by decomposition of | | | | - Create a sustainable environment and lessening our |
| plant or animal matter. Peat is humus that is thousand | | | | carbon foot print |
| if not millions of years old and a prized addition to | | | | - Ready made mulch to help with weed control and |
| any garden, (Peat is also the first stage of the | | | | erosion control |
| formation of coal). | | | | - Saving of land fills by recycling our kitchen waste |
| Farmers of old and new have made heaps of plant | | | | and lawn and garden vegetation waste. |
| and animal matter, (usually manure), often old crop | | | | - Saves money on water bills by building up the |
| residue, when cleaning up their farms. And we home | | | | humus content in your outdoor beds. |
| gardeners too have made such heaps. Think of the | | | | - Saves money on buying soil amendments that are |
| piles of leaves or grass clippings you have raked up in | | | | pre-bagged (or you can stretch the bags of potting |
| your yard or the weeds pulled and piled up to be | | | | soil by mixing your compost with it, stretch that |
| hauled off. These are all composting material of one | | | | dollar value) |
| type or another. We call these items raw material or | | | | - Composting saves money on your trash pick up. |
| material in its raw state. If you leave the piles for a | | | | - You gain inter confidence in learning and applying |
| time on the ground, and water is allowed to wet | | | | the science of land husbandry |
| them down they start the decomposing which is in | | | | - You feel proud that you grow great plants and |
| intermediate state, of course the soil underneath the | | | | have educated yourself on the many wonders of |
| pile is full of microorganisms that are busy working on | | | | nature |
| the pile, fueling their own body with the decaying | | | | - You make new friends and impress old ones when |
| plants mixture. And did I mention worms? Yepper | | | | you talk about or share your compost,(and I like to |
| they too show up for the feast and start aerating | | | | think mother nature smiles at you for all your |
| the pile and then of course all the microorganisms are | | | | efforts.) To help you get started I have listed types |
| creating heat with their activity. | | | | of material to compost. Hunt for your material in your |
| Now with all this going on we also have a chemical | | | | own home, yard, and neighborhood, and shop around |
| reaction which in turn creates a chelating, ( chelation, | | | | for the right type of composter to meet your needs. |
| pronounced keelation), effect that makes the | | | | Call and ask questions, a reputable retailer will and |
| minerals and trace elements, found in the soil, | | | | should take the time needed to answer all your |
| available to the plant roots which makes for healthy | | | | questions and assist you even after you buy their |
| plants. We consume these healthy plants which in | | | | composting products. If not keep shopping until you |
| turn contributes to our healthy bodies. And then the | | | | find one. And please remember it takes doing to learn |
| whole cycle repeats itself. | | | | perfection so don't get discouraged if it takes more |
| Farmers who use good husbandry will always put | | | | than one try to learn the many ways to make good |
| back the needed nutrients into the soil in which they | | | | compost. Even Mother- Nature has to redue when |
| grow our table food. | | | | the ingredients and conditions are less than what is |
| Just adding chemical nutrients with out the needed | | | | needed to make compost; |
| microorganisms and humus makes for having no | | | | Greens (Nitrogen): |
| chelators needed to unlock the minerals and trace | | | | ¨ Kitchen Vegetable and fruit waste |
| elements for the plants to consume by their roots | | | | ¨ Eggshells and coffee or tea grounds |
| system. Chelators are produce by humus. Humus is | | | | ¨ Grass Clippings |
| the composted material. Compost is organic plant and | | | | ¨ Rabbit or chicken manure,(aged manure is |
| animal matter that's life cycle has come to its end. | | | | best, fresh manure in garden can burn young roots, |
| With out plants no animal could live, including humans. | | | | high in nitrogen) |
| So it is the plant which is nurtured by sun, air and | | | | ¨ Cow or horse manure (ok if straw bedding is |
| water that gives way to make the humus filled soil | | | | mixed in with manures) |
| that feed the animal and human life on this planet. | | | | ¨ Culled green plants |
| The Laws of Nature is truly something to marvel at! | | | | Brown (Carbon): |
| Now, you might ask, why if nature has this process | | | | ¨ Fallen leaves |
| in perfection do we need to compost? | | | | ¨ Sawdust |
| Answer; we humans live in concentrated areas and | | | | ¨ Small woody twigs |
| repeatedly farm the same land spaces(the wise | | | | ¨ Dried plant, weeds |
| farmer/gardener will rotate crops), and the demand | | | | ¨ Dried straw, hay |
| that population make for more and more food | | | | Approx ratio for mixture: 2 parts green to 1 part |
| causes a depletion in the soil that is used to grow | | | | brown, dampen down each part but do not soak, |
| this food. | | | | should be the consistency of a rung out wet sponge. |
| Solution; make compost to add to the depleted land | | | | For faster compost alternate green and brown |
| and replenish the used up nutrients. And since we are | | | | mixture and you can also add activators, intermixed |
| able to speed up the process using composting | | | | with the layering or if using a tumbler just sprinkle |
| methods and modern equipment we can efficiently | | | | onto the materials periodically (if a yeast that is |
| replace that which Nature does over a long | | | | mixed with water be sure count it as part of your |
| timeline(longer than our life spans in most cases). And | | | | moisture content.) |
| of course there is the fact that we clear the lands of | | | | Other activators (this is the stuff our parents and |
| plant residue that normally would recycle by nature | | | | grandparents used.) |
| so with that in mind you may say we have hindered | | | | - Alfalfa meal |
| nature by removing the items she uses to make | | | | - Cottonseed meal |
| humus with. That is ok only because we do have the | | | | - Bone meal |
| means to replace it all by making compost and so the | | | | - Blood meal |
| cycle continues. | | | | - Soy meal |
| Now larger Farmers in America and around the world | | | | - Fresh hot manure Remember a little goes along |
| do their part to recycle and replenish but that doesn't | | | | way, ( I myself prefer the activators that are now |
| account for the great populations of city dwellers | | | | sold by composting retailers since I am not fond of |
| that buy the farm produce at the market. And yes, | | | | bone or blood meal due to it being animal by product |
| we are accountable for what we consume and if we | | | | often of unknown origin). |
| do our part the pay off comes in tangible form | | | | Compost tea is a by product of composting that |
| The first thing to consider about making your own | | | | gives a great liquid fertilizer to use on your plants. |
| compost is the money you will save in the long run. | | | | Remember to dilute it, the nitrogen is quite high. |
| Recycling your kitchen and yard waste by using them | | | | Making compost is a time honored way of life. No |
| in composting to put back into your plant beds and | | | | matter if you live in the country with lots of land or |
| gardens means less waste to haul off to the local | | | | in the city with just a patio and some potted plants. |
| landfills and less pick up to pay the local waste | | | | You can make a difference in your environment. And |
| management each month. | | | | it is a good way to educate friends and family about |
| Then of course you also don't need to buy top soil | | | | the cycle of life and the quality of ones life. And |
| or potting soil since you have a means to make your | | | | saving the land fills is a great way to help your |
| own rich humus, that is more savings for you. | | | | country and your pocket book. |
| And let us not forget the savings you have on your | | | | |