The Many Layers of Compost

The Many Layers of Compost Multiple Compost Systems: Which one works for you Sundiata Ameh El Ultimate Goal? • What are you trying to achieve? – Save the planet – Do the right thing – Provide for your gardening needs – Be cool and hip because it’s the “in thing” to do – Be a model sustainability type person – Reduce landfill waste Different Types of Compost Systems • Backyard bin system • Pallet system – Backyard – Small farm • BSF Larvae & Worms (red wigglers – Microbial masters) • Open pile system – Small farm – Commercial size system – Windrow • Pros – Easy to manage – Great time to experiment Backyard – Learn the microbes (and other things) Earth Machine – Begin taking System temperature – Finding the right balance of carbon and nitrogen – Get neighbors involved (Educate them) – Food scraps not going to landfill • Cons – Limited space • Will have to find alternative space once bin is full – Difficult to turn and “see” all activity – When to stop adding fresh material – Takes too long to fully mature – Not enough to supply gardening needs – Will still need to purchase compost Backyard pallet bin Pros & Cons • Pros Cons – Open air Prone to animals – See the activity Labor intensive – Easy to turn Wood rot – Actively move the compost Uneven heat – Distribute water evenly distrubution – Add as many bins as you desire Small Farm Pallet System Black Soldier Fly Larvae – (Hermetia illucens) • The flies’ eggs grow into larvae that will eat eight to 10 times their body volume in food before they mature • The larvae process the nutrients in the food and leave behind a compost tea that can be sprayed directly on plants as a fertilizer • Makes the waste more liquid, diverting pest flies making it difficult to lay eggs thereby reducing pest flies sustainably • Converts waste through bioconversion into 42% protein and 35% fat feedstuff • Great source of protein and fat for chickens and other farm animals Red Wigglers – Microbial Masters • Red Wigglers - (Eisenia fetida) – “tube w/ a gut” – Benefits include: – worm castings used as organic fertilizer – Thrives in an aerobic space – Reproduces fast – Provides up to 4% more (N) nitrogen vs. Hot method – intestinal tract contains approximately 1,000 times more microbial life than the food it consumes – Low maintenance: just keep feeding Image taken from: sciencing.com How to harvest • Feed finished BSF compost to the red wigglers • Allow red wigglers to move and feed around in finished compost for up to 9 weeks • Not “pure” castings – casting infused compost but super charged due to BSF larvae breakdown and red wigglers • Use the “Growing Power” method to harvest the castings • Place window type screen on top of compost. Place food on top of screen and cover. Give time for worms to come up through the screen then relocate them to the next pile/bed • Remove castings for use Small Farm OPEN Pile Pros • Lots of space to work with • Ability to establish a functional system (work flow) • Able to create and distribute consistent temperatures throughout pile • Excellent air flow • Consistent moisture • Temperatures high enough to add meat • Ability to keep adding compost material • Easy access to finished compost • Chickens can assist in decomposition and oxygenation • Larger piles can be used to heat water • Excellent amendment to soil or can be used as a mulch Cons • Labor Intensive • Possible animal invasion if using meat • Increased Financial expenditures as you grow and increase volume • Time consuming • Dirty job • Constant inflow of food waste (requires a system on intake) Commercial Composting • Open air system – Front end loader reduces labor time – Greater efficiency – EM-1 breaks processing time in half • (effective micro-organisms) Commercial Composting • Windrow Technology – Aerate and provide moisture – Ability to compost meat and bio-plastics efficiently – Tractor pulled windrow turner – Large start up cost Composting Tips • Start with a base of Carbon material (leaves/woodchips/carbon fines) • Layer your Nitrogen and Carbon • Turn pile once a week • Water as you turn • Check temperatures daily for first 15 days – At least 2 sides of the pile • Keep ALL food covered to avoid flies & rodents • Dump fresh compost within 2 days • Ideal temperature range: 130° - 160° F The Compost Eco-System Fungi & Microbes Let’s Open it Up You Want This Not This Anaerobic Mess Keep Composting Contact • Sundiata Ameh El • 850-778-1531 • www.compostcommunity.org • [email protected].

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