First Batch of Compost..... Done

Finally is all I can say about my first batch of compost being done.  My composting attempts this year have been plagued with with rain, cold temperatures, badly built compost piles and absolutely no biological activity in the compost bins.  I have struggled all summer to get my bins to heat up and do hot composting with is the most efficient and least smelly method of composting kitchen and garden scraps.

Until last week I have failed spectacularly in that endeavor.  I tried incorporating healthy soil, commercial compost enhancers, applied composted steer manure all in the attempts to kick start the biological activity of my piles.

They all failed miserably....

Until I remembered the one significant thing I was doing different compared to last years compost.  I didn't have any composted horse manure in the pile.  It hit me like a ton of bricks that is was the horse manure that contained the biological activity I needed to do hot composting.

So two hours later and a scratched up door panel from some exuberant Blue Heeler cattle dogs I had the horse manure I needed for my piles.  I put some in both of my bins and then the waiting game began.

One week later....

Upon checking the piles I found them to be hot which is exactly what I wanted to find.  What it means is that the manure I put in the pile is providing the necessary biological activity to quickly break down the vegetable scraps, fruit peelings, pulled weeds and pretty much everything I put in the pile.  Now that I have the biological activity it will a matter of a couple weeks to finish that compost rather than a couple months like it could have been.

Finish compost that I took from my bin

Finish compost used to help come grass seed sprout.

To learn more about composting check out my other blog dedicated entirely to the art composting at
Making Dirt 101