Today at the Compost

[tiredfromcoffee]

I'm starting this thread so that we can log what's going on/ what we did at the compost.
Today MsChif and I sorted through the big problem pile and put another 8-9 bags of hard-to-break-down stuff near the trash bins. We used one of the screens and got 3 wheelbarrow fulls of nice compost (out of that big monster pile)- which we used to fill the extra-raised beds in MsChif's end of our plot. The screen will need a wire brush to get all the way clean.
I talked to several people- who did not realize that the compost guidelines applied to the people within the garden. If I have time tomorrow I will make a sign and get it laminated.
The piles that we built are stuck- I think they might need some more nitrogen.

[rgspeegle]

President's Day Update:
The big ugly pile is gone. Finished chopping and incorporating it into the big compost pile.
The manure pile is gone. Mixed one wheel barrel load into each of the five bins. Used the remainder in the big pile and a little of it into the semi-rotted mulch pile. Spread mulch over the spot where the manure had been.
Spread a little of the rotted mulch in the now empty collection area.
The coffee grounds can is empty. Divided the coffee grounds among the five bins.
Despite heavy rains the bins were fairly dry. So I watered them all.
The coffee grounds were added after I turned the piles, and watering left most of them on top. So in a few days the piles will need turned again.
The manure was already pretty well rotted so not sure how much nitrogen it will contribute.
With any luck the addition of manure and coffee will perk things up some.
In short: The compost probably does not need any attention until the weekend.

[rgspeegle]

Great job last Saturday. I had to leave before it was over but here is what I think got done.
1. Weeded compost area
2. Sifted the one complete pile
3. Turned the leaf pile
4. Turned five stuck piles amending with cotton seed meal
5. Moved bags of materials to staging area
6. Setup new coffee barrels

By Monday piles were around 90F, by Tuesday around 100F, Wednesday 120F. Even the big pile is hitting these temps.

Thank you to all who helped.

[rgspeegle]

Checked temps on all bins this A.M. All but green and orange were still above 110F. Green and orange seem to have peaked and are cooling off. I'm going to turn green this evening. Not with envy, just turn the pile.

[rgspeegle]

Checked all temps Friday PM:
Orange = 95F
Purple = 100F
Yellow = 120F
Blue = 112F
Pink = 112F
Green = 90F
So I gave Green a good turn. No amendments, no watering, just lots of air. Also turned the big pile.
Looks like it is time to turn Orange, Blue and Pink.
Orange and Pink do not currently have designated volunteers.
Please post here indicating what you have done, so we don't end up overworking any of the bins.
Looks like it is time to turn Orange, Blue and Pink as well.

[rgspeegle]

Here's what happened at compost today, along with my observations.
1. Otto turned blue. No, he was breathing just fine. But he turned the blue pile.
2. I turned the orange and pink piles inserting the aeration chimneys in each.
3. I found the centers of the piles were cooking very nicely. In fact they smelled almost like wood smoke. But around the outsides I found uneven moisture. Some pockets were bone dry, while others were nasty wet, smelling like sewage. My turning process aerated 95% or more of the pile, rotated the outside in and the top to bottom. I only sprayed a tiny amount of water and only on the parts that were very dry.
4. Having done three of them this week, I think I have found a way to turn these piles that is pretty thorough and not a horrible amount of work.
a. Get a wheel barrel and one of the big forks.
b. Using the fork like a shovel scoop the center of the bin into the wheel barrel. Go all the way to the bottom and heap the wheel barrel.
c. Using the fork, scoop the materials along one side into the center. As you do so toss the materials up with the fork and break up any mats that you find. Create a fork-width trench all the way across one side and all the way to the bottom.
d. Now rotate to an adjacent side and fork the materials into the trench just created, tossing and breaking up as you go. Moisten any really dry pockets you may find.
e. Continue rotating around until all sides have been aerated.
f. Use the fork to dig a hole in the center all the way to the bottom. Insert the aeration chimney. Level the materials.
g. Fork the materials from the wheel barrel, tossing and breaking up as you go.
h. Spray a tiny amount of water.
i. Replace the cover. If this is the first time the chimney has been used you will have to cut the 'X' in the center of the tarp. I found that folding corner to corner twice made finding the center and cutting pretty simple.
I'll be happy to meet anyone at the garden around 4:45 any afternoon to demo/coach this approach.
Rot is happening.

[rgspeegle]

For those who are keeping track (maybe just me):
Orange: 80F, Purple: 90F, Yellow: 110F
Blue: 100F, Pink: 100F, Green: 120F
Big pile: 120F
So far not seeing any proof the chimneys are helping. But the jury is still out.

[tiredfromcoffee]

This weekend I built up some more of the slow pile in that middle slot (the one we built to be a slow pile last year)- (dried grass layered with coffee grounds and moistened)- I am on top of purple and checking it almost daily- from the smell I think I just need to forget about it for a week to give it a chance to cook. Let me know if anybody needs help doing anything- MsChif and I are looking for stuff to do (and anything compost oriented turns up cool stuff for her nature journal) I think the chimneys will help with the bottom 6 inches of the pile when we sift and break them down

[rgspeegle]

Been down with bronchitis all week so have'nt been by. Checked today and found: Blue was down to around 90F, The other five were around 68F. The 'cold pile 100F. The 'big pile' 110F. Looks like we can turn the five and let the secondary tertiary decomposers do their thing.

[tiredfromcoffee]

Yesterday purple was at 85- so I turned it and tossed the cold pile around a bit so that it all got moist

[rgspeegle]

Saturday 3/17 update:
We tried something a little different. For starters we emptied 'Orange' adding the contents to 'Blue' and 'Yellow'. Removed most of the tarp from Orange leaving just the eponymous portion for identification (Besides, it's pretty.) Then built the pile as below.
Layers:
1. 2"-3" bamboo cuttings (I forgot the first step of loosening the soil.)
2. A few dry bushy plants.
3. Grass clippings
4. Leaves
5. Fresh pulled weeds and grass (plenty of soil attached to roots)
6. Grass clippings
7. Leaves
8. Fresh pulled weeds and grass (plenty of soil attached to roots)
9. Straw (pretty damp and already sprouting mushrooms)
10.Grass clippings
11. Leaves
12. Fresh pulled weeds and grass (plenty of soil attached to roots)
13. Leaves
14. Straw
* Somewhere in there we threw in at least 2 bags of muddy and green garden waste.
Composting process approximates that expounded by Ecology Action in their 'Grow-Biointensive' approach to gardeninig/mini-farming.
www.growbiointensive.org/grow_main.html

[rgspeegle]

Had to come by and cover plants so checked some of the piles.
Blue was back up to 90F.
'Cool pile' 100F
'Big pile' 97F
And drum-roll please ... In just 27 hours Orange had reached ...
112F

[tiredfromcoffee]

Thanks for posting the link on the method you were using- it groks right with me