The Composting process

This is the "active" bin.. This is where composting begins.
While in bins 2 and 3, the compost is rotated and turned and the temperature is continually monitored.
The compost is stored in a windrow that is flipped and rotated on a regular basis. The pile is smaller at the end of the gardening season...but never fear...there is always more where that came from!

Benefits of compost

      
  • good source of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, rich in trace elements and bacteria, unlike commercial fertilizers, builds the soil and adds beneficial bacteria
  • improves aeration and water retention
  • builds good soil structure and texture, increasing the amount of air that can infiltrate and the amount of water it can hold
  • in heavy clay soil composted manure loosens the packed soil by opening up pore spaces that carry air and water down into the soil
  • in sandy soils, which tend to let water drain away too rapidly, fine particles are united into larger ones that can hold a greater amount of water-100 pounds of composted manure can hold about 195 pounds of water!  
  • by increasing the soil's moisture-holding capacity, composted manure also helps control erosion that would otherwise wash topsoil away       
  • add to flower pots and gardens to increase size and number of blooms.     
  •  till into soil to improve soil quality.
  • composted manure doles out nutrients slowly when plants are small and at greater rates as soil temperatures warm up and the major growth period begins -soil microorganisms that release the nutrients from compost work harder as temperatures increase
  • benefits of adding composted manure will also last for more than one season - composted manure releases about 50 percent of its nutrients in the first season and a decreasing percentage in the following years     
  • with constant additions of compost, the reserves of plant nutrients in the soil are being built up to the point where, for several seasons, little fertilizer of any kind may be needed.
  • compost also supports essential soil bacteria; feeds earthworms and allows them to multiply; and gradually changes soil pH levels that are either too low (acidic) or too high (alkaline)