Compost tips for FHTC

[Ben Stallings]

I took a look at the composting setup at FHTC yesterday and have some
suggestions to offer. I've posted this to the EALFN forum, too.

The wire rings are great -- just the right size to ensure a critical
mass of compost. But their haphazard arrangement will cause confusion
if/when more people get involved with the project. Given the space
available, I'd recommend arranging them in a line just inside the fence.
Then have a path for access, and on the other side of the path will be
the new locations for turning the piles. To illustrate with a little
ASCII art, right now you have

--fence---|road|
O O

I recommend filling in the spaces with new piles so you have

--fence---|road|
O O O O
==path===

then when it's time to turn a pile, remove the wire cage from that pile,
set it up directly across the path, and fork the uncomposted material
back into the cage, like this:

--fence---|road|
O O O
==path===
O

That way it will be clear at a glance which piles have been turned
already, so a new person looking for work to do will know not to turn
the first pile a second time, but to proceed to the next one. When all
the piles have been turned and it's time to turn them again, move them
back to the original locations. During each move, the finished compost
will filter through the tines of the fork and wind up on the ground,
where it can be shoveled up and used.

Ideally there should be a sign to indicate which pile is the one to put
new material into. Otherwise people will put scraps just anywhere,
which will result in live weed seeds and undigested bits of food winding
up in otherwise finished compost. I bet somebody at FHTC knows how to
make a weatherproof sign that will be highly visible.

When I visited yesterday, there was not nearly enough brown matter
(leaves) in use for the amount of green matter (food waste). The people
who add green matter should immediately put a layer of leaves on top,
primarily to keep the flies down, but also to retain moisture and keep
the nutrients in balance. It wouldn't hurt to also add some finished
compost (or compost tea) now and then to inoculate the piles with good
bacteria; otherwise the bacteria in the food are likely to dominate, and
that won't smell as good!

The piles may not need water right away, but they will need it
eventually, particularly when they are turned from one location to
another. I'm not clear on where the spigot is located and where a hose
can be found. Make sure whoever does the turning knows where to find
water, since that's the ideal time to add water.

Hope this advice is helpful! --Ben

[Cecil McKenzie]

Ben thanks for checking out the compost area . You are right about
the need for order and education but remember this is a nascent
operation . You are correct that the ratio of stuff may not be
right yet but it is good that what material is there is there. We
just need some elbow grease to remix what we have to work with.
Composting is not a science but an occult art.
Post some times that you are available and I will try to meet you
there. I have an awesome fork. Cecil McKenzie

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[Cheryl Gibson]

Hello,
We are trying to figure out what to do with the kitchen scraps from our labs. Can we add it to the pile, or should we start our own compost?
Thanks,
Cheri Gibson, instructor, FHTC

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[Rachael LeClear]

Hi Ben, et. al:

Thank you so much for your insight!  Looks like we need more leaves - people are busy cleaning out their over-wintered leaf piles now, so if you see any bags about, snag em!  Is there anything else that functions as good brown matter for the piles?  (grass clippings are green, right?)

It would be great to have a compost workday; Cecil, would you and your awesome fork like to organize one?  Ben, do you have a compost tea recipe?  I can look one up, but wondered if you had something that you've used with success already.

I can work on making signs for the bins.

Cherri, feel free to add your scraps to our big pile.  No meat, grease, large amounts of bread... any other guidelines I'm forgetting here?  Produce is always fine to include; anything beyond that I'm not sure about.

Ben - thanks again!

Rachael

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--
Rachael LeClear
Coordinator of Continuing Education and General Education
Flint Hills Technical College
3301 W. 18th Ave.
Emporia, KS  66801
620.341.1372
rlec...@fhtc.edu

[Cecil McKenzie]

More on compost ......  After visiting several sites  on composting I have found differing ideas and testimonials on what should or should not be composted,   .Here is a rough list of things not to compost.  Input from our master gardeners and associated friends will be appreciated.

1.   sawdust from creosote, penta, or cca treated wood  ( plywood or particle board were not mentioned but should maybe be included here.)

2. sawdust from wood of unknown origen 

3. Diseased plants

4,  Human waste

5. Pet (cat and dog ) waste

6,Meat scraps,bone, and fatty foods

7.Pernicious  weeds ( morning glory,  bind weed.  grasses like johnson grass that can sprout from roots etc.)

8.  Bread products including pasta

9. Coated or colored paper

10. Plastic trash like bottle caps or wrappers

11.  Cooked rice

12. Walnuts

13. Citrus fruits

14. Onions

15. Sunflower seed hulls 

16 Grass Clippings from treated yards

I personally have composted some meat scraps(small amts),  bread products,  rice, citrus fruits, onions, sunflower seed hulls,and have never noticed that they didn't decompose or present any problem in the process or the garden.  Maybe if I tries to compost 50 lbs. of rotten oranges it would be a different story.

This list should maybe be composted by committee.

One good thing to add at this time of year is the early cuttings of untreated grass that are mixed with last years leaves.

Hope to hear from the master gardeners.      Cecil McKenzie

.0pr 12, 2010, at 4:00 PM, Rachael LeClear wrote:

3

[bee...@juno.com]

Cecil...
Thanks to you and everyone who's contributed to the compost discussion....Not only has it been for the greater good of our community garden, but I've personally learned lots of useful do's and don'ts regarding what to do with my kitchen and yard waste.

Happy gardening!
Peace,
Bill I.

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[Ben Stallings]

Rachael LeClear wrote:
> Thank you so much for your insight! Looks like we need more leaves -
> people are busy cleaning out their over-wintered leaf piles now, so if
> you see any bags about, snag em! Is there anything else that functions
> as good brown matter for the piles? (grass clippings are green, right?)

I have two bales of excess straw that were given to me last fall and I
am unlikely to use. They would make great brown matter for composting.
I can probably throw one in the trunk when I come to the meeting
tomorrow night.

> It would be great to have a compost workday; Cecil, would you and your
> awesome fork like to organize one? Ben, do you have a compost tea
> recipe? I can look one up, but wondered if you had something that
> you've used with success already.

Nope, I have yet to make compost tea, but it's definitely on my to-do
list! --Ben

[Cecil McKenzie]

Hello to all..... this morning I acquired a Tahoe full of last fall's leaves and ran them out to the community garden.  I noticed that at the intersection of 12th and Walnut  on the north side there are two  stashes of leaves that look eligible for compost. One stash is in the drive on the west side the other is in second house on the east side.  If someone has time and a truck they might try to enlist these leaves for the community garden.  As we have a good source for food scraps  an abundance of leaves will help continued compost production .i believe some people put off raking their yards until spring which means there are leaves out there that can be put to use.

     Anyone interested in helping plant the common ground area at the garden can contact Cecil McKenzie or Rachael LeClear over the next few weeks. Volunteering  is well regarded by higher authorities and might even be fun.      Cecil McKenzie