Caribou

[Oldman]

Thought I would share some photos of my compost pile with you.

This is the first turning. Note the steam:


As you can see it is a long ways at this point from being compost:


Original Pile (Around March 2008)


What the pile looks like today:


What looks like wood pieces in the above photo are really Sable palmetto (palm) fonds. They take forever to break down--like in years. I don't care how hot you cook your pile they just take forever...I screen them out and just add them to the next pile.

All in all the pile is about 17 months old (I think LOL~~!) It would have been done earlier but I've been so busy these past few months that turning it fell on the back burner. As such the pile went cold for several months.

After this last burn I will add several hundred earth worms to the pile and let them do their thing.

A few questions: You said in the other posting that you used chicken dropping in your compost pile -- this is high in nitrogen and yet you said you were looking for more nitrogen. (Chicken= 1.8 nitrogen, 1.5 phosphate, and 0.8 for potash -- don't let the lower numbers fool you.)

Are your chicken dropping limited in amount? What is the total make up of your compost pile? What is your percentage of carbon to nitrogen? Do you turn your pile every 60-90 days? Do you water your pile when you turn it? Do you add any soil to your pile when you first build it?

A pile can still go cold when it dries out or runs out of oxygen.

[classicrockgriller]

I have had composite piles but never a composite mountain. You do have enough to bag. WOW!

[Oldman]

I have had composite piles but never a composite mountain. You do have enough to bag. WOW!

Here were I live we have nothing but "sugar sand." As such I have composted many, many piles this size and larger. Most of my ground now is a dark gray from the composting, but it is an on going battle to say the least.  I don't use chemical fertilizers. So composting is very important here.

[Caribou]

Thanks Olds for sharing your pics and info.  :)
Those giant steaming compost piles are a gardener's dream.
I use the stuff I clean from the chicken house which is about 1/3 manure and 2/3 pine shavings. Goose house contribution is the same ratio but with hay being the source of carbon.
I have an unlimited supply of cattle manure which I haven't yet used.
Now my husband was turning the pile and adding water about every 5 days.  I would get smoking hot but then he would turn it and the next time not nearly has hot.
So it sounds like the nitrogen levels might be ok but now I'm wondering if we were turning it too frequently?
Now with us having freezing nights it might be more difficult to get it cooking again.
Carolyn

[Hopefull Romantic]

If I compost 1/50 of that I would be sued to high heaven down to the last underwear I own.

Darn, I miss living in the country.

HR

[Caribou]

If I compost 1/50 of that I would be sued to high heaven down to the last underwear I own.

Darn, I miss living in the country.

HR

:D :D :D
HR,
I got some major compost envy going on here, too.
Carolyn

[Hopefull Romantic]

Carolyn, I have o tell you it is so hard to have grown up in one culture and then having to live in another.

I am not trying to push it down your throat, but please check out my new thread "I'm infected". I am smoking a special kind of cheese and it is 10:22 PM an I already received one complaint by a "neighbor". Nevertheless "the smoke must go on" and he can go to hell and back for all I care

HR

[Caribou]

Carolyn, I have o tell you it is so hard to have grown up in one culture and then having to live in another.

I am not trying to push it down your throat, but please check out my new thread "I'm infected". I am smoking a special kind of cheese and it is 10:22 PM an I already received one complaint by a "neighbor". Nevertheless "the smoke must go on" and he can go to hell and back for all I care

HR

HR,
Thanks for letting me know, I'll go check it out!  :)
Carolyn

[Oldman]

So it sounds like the nitrogen levels might be ok but now I'm wondering if we were turning it too frequently?

Ya 60 days is good to turn. Once per week is way to soon.

I have an unlimited supply of cattle manure which I haven't yet used.

Wow the best of the world.  Use 50 /50 % with it. and when you turn check your temp. If it is 140- 150 F then just turn that one time, but the next time add cow manure. Now if it is range steer and not kepted cows watch out for higher salt content.  Keep range fed steer manure to a smaller amount. 

[Caribou]

Thanks Olds,
We won't turn so often then.
I wonder why range cattle have a higher salt content in their manure?
Interesting stuff,
Carolyn

[Oldman]

Thanks Olds,
We won't turn so often then.
I wonder why range cattle have a higher salt content in their manure?Interesting stuff,
Carolyn

I don't know. I only know what I've studied and what smarter people than me have said.