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Compost

Presented by: Justin Fleming Oregon State University. Compost. Decomposition Happens. Through composting, we harness the decomposition process. Composting: Controlled process of decomposition

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Compost

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  1. Presented by: Justin Fleming Oregon State University Compost

  2. Decomposition Happens • Through composting, we harness the decomposition process. • Composting: Controlled process of decomposition • Composting allows us to convert organic materials into humus: a dark, crumbly, nutrient-rich soil amendment.

  3. What is Compost? • Compost is a dark brown, crumbly, porous, soil-like material. • It is often confused with soil, but in fact is quite distinct. • Soil is composed primarily of tiny particles of weathered rock of various sizes. • Compost is composed primarily of a material called humus, an organic material made up of microscopic, clay-like particles produced by the process of decomposition, whose properties produce the many benefits of compost.

  4. Why Compost? • Waste Minimization AND • Nutrient and Water Storage • Improved Soil Structure • Erosion Prevention • Disease Resistance

  5. Waste Minimization/ Resources Approximately: 4.3 Billion Pounds of Organics 1.7 Billion Pounds of Food

  6. Organisms • Composting is Aerobic ( Needs Air ) • Aerobic Organisms • The microorganisms and invertebrates fundamental to the composting process require oxygen and water to successfully decompose the material. • Anaerobic Organisms • These organisms produce byproducts detrimental to plants.

  7. Passive Composting • Composting is a dynamic process • Depending on the process used it will occur quickly or slowly • A pile of organic waste will eventually decompose, but slowly. (Decomposition Happens) • “Passive composting" requires very little maintenance.

  8. Active Composting • Fast or "active" composting can be completed by creating ideal conditions to encourage the natural decomposition • Active Composters pay attention to: • Aeration • Moisture • Carbon to nitrogen (C:N) ratio

  9. What can we do? • Anything that was once living can be composted. • Ideal materials to compost include: • Grass clippings, leaves and other yard debris • Food waste* • Non-recyclable paper • Animal manures* • Woody debris • Other Organics

  10. Compost Methods There are a variety of methods used to compost organic residuals. These cover municipal and backyard programs.

  11. Municipal Composting • Municipal composting comes in a variety of forms. • They range from very simple to very sophisticated.

  12. Municipal Composting • Organics are picked up from residences and delivered to the facility. • A track hoe removes contaminants and passes material forward.

  13. Municipal Composting • The material is thoroughly mixed and sent forward to be loaded into windrows

  14. Municipal Composting • Organics are loaded on top of an advanced aeration system

  15. Municipal Composting • Overview of lower compost pad

  16. Municipal Composting • Windrow Turner

  17. Municipal Composting • Internal Weather Patterns

  18. Municipal Composting • 32 Day Through-put

  19. Earth Tub OSU chose an aerated, in-vessel unit called the Earth Tub.

  20. Earth Tub(Continued) An Earth Tub can recover up to 300 lbs of food waste a day.

  21. Turned Windrow

  22. Forced Air Windrow

  23. Static Pile

  24. Back Yard Composting

  25. What can you do? • Call your local garbage hauler and ask about curbside pickup for yard debris • Trade curbside pickup of yard debris for a composter or ask your hauler about composters at cost • Start your own compost pile!

  26. Getting started • Choose a level, well-drained site, preferably near your garden. • Use alternating layers of high-carbon and high-nitrogen material or mix the two together and then heap into a pile. If you alternate layers, make each layer 2 to 4 inches thick. Use approximately equal amounts of each. Adding a few shovels of soil will also help get the pile off to a good start; soil adds commonly found decomposing organisms. • Water periodically. The pile should be moist but not saturated. • Punch holes in the sides of the pile for aeration.

  27. What to expect • The pile will heat up and then begin to cool. Start turning when the pile's internal temperature peaks and starts to drop. • Check your pile regularly to assure optimum moisture and aeration are present. • Move materials from the center to the outside and vice versa. Turn every day or two and you should get compost in less than 4 weeks. Turning every other week will make compost in 1 to 3 months. Finished compost will smell sweet and be cool and crumbly to the touch.

  28. What you can do • Find materials that otherwise would be recycled or disposed of.

  29. What you can do • Be creative! • I built a compost turner that doubles as a furniture dolly

  30. What you can do • To turn the compost, I rotate the barrel using my “custom” turner

  31. Results • I’ve used my compost and vermicompost to grow organic produce

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