DTOM’s Composting Project(s)

I figured I’d share my composting experiment but, hopefully, this will turn into a general compost thread. I’m just starting to learn so please feel free to give me advice or tell me I’m doing it totally wrong! Lol! I’m trying to get some decent compost ready for next April; to cut down on expenses. So, I’m using several methods trying to see what I can get done first and what takes the longest, what the results of each method are and whether I can make both “veg” compost and “flower” compost. I’d like to send some of it off for testing, down the road; but it may be too expensive for me. We’ll see. It’s a long way off right now.

So, to start it off, this is some cow manure I’m composting but I also added some horse manure I had laying around. I got the manure from a local rancher that I asked if I could go around collecting manure in his pastures. He looked at me like I was a little crazy but said, “Have at it! You’re welcome any time and take as much as you’d like. These are all free range cattle living primarily off the local flora with almost no antibiotics given unless they’re sick. Once or twice a year they may get some meds when steers and some calves are separated from the cows. For a “brown” I mixed in a little bit of old leaves I had laying around from last winter but mainly I’m using hardwood cypress saw dust. I found a local furniture maker (guy with his own little shop) and he’s giving me all his sawdust and shavings. It’s about 4 contractor bags a week and will vary in wood species but is always hardwood. Saves him from hauling it away and burning it. So, he was happy to have me take it and gave it freely. My hope is....the fine nature of this particular “brown” source will break down more quickly than, say, leaves or other common sources.

I collected some 55 gallon barrels worth of green, fresh manure that weighed WAY too much! Lol! So, I just pushed them off the tailgate of the truck and dug the manure out as it lay on its side. I put about this much in a wheel barrow at a time.


Then I took an old 4-prong hay fork like the one below and used it to mix in the sawdust.


The sawdust is actually in 2 types - from 2 different machines. Some of it is truly like dust and the rest is a little rougher. Like what comes out of a chain saw. And I added about this much and began mixing it together.


Here’s how much manure I start with on each batch:


I started by adding some of the fine stuff to each batch I mix.

Then I mixed it up some....


......until it looked like this. My thumb gives you an idea of the crumbles that are created. If you’ve ever baked and made a crumb crust...the mixing here is about the same. Just in a lot bigger scale.




Next, I added some of the coarser sawdust to the mix.....


Once I got it as well mixed as I could, it looked like this. I included my thumb to give some perspective on the size of the final clumps - they’re pretty tiny.

Then, I used 3 cedar pallets I got from a Home Depot about and hour and a half away, to build a frame. Some of the guys by the loading dock said I could have them and they even helped me load them up! Lol! I got this idea from a website I saw where a guy used a frame to create 1 yard (3’x3’x3’ or 91.4cm x 91.4cm x 91.4cm) pile that will, in a few days, stand on its own. We’ll see if that works for me. The idea is to provide more surface area for air to get in; as opposed to a standard volcano shaped pile. I just stood them in place and used a scrap piece of wood at the back corners, on the top only.


After I got about 1 foot (30.5cm) high, I added a board to create the 4th side of the ‘frame’ and kept adding mixes to the pile u til the frame was full to the top. I added water after each wheelbarrow full and gave that layer a quick additional mix with the fork. It was damp but not soggy wet. I’m kinda uncertain about how wet it really should be. So, I’m kinda guessing here. Lol! The bedding from my chicken coop did really well with less water than I expected so I tried to mimic what that looked like. More about the chicken manure project in a follow up post.


Then I covered the pile with black plastic. I read that doing this will help the pile heat up faster and hotter - what you want when composting manure. Heat will help kill e-coli and render weed seeds that passed through the cow inert. My other piles that I covered had no problems with annerobic bacteria but I’ll definitely keep my eye out. If the frame works I shouldn’t have to worry at all, once it comes off and the pile is free standing.

Well, what do you think?? I’m learning so I’m totally open to constructive criticism or even being told I’m doing it totally wrong! Lol!

I’ll post up about the other compost projects I’ve started in coming days. I’m waiting on some worms and will be including vermicomposting into all of my compost bins. I’m also starting some Bokashi and considering Black Soldier Flies to feed my chickens and produce more/better chicken poo compost! I’m really hoping we can get a thread started to trade compost methods/secrets/advice for all sorts of methods. I truly think this is a better quality compost than most people can buy and, with a little creativity, people can compost more than they think. Happy growing, y’all!

Side question....anyone recognize these ‘shrooms? I don’t think they’re ‘magical’ but they were growing profusely from some horse manure. Just curious what they are.

I really find it disgusting that people are actually growing weed in shit. I only ever use composted plant material and peat moss.

GMT said:

I really find it disgusting that people are actually growing weed in shit. I only ever use composted plant material and peat moss.

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Mmm-K. Thanks for sharing. Lol! Better start growing your own food because a majority of veggies and grains are grown in soil that contains composted manure. Definitely don’t eat mushrooms cuz it’s all commercially grown in manure. When it’s composted, it’s no longer manure. IMO, anyway. Compost is compost but composted manure is often higher in nutritional value and more balanced than food waste compost. Besides, that’s all manure is - Plant matter. Composted once in the animal and again in the pile. These manures are not like dog or cat scat or human feces.

To each their own, though.

If you knew anything about me at all, you'd know the lengths I go to to ensure I only eat clean food. I don't eat anyones shit nor their animals.

GMT said:

If you knew anything about me at all, you'd know the lengths I go to to ensure I only eat clean food. I don't eat anyones shit nor their animals.

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Fair enough. I don’t know you but I sure take you at your word! That’s gotta be hard so I admire your determination.

Is cypress a type of cedar? Maybe research potential anti-microbial properties.

If you put 2 stall type structures beside each other with air space in between and air all around (chicken wire or spaced wood) then when the pile heats enough forking it to the adjacent 'stall' mixes it perfectly; then it heats again, toss it back to the first stall.

This is a photo from the internet. I'll try to find our farm picture over the next couple of days.

GMT said:

I really find it disgusting that people are actually growing weed in shit. I only ever use composted plant material and peat moss.

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So you get off on the feeling of Disgust, eh? Please tell us about your childhood ...

Looks good overall. You probably know this already, but the key to good compost is the carbon to nitrogen ratio. Fresh cow manure has some N, but straight grass clippings have more because the cow used some in digestion. Dried leaves and wood are mostly carbon. If the mix you made heats up well, then the balance was good. It looks kind of low in N to me, but I could be wrong. Veggie peelings, grass clippings if you think it lacks. The box looks great!

G'day from the Land of Oz.


I 'm a compost newbie also. I have access to clean cowshit. I 'm interested in what you're doing ... especially with regard to the Sawdust you're using.



At first I thought using this hard oily material is a mistake ... but Microbeman has not had a conniption re your method so ... onward!


I figure that if you are able to compost your sawdust there's a good chance I can compost the oily leaves and mulch from my Eucalypt forest, so when this season's planting is done I 'll be into it.


In the meantime I 'll subscribe to this thread.


I praise your hard work! You'll do well, I think!

Microbeman said:

Is cypress a type of cedar? Maybe research potential anti-microbial properties.

If you put 2 stall type structures beside each other with air space in between and air all around (chicken wire or spaced wood) then when the pile heats enough forking it to the adjacent 'stall' mixes it perfectly; then it heats again, toss it back to the first stall.

This is a photo from the internet. I'll try to find our farm picture over the next couple of days.
View Image

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Thanks MM! Cypress oil does have some anti-bacterial properties but this wood I all reclaimed barn wood from ancient Amish barns that’s been shipped here to be made into boards for an Uber rich guy. They’re 109+ year old beams. They’re so old and dry that I’m thinking that most of the oil has long ago leached out. I’m hoping, anyway. Lol! I figured cedar, which is plentiful here, would be a no-go. That’s why I use pine shavings in my chicken coop - they break down quick. I guess we’ll see how this turns out. Lol!

I’m looking forward to seeing your bins!

Can I turn with a tractor, instead of the fork?

C:N helper

https://www.klickitatcounty.org/DocumentCenter/View/3523/Compost-Calculator

DTOM420 said:

Thanks MM! Cypress oil does have some anti-bacterial properties but this wood I all reclaimed barn wood from ancient Amish barns that’s been shipped here to be made into boards for an Uber rich guy. They’re 109+ year old beams. They’re so old and dry that I’m thinking that most of the oil has long ago leached out. I’m hoping, anyway. Lol! I figured cedar, which is plentiful here, would be a no-go. That’s why I use pine shavings in my chicken coop - they break down quick. I guess we’ll see how this turns out. Lol!

I’m looking forward to seeing your bins!

Can I turn with a tractor, instead of the fork?

Click to expand...

If you turn with a tractor windrows will be more efficient. in a small tall pile the fork is more thorough but use what you have.

Teddybrae said:

G'day from the Land of Oz.


I 'm a compost newbie also. I have access to clean cowshit. I 'm interested in what you're doing ... especially with regard to the Sawdust you're using.



At first I thought using this hard oily material is a mistake ... but Microbeman has not had a conniption re your method so ... onward!


I figure that if you are able to compost your sawdust there's a good chance I can compost the oily leaves and mulch from my Eucalypt forest, so when this season's planting is done I 'll be into it.


In the meantime I 'll subscribe to this thread.


I praise your hard work! You'll do well, I think!

Click to expand...

Man, I’m glad to have you! We can learn together. Always wanted to visit Oz and NZ but never made it any closer than Indonesia. Maybe I made a mistake with this sawdust. We’ll have to see. Did you read my reply to MM about it being very old and dry wood? Really hoping that’ll make a positive difference. Otherwise, I’ll come back and dilute it with lots more manure and some aged dry oak leaf matter. Sure liked the idea of recycling the sawdust and it’s particle size, though. Not to mention the convenience!

I don’t think it’s the oils per se that are a problem - it’s the anti-bacterial properties of certain woods. Is eucalyptus a bug and bacteria detterant?

Microbeman said:

If you turn with a tractor windrows will be more efficient. in a small tall pile the fork is more thorough but use what you have.

Click to expand...

10-4. I’ll start with the fork.

Do you think the age of this wood may have lessened the antibacterial properties or have I screwed myself already? Haha!

Thanks for that calculator - it will be immensely helpful!

I feel like the most important things have been said. a good C:N Ratio, and the more air you give it the faster it will compost, so flipping every other week will speed it up. It seems like your pretty dedicated and want it fast for next season. For me when I started composting, it was actually 2 years before I started growing just because it seemed like the right thing to do. I literally just threw all my kitchen and yard scraps on a pile, and it just kept on shrinking down as stuff decomposed and I just kept on adding, then after 4 months I flipped it once and layered in some leaves/tree needles / hay , just because it was really wet and very high N from all my kitchen scraps. Now Ive got more compost than I know what to do with, and I don't think as far as diversity or richness it can be beaten. Besides the daily kitchen scraps which are any fruit and vegetables youve ever heard of, There are dead mice in there, my hair from after haircuts, a roomate even threw a dead centipede in there once, bathroom tissues, so who knows whats in those ;P.

But yeah don't listen to that first guy, not sure what hes doing in the organic forums LLOL

Good you're interested my attempts too. The forest is very complex. Established knowledge says eucalypts not good for compost but I notice the mulch never gets thicker than a few inches ... so must be rotting at the rate it's gathering. and on varying rainfall. sometimes very little.

HOW? is the question. all I know is my forest is 'fungus dominated'.

close to the soil leaf particles are finer and finer until it's impossible to tell where leaves stop and soil begins.

interesting? YES!

will put up pics ...

Paulie, 3 Q's:
1: exactly why shouldn't people listen to me when you're smoking e coli.
2: where should I be?
3: no need to join teddy in the being a prick game, wouldn't you rather keep your head down than start something with me? That's a game you can't win.

Teddybrae said:

Good you're interested my attempts too. The forest is very complex. Established knowledge says eucalypts not good for compost but I notice the mulch never gets thicker than a few inches ... so must be rotting at the rate it's gathering. and on varying rainfall. sometimes very little.

HOW? is the question. all I know is my forest is 'fungus dominated'.

close to the soil leaf particles are finer and finer until it's impossible to tell where leaves stop and soil begins.

interesting? YES!

will put up pics ...

Click to expand...

Everything organic rots in Nature. So there has to be something in the soil that can break it down, be it microbial or fungal.

Some things maybe decompose slower then others because of anti-bacterial or anti-fungal properties.
But there are going to be tiny things evolved to deal with it.

Maybe it would be a good idea to throw a hand of partially decomposted Eucalyptus leaves onto your pile?
Just to get those tiny critters/funghi faster into the mix.

In the end they will get into mix from beign outside. But maybe inoculating the pile would get them into it faster.