[compost_tea] Re: Re: Inclusion of clay in compost

From: Kirk Leonard <kirkleon_at_open.org>
Date: Mon, 7 Feb 2005 14:41:53 -0800
This has been a great discussion, thank you all.  A couple points I would
make, based on some years of experience.

I can't imagine that a dose of clay or rock dust would hurt a compost pile,
likely help early on, but...

The Luebke method produces excellent compost, of that there is no doubt.
It's also one of the most costly ways to make compost.  Most people can't
afford either the fuel or the time to do it, and other thermal methods can
work as well without all the inputs.  It's expensive.

And Steve made a comment I must respond to, having spoken with many backyard
composters, frustrated about compost heating.

> It can also be made by hand in the backyard,
> if a person has time to turn it and manage
> the pile as appropriate.  The pile will just
> be smaller than a tractor-turned compost pile.

Again, an energy (labor) and time-intensive process, which is ok, but... big
but... in my experience you can't do a thermal compost - one that achieves
even minimal EPA standards of 131 dF for three days - if you don't have at
least two cubic yards of the right materials to start.  You simply won't get
much heat otherwise, and I would emphasize it also has to be the right
combination of materials (Combined C:N 25-30, moisture 50-60 percent).
That's really tough for backyard composters, unless you have a big back yard
and lots of materials, hmm?

Ted's onto something with cold compost.  Most "compost" is probably cold
compost. Or as I discovered in many conversations here (Oregon), actually
vermicompost - worms made a home in the backyard compost.  Made me feel
better and I hope the backyard folks felt better, too.  But then we're in a
pretty wet place.  Worms love it here and are everywhere.

Of the group, Steve and Ted, I have to ask: What's the difference between
cold compost and good, aged mulch?

And a technical question: Is the reason Luebke compost might not be EPA/NOP
acceptable its focus on CO2 rather than temperature tracking?

Meantime, back at the ranch, there are many ways to make good thermal
compost.  Malcolm Beck does it in 10 foot high static piles, few turns.
Didn't find windrows practical.  Lots of farmers do a similar thing, and
have successfully for years.  Legal "compost" is made where I've lived in
30-40 foot high piles, too, pushed up (and terribly compacted) by D-9 Cats.
Hard to figure what a turn is.  Aagh!  You can get some stanky, still
steaming stuff.  Wouldn't use it for tea, for sure, but the ground seems ok
with it.

On another related subject, I did something last week I contemplated for
quite a while.  Went out to all USNOP-accredited certifiers and asked them
what they were doing on certifying with compost tea.  The responses are all
over the map, but something that comes through clearly is many problems with
NOP's definition (same as EPA "Class A") of compost. There's a lot more
good, safe and healthy composts than that, thermal and otherwise. A lot
more.

I'll be done with my survey this week, I hope, and will share results.  So
far, NOSB is winning:-o).

The best compost ain't easy, and good compost takes work, but if it doesn't
stink it's probably good stuff.  Doesn't seem to me you'd need to add clay
but that also seems ok.

Kirk






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Received on Tue Feb 08 2005 - 01:34:03 EST

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