Friday, June 19, 2009

Everything i ever learned about compost was a lie!!

Okay, not entirely. But there are some household composting rules that have good history, but simply aren't true. How do i know this??
As of today i am a certified compost site operator. i went, i saw, i composted!!!!

i had the grand pleasure of spending a week with 25 other people from all over the world learning how to make some mighty fine soil amendments!! It was fabulous. There were of course people from the states, but also a fella from the Philippines, a fella from Chad (Africa) and bloke from the Galapagos. . . he was really from Germany, but works for the WWF on the islands. Lucky dog!

So what about some of these "myths" that should be reconsidered by every person in America:

1) Compost can't be made from human biosolids (poop).
Wrong! Actually some of the finest, and safest to use on your home garden, compost is made from human biosolids. If you see it in the store it is more than safe. This doesn't, of course, mean that you should (or even can legally) make it in your home composter. . . unless you have a composting toilet.

2) Compost stinks.
False. If managed correctly a compost pile won't smell at all!!

3) You can't compost meat.
Wrong again. In fact no too many years ago the Maine compost team composted a full sized pilot whale. Total time from whale to dirt with a few knuckle bones - 12 weeks.
In 8 weeks you can make chickens into dirt. In 12 a cow is nothing more than a skeleton, wait another year or so (or buy a grinder) and even the bones break down!!!

Pretty cool eh?!?! Why be afraid of the things your food eats. After all, it is what we will all become eventually anyway!!


Pictures to follow!!

4 comments:

renee @ FIMBY said...

I thought the concern with composting meat was it might attract animals to your compost pile. How would you avoid this (not like I have this issue mind you..)

As far as the rest of it, duh... it it's from a naturally grown or made material - human poop included, of course it can compost. Our friends have a composting toilet - that feeds their garden, indirectly feeding them!

michial said...

You are right, composting meat can attract animals, but there are ways to prevent that. . . and flies too! I really want to get my hands on a cow now. . .

wannapreach said...

So are you saying your installing a "toilet" in the garden??

michial said...

i have wanted a composting toilet in my house for years. . . If we can aquisition a little more land i will happily install a composting outhouse!!! Reduce, Reuse, Recycle