THERMAL (HOT) COMPOSITNG

We aim to build multiple thermal composting piles each autumn so we have a decent amount of mature compost ready for spring and summer. To get a pile up to temperature we first have to create the microbe party. As a party organiser we need to have a good quantity of both nitrogen and carbon feed stocks on hand and a sizable location, minimum of 1.2m x 1.2m space. The more diversity of material inputs the better the party and resulting compost outcome. We then simply create a compost lasagna by placing a thin layer of nitrogen materials over a thick layer of carbon materials watering each set of layers as we go until we have a pile as high as we can possibly make it. We’ll often add aeration pipes to our piles to assure they stay aerobic until the first turn. Piles get turned once they begin to cool down, and on occasion they may get a second turn to assure all materials are well assimilated into the pile. Once the pile has fully cooled down we let it sit for another one to two months to let it mature. We know it’s ready when the macroorganisms i.e. worms, beetles, centipedes etc. begin to move in. We use whatever materials we have on hand which have in the past included: leaves, straw, hay, all types of manure, bokashi, biochar, spent brewers grain, woodchip, small branches, garden green waste, aged dags, cardboard, spray free grass clippings, spent grapes from wine making, coffee grounds and more!