Diary 9/1

Worked over the compost pile. Thought it best to get on with it before the cold weather sets in and we can't get it finished. The idea is to follow a 14 day plan with turning every third day or so. This speedy method really can produce the best compost because nothing leaches away. The usual problem here is not enough moisture to get it to work; create a bacterial reaction that causes the pile to heat up to temperatures close to 150 degrees. True compost must retain these high temperatures to kill toxins, weed seeds, and promote microorganisms. By turning every third day, new air is introduced and the pile heats up each time. After only a couple weeks, everything is broken down and the pile cools down and is stable. The Nitrogen is no longer too strong, but bond up in organic matter. It is amazing how clean smelling the rotten mess becomes!