[USCC] Compost Research

[John A. Crockett]

Anyone interested in seeing what our compost research silos look like,
there is a picture of part of the system at the bottom of the following web
page: http://www.magicsoil.com/MSREV2/oxygen_realities_in_compost.htm.   To
go from that page to the home page of our website, use the hyperlink at the
TOP of the page.  The hyperlink at the bottom is not working correctly, so I
just discovered, and will fix, but how quickly is uncertain.

Our composting process management has evolved and we are finding that we
need much more air than shown on the spreadsheet data on that page.  

We've recently enhanced our compost research silo setup so now we are using
three thermocouples per silo, one monitoring the temperature of the off-gas,
one the temperature 12" below the lid, and the third monitoring the
temperature 24" below the lid.  The thermo-couples are linked to an Omega
TempScan, which is connected to a computer in the office.  The computer
screen updates every second.  We have the system set to log the data to a
data file once an hour.  

We got away from passively aerated windrows over 10 years ago, because our
hands on research showed that passive aeration and turning was not able to
provide the microbes enough oxygen.  

While research is expensive, we believe that ignorance is far more
expensive.  

Working Together to Create a Sustainable Environment,
John A. Crockett, a.k.a. Dr. Mike Robe
Mother Nature's Farms, Inc.
(845) 225-7763
http://www.magicsoil.com/index.htm
jac at magicsoil.com