Composting (and Supporting Urban Farms)

Peace,

Eboni Joy Asiatic here! It's not my blog week, but I MISSED my blog week being distracted by other happenings in my life. So I'm obliged to make up for lost time; and wanted to share some valuable information I came upon with our readers.

I receive a weekly newsletter from a local, black-owned farm out here in Allah's Garden (Atlanta) called Truly Living Well Natural Urban Farms. Their website is - www.trulylivingwell.com. This week's newsletter is about Composting and the planting of "cool season crops" like greens, beets, onions, carrots, and turnips; and I'd like to share with you their tips to building your own compost heap:

Composting
(reprinted from the Truly Living Well Natural Urban Farms Weekly Newsletter of November 11, 2009)

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Leaf raking season is near. Most people think of fallen leaves as an eyesore to be raked up and removed. Brown paper bags full of dried oak and maple leaves line neighborhood streets throughout the city. The trucks picking up this "trash" are removing a grand source of material for fertilizing gardens. This is the time of year for gathering material to make compost, the best substance there is for making good soil

Composting is a natural form of recycling which continually occurs in nature. Insects, earthworms, bacteria and fungi help transform the material into compost. An ancient practice, compost is the fundamental soil enhancer, essential for maintaining fertile and productive agricultural land. All food and animal wastes should be composted before being added to the soil.

Composting is the transformation of plant matter through decomposition into a soil-like material called humus or compost. It is the controlled conversion of dead organic material into a stable form by the action of beneficial microbes, generating sufficient heat to kill all weed seeds and harmful pathogens, while producing a stable end product. Aerobic composting is the most common process used commercially and in our backyards.

Today there are several different reasons why composting remains an invaluable practice. Compost added to gardens improves soil structure, texture, aeration, and water retention. When mixed with compost, clay soils are lightened, and sandy soils retain water better. Mixing compost with soil also contributes to erosion control, soil fertility, proper pH balance, and healthy root development in plants.

Decomposition occurs naturally anywhere plants grow. When a plant dies, its remains are attacked by microorganisms and invertebrates in the soil, and it is decomposed to humus. This is how nutrients are recycled in an ecosystem. This natural decomposition can be encouraged by creating ideal conditions. The microorganisms and invertebrates fundamental to the composting process require oxygen and water to successfully decompose the material. The end product of the process is soil-enriching compost.

Keys to Good Composting

• The carbon/nitrogen ratio: A mixture of dry leaves, sawdust, or other sources of carbon combined with manure, green plants, or fertilizer for nitrogen (approximately 3:1 by volume).
  
• The presence of microorganisms: A few shovels full of rich garden soil or compost will supply these.
  
• The moisture level: The pile should have the moisture of a well-squeezed sponge. Add water as needed.
  
• The oxygen level: A compost pile should be turned periodically to promote decay of its contents. Turning the pile adds oxygen, so the more you turn it, the faster it breaks down. (Turning heavy, rotting leaves and grass is vigorous exercise!)
  
• The particle size: The finer the particle size, the more surface there is for microorganisms to work. Shredding leaves and larger materials generates compost faster. Making Good Compost

Locate your compost pile on a well-drained site which would benefit from nutrients running off the pile. Your pile can be built gradually in layers and then turned over to mix. Or if you have sufficient material, it can be mixed and blended at one time.

• To ensure good aeration and drainage, put down a 3-inch layer of coarse plant material such as small twigs or chopped corn stalks, or a wooden pallet.
• Next, add about 8 to 10 inches of leaves or other dry organic wastes from your landscape and/or kitchen.
  
• Provide nitrogen for compost-promoting microorganisms by adding 2 to 3 inches of fresh grass clippings or fresh manure.
  
• If no soil is included in your compost material, add a sprinkling of soil or a compost starter to each layer to inoculate the pile with microorganisms.
• Moisten the pile as you add leaves and other dry material.
  

Mix the materials thoroughly. Shape the pile so its center is lower than its sides, to help water flow into the pile. Keep the pile moist, but not soaking wet. Within a few days, it should heat up. If not, it may lack nitrogen or moisture. If the pile emits an ammonia smell, it is too wet or too tightly packed for oxygen circulation; turn the heap and add coarse material to increase air space. Once a month, turn the pile with a pitch fork, putting the outside materials on the inside and vice versa.

The plant materials should decompose into compost within five months in warm weather, longer under cool or dry conditions. Composting may be completed in one or two months if the materials are shredded, kept moist, and turned several times to provide good aeration. Spread it in the garden and dig or till it under to offer your soil and plants renewed vigor.

Compost All of Your Home Waste

Grass clippings and fall leaves are abundant compost materials for most homeowners. Collect vegetable and fruit peelings, coffee grounds, crushed eggshells, and similar kitchen waste for your compost pile. Don't use meat waste; it attracts animals. Acquire additional materials, such as sawdust, manure, hay, or straw from sources such as stables and carpenter shops.

If you have questions, send an email to admin@trulylivingwell.com and we will do our best to answer you promptly.

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If you reside in the Atlanta area Truly Living Well Natural Urban Farms sells compost for $10 per gallon. They also host various gardening classes throughout the year. This is a community garden, so all vegetation is sold at a reasonable price and is also open to supporters of cooperative economics who would like to purchase their produce in full or half barrels on a regular basis. Pick-up is on Wednesdays from 3pm to 6pm, and you are encouraged to tour the field and select your own produce. To learn what's being harvested currently go to - www.trulylivingwell.com/growing.html.

The farm is located at 3353 Washington Road, East Point, GA. The primary owner/operator is Brotha K. Rashid Nuri, and he can be reached at admin@trulylivingwell.com.

Peace!
Eboni Joy