How to Build A Compost Pile

Ok, the fun part. I like  to build a compost pile. I looked through Google to find a pic that closely matches the one we have, and this is what I found, and will talk about it now. But I thought to make a short video on my iphone showing our compost pile live….coming soon.

I am going to give you a basic biodynamic compost recipe. You can build it in a nice square anywhere, or in a designated location. I like to have all four sides of it, at least three, accessible. You can build it more evenly, get to it easier for good watering and really do conscious building of it with all the elements to get the best results come spring. Build a big one so you will get lots of great compost for a long time. And high enough to keep some of the animals out of the kitchen scraps that will go in the middle.

You want a “boxspring” base using branches, that will be edged with green matter, and the center filled with straw and manure with kitchen scraps in the middle.  All the ingredients are important to getting magical compost in spring so include them all. Watering the layers while you build it is important to get the composting process started once it’s all closed up….and important to start watering it again come spring.  You will be amazed at the rich soil that you will find at the bottom of this pile in spring when you make an opening at the bottom to shovel it out.

So here is my treasured compost recipe for you.

Compost Pile

• 80% manure and straw
• 10% green matter
• 10% food compost and topsoil mixed with blood meal and kelp meal

1. Create compost “box spring” with branches
2. Edge with green matter
3. Fill with straw and manure

Build in layers:

• Manure
• Green matter
• Straw
• Rew shovels of top soil mix with blood meal and kelp meal
• Spray with water well to soak
• Repeat process above numerous times
• Add food compost to center

let this sit all winter and in spring, start to water the pile

Dut a hole at the bottom on one side of pile to retrieve compost for garden

go feed your garden soil with this for a happy abundant garden

I really hope you will go out and build a compost pile. It is putting life force back into the ground, and there is magic in the dis-integration. Everything has a purpose under the sun, including us. I believe with all my heart that every answer to every question can be found in Nature.

Happy composting!