Compost?

[Fuzzy]

As promised.... now I`m not here to apportion blame to either producers or users, I know it makes sense to compost land for all the reasons above but there is a likelihood that users don`t/can`t see what else is being spread & buried. As a trial I marked out a 20 metre square & "litter picked" it.
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I must say the quality i get here is way better than your photo's. I am now in year 6 of using 'Green compost' and the quality is improving year on year. Your photos are also not typical of other suppliers i have seen.

 

[IEM]

I must say the quality i get here is way better than your photo's. I am now in year 6 of using 'Green compost' and the quality is improving year on year. Your photos are also not typical of other suppliers i have seen.

We are using PAS 100 green waste compost and the quality we are getting now is much better than it was 5 years ago. Far less plastic and a more consistent material. It is free for us to collect and just worth us hauling it 8 miles home and spreading it based on the nutrient values with the OM as a bonus.

Is anyone applying it to growing crops in the spring? We currently apply it at approx 30t/ha after OSR, depending on analysis as we are in an NVZ.

 

[Wastexprt]

Would all the effort benefit a Fen soil that is already high in organic matter and N though?

Probably not

 

[Wastexprt]

Its a bit of a mix, some amenity compost and some of the mashed MDF that was used for cattle bedding. I think the powers that be have stopped the use of mashed MDF because of carcinogens in the glues etc.
I guess @360farmsupport would be the resident expert on the stuff.

From my time in the EA I can't remember exactly why MDF was stopped going in to compost, I seem to recall it was something to do with it being a 'special waste' back in the day. Having had a quick look at the EA compost permits, I would say that the exclusion of MDF in to a Standard Rules compost site would be because MDF is 'treated', it could also be argued that it isn't technically 'wood'. The glues are predominantly urea formaldehyde which is very shot lived in the compost heap as it would be driven off by the heat that is required to allow the bugs to deal with weed seeds, pathogens etc. I think more of a concern to the EA would be any biocides, finishes etc that were applied to the MDF during manufacture, that would/may affect the composting process.

The amount of contamination within both PAS100 and non-PAS100 composts is a concern to most of the industry, granted to a lesser extent in PAS100 composts due to the limits imposed, but a couple of shredded plastic bags in a tonne of compost doesn't look particularly pretty and one that doesn't bode well for the sustainability of the sector. The pictures above are quite shocking, I live near a composter and some of the contaminants within the compost that gets spread to land round the back of us is alarming.

 

[JCMaloney]

Thanks @360farmsupport , as I said above I can see the logic if the compost is clean enough. I guess as with any industry there are some "fastbuck cowboys" in the early days. IIRC there was a company near Derby (Vitalearth?) who got clobbered with a fine of around £75k then caught fire and burnt for ages.
I`ll have to pop in for a cup of tea one day and put the world to rights!! lol

 

[Farmersdaughter]

Been thinking a lot about compost on the farm since going to Elaine Ingram's workshop in January, then one by Joel Williams. Family, work and illness have meant I have only made garden scale compost so far. Went on a microscope and soil biology course yesterday and have learnt how to look at compost teas so inspired again. Think compost tea maybe the way to go on our farm. It is mixed dairy beef and arable.
With green waste compost brought on to farm, is it the aim of improving soil biology, to increase OM or as a nutrient source that people use it. I worry it has poor soil biology with low fungi levels and could be anaerobic, depending how it is produced. I had plans to turn all our muck into compost on farm, but have struggling how best to do it on a farm scale without huge expense to set up, and also where to get carbon source from to balance the nitrogen in the muck. We have good OM levels in our soils being a mixed farm, and can get nutrients from the muck by putting it on as FYM or slurry. So I am thinking make a small amount of very good compost with the right biology and use that to make compost tea and apply that to improve soil. Is anybody doing this on a farm scale and how is going? Was wondering if adding compost tea before or after applying muck to ground would make the nitrogen beter utilised by soil.

 

[Fuzzy]

Been thinking a lot about compost on the farm since going to Elaine Ingram's workshop in January, then one by Joel Williams. Family, work and illness have meant I have only made garden scale compost so far. Went on a microscope and soil biology course yesterday and have learnt how to look at compost teas so inspired again. Think compost tea maybe the way to go on our farm. It is mixed dairy beef and arable.
With green waste compost brought on to farm, is it the aim of improving soil biology, to increase OM or as a nutrient source that people use it. I worry it has poor soil biology with low fungi levels and could be anaerobic, depending how it is produced. I had plans to turn all our muck into compost on farm, but have struggling how best to do it on a farm scale without huge expense to set up, and also where to get carbon source from to balance the nitrogen in the muck. We have good OM levels in our soils being a mixed farm, and can get nutrients from the muck by putting it on as FYM or slurry. So I am thinking make a small amount of very good compost with the right biology and use that to make compost tea and apply that to improve soil. Is anybody doing this on a farm scale and how is going? Was wondering if adding compost tea before or after applying muck to ground would make the nitrogen beter utilised by soil.

IMO 1) I would improve your muck by loading into a muck spreader at mucking out time and unload onto the heap. = Instant compost. Spread on your fields in the normal way.
2) Apply green compost out in the fields for OM and Nutrients , then spread your slurry on top of this in the normal way, then incorporate. = Improved OM + Nutrient retention.

I think if you keep the 'Products' separate you will make life easier for yourself and have no capital expense (Assuming you have a muck spreader? If not get one!)

 

[Farmersdaughter]

IMO 1) I would improve your muck by loading into a muck spreader at mucking out time and unload onto the heap. = Instant compost. Spread on your fields in the normal way.
2) Apply green compost out in the fields for OM and Nutrients , then spread your slurry on top of this in the normal way, then incorporate. = Improved OM + Nutrient retention.

I think if you keep the 'Products' separate you will make life easier for yourself and have no capital expense (Assuming you have a muck spreader? If not get one!)

Interested in the use of muckspreader to give instant compost. Do you do this? How big do you make heaps, do you need to turn it, does it stay aerobic, how long do you leave it to make. Not knocking idea, would be great way to make good compost if it works, but seems too simple.

 

[Fuzzy]

I use a lot of green compost at present. I dont have a source of slurry!
The muck i make into rows that can be turned over with a telehandler, usually once or twice if i think it needs it, i leave it for 3 months before spreading.

 

[martian]

We add omph to green waste compost by using it as a base for our dry cows to over - winter on, then bedding up with straw on top. Makes a lovely drop of stuff. One strand electric fence completes the picture.

 

[Chasingmytail]

we did it last summer, June, the heaps were enormous (good 10Ft high) and watering them with sprinklers (not dry out), keeping control of the temp was hard has to be continually controlled. It was steaming everywhere! Watch for water run off as all the nutrients were in there. We cut the grass, imported plenty of tree waste and used our straw muck - taking out any plastic or rubbish. There is a local green waste company that we managed to gain more green stuff. Looked at wood waste however it was full of glue so be warned on this the ingredients need to be as organic as possible. You need manpower to turn it (luckily we had a few lads). We struggled with the microscope think we did something wrong. Spread it with the muck spreader.

If you have green waste which is contaminated with rubbish put it on the floor of a shed and put the chickens in over it - the chickens will scratch and bring up the rubbish. Working for us. Every day I spend 10mins collecting any bits (lots of plastic) Eventually it will be cleaned through and ready to put aside for next years compost.

 

[martian]

Interested in the use of muckspreader to give instant compost. Do you do this? How big do you make heaps, do you need to turn it, does it stay aerobic, how long do you leave it to make. Not knocking idea, would be great way to make good compost if it works, but seems too simple.

As I understand it, from @Simon C who has a neighbour who does this, is you load FYM into your muckspreader straight out of the yard in spring and make a windrow of finely chopped and aerated FYM, by putting muckspreader (rear discharge, preferably with side gates half closed) in gear with the tractor in the slowest possible crawler gear, so that it inches forward leaving you a lovely tall windrow. Ideally you then turn the windrow a time or two, as per Clive's recipe above, but if you don't it still makes much better compost than half rotted FYM from the usual slabs of trailer dumped FYM heaps.

 

[damaged]

I understand from information gained many years back, a side discharge vee spreader makes a good compost heap, further passes being spread on top. Cannot remember about turning - assume it is with loading shovel.
I think green waste with fym compost on top in field would be excellent, especially if used to 'hold' bag inorganic fert. applications.

 

[Richard III]

I recon this would do the job.

http://www.jrfirby.co.uk/showpic.php?id=3144&pic=1

Or for a more modest outlay.

http://www.jrfirby.co.uk/showpic.php?id=3674&pic=4

 

[T C]

Anybody got pics of composting FYM from a muck spreader to a heap?
Would like to try this but need to get hold of a spreader.

 

[Sitting Pretty]

TC, Kello Mains tried this in the past but no longer bother as it didn't seem to give any major benefit and simply burnt a lot of diesel in the process and wore out the spreader quicker. From memory young Robert says they are back to good old heaped up middens and leave as long as possible before spreading.

 

[Wastexprt]

Anybody got pics of composting FYM from a muck spreader to a heap?
Would like to try this but need to get hold of a spreader.

I have some pictures of when a company I was at used to compost sewage sludge and woodchip before the site was closed. I'll stick them up tomorrow. The principle worked very well.

 

[ajd132]

Been thinking a lot about compost on the farm since going to Elaine Ingram's workshop in January, then one by Joel Williams. Family, work and illness have meant I have only made garden scale compost so far. Went on a microscope and soil biology course yesterday and have learnt how to look at compost teas so inspired again. Think compost tea maybe the way to go on our farm. It is mixed dairy beef and arable.
With green waste compost brought on to farm, is it the aim of improving soil biology, to increase OM or as a nutrient source that people use it. I worry it has poor soil biology with low fungi levels and could be anaerobic, depending how it is produced. I had plans to turn all our muck into compost on farm, but have struggling how best to do it on a farm scale without huge expense to set up, and also where to get carbon source from to balance the nitrogen in the muck. We have good OM levels in our soils being a mixed farm, and can get nutrients from the muck by putting it on as FYM or slurry. So I am thinking make a small amount of very good compost with the right biology and use that to make compost tea and apply that to improve soil. Is anybody doing this on a farm scale and how is going? Was wondering if adding compost tea before or after applying muck to ground would make the nitrogen beter utilised by soil.

Seen Joel Williams today and would like to do compost. I'm importing 2500t of broiler manure aswel as a large amount of nutri bio. I just don't see how on a large scale I can really make the chicken manure into compost without taking a huge amount of space and a lot of haulage. I was thinking just use the muck as normal but then get the biology by making compost tea as you said. Need to read up more!

 

[shakerator]

Seen Joel Williams today and would like to do compost. I'm importing 2500t of broiler manure aswel as a large amount of nutri bio. I just don't see how on a large scale I can really make the chicken manure into compost without taking a huge amount of space and a lot of haulage. I was thinking just use the muck as normal but then get the biology by making compost tea as you said. Need to read up more!

Get looking on eBay for those spreaders!

 

[ajd132]

Get looking on eBay for those spreaders

Well it's good to finally put a face to a name! Excellent day.