Composting Techniques

The soil is the starting point

At Organics Fresh & Wild we make all of our own compost and have found that a focus on soil health gives our new seedlings and plants the best start in life, and allows them to go on to become the tasty, nutrient dense food which we strive for.

I’m convinced that the love and laughter which goes into each compost heap also contributes to the health and vitality of the soil.  Compost making days are always pretty hectic, starting at about 8am with a group of energetic community volunteers, we collect ingredients from around the farm;  spent plants from the field, wood chips, grass from the paddocks, cow manure (from our cows!), comfrey, some waste vegies from the mornings harvest…..it all becomes part of the process.

Working from the recipe (which will give us the carbon-nitogen ratio required for our soil and our crops) we create a compost heap in layers, introducing some EM (effective micro-organisms), rock phosphate, and metal dust along the way.  One person always has the job of holding the hose to keep the compost heap (and us) wet and cool during the process.

It’s always a great feeling of achievement for the team to complete a compost heap, and then watch its progress over the following weeks.

Have a look at our Community Farm Project page to see how you can connect with us, join in and learn how to compost using the ingredients available to you in your back yard!