Why Compost?

Why Not Throw It Away
This Master Composter web page gives some interesting facts on disposal. An excellent site for home composting.

Compost Education

Compost Happens Curriculum
Fun and educational compost activities with soda bottles and gummy worms from the University of Texas.
Worm Word Glossary
A glossary for teachers published by City Farmer, Canada's Office of Urban Agriculture.
Successful Home Composting
A slide show from the Washington State University Cooperative Extension.

Compost Programs: Local Contacts

Vermont Solid Waste District Sites and Other Planning Groups Contacts

Making Compost

Recycling Council of Ontario's Composting Instruction Sheets
•Rotating Barrel Composter •Vermicomposting Bin •Wood & Wire 3-Bin System •Portable Wood & Wire Bin •Compost Screen •Drum, Cement Block & Snow Fence Bins •Compost Tea •Vermicomposting •Winter Composting •Making Your Leaves Work for You.
Organics and Composting
From Earth 911, multiple resources for making and using compost and vermicompost.

Ingredients

Metroworks' Materials to Compost
A simple list...just a list. Small amounts of fats, butter and salad dressing, will not harm a well maintained backyard compost pile. If you want to minimize chances of attracting animals, leave all fats out. If the site jumps back to the Metroworks Services index, scroll down and click on composting, on this page scroll down and click on information, and finally scroll down and click on Materials to Compost -- or change the web address to http://www.city.toronto.on.ca/compost/material.htm.

Recipes

The Virtual Pile
A simple computer simulation to give you a gross evaluation of the carbon to nitrogen ratio of your pile. Add materials by parts by volume. In other words for 2 parts brown leaves to one part table scraps and one part fruit waste, add two brown leaves, one table scraps,and one fruit waste.

Bins/Containers/Piles/Equipment/Aids

Recycling Council of Ontario's Composting Instruction Sheets
•Rotating Barrel Composter •Vermicomposting Bin •Wood & Wire 3-Bin System •Portable Wood & Wire Bin •Compost Screen •Drum, Cement Block & Snow Fence Bins •Compost Tea •Vermicomposting •Winter Composting •Making Your Leaves Work for You.

Master Composter's Bin Site
This site links to some distributors.

Problems

Fruit Flies and Other Pesty Problems
Solutions to the common problems of fruit flies and odor in a small backyard system.

Using Compost

Using Compost
A short section from the University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension

Finishing/Curing and When Is It Ready
From Florida's On-line Composting Center, two short sections on how to tell if compost is mature and how to cure compost so all the material is composted. This site also has a good section on how to test it for maturity using several germination techniques.

Use and Application of compost
From the Master Composter web site.

Washington State University Stewardship Gardening
Using compost to amend the soil in gardens or as mulch.

RivenRock - How to Use Compost
Scroll to the middle of the page to find out how to apply compost into the soil or use it as mulch

Garden Centre: Getting the Dirt on Composting
More advice on how to use compost in your gardens, on your lawn, for tree planting or as mulch.

Seattle Public Utilities: Growing Healthy Soils
How to grow healthy soils including how to use compost as mulch, soil amendment and for potted plants.

The Composting Council of Canada
Compost!...For the Love of the Earth!
Using compost for flower beds, tree planting, vegetable gardens,mulch and lawn establishment

For more information, contact Anr.Compost@state.vt.us