Food waste is a great issue today. Very common in households, it also occurs in agriculture and in industrial production. Fortunately, composting is a great alternative to tossing excess organic material. Whether you want to use composting in your home or on your dairy farm, here’s a beginner’s guide to composting to educate you on the benefits of using compost for your soil.
Color-Coordinate
Not everything is compostable. In fact, it’s best to know which organic materials are suitable for industrial or residential composting so that you avoid potential issues. A good starting point is color: most green and brown items are great for composting. Think leafy greens, cardboard, paper towel and toilet paper rolls, and fruit. You can even throw in eggshells. However, don’t try to compost cooked foods, as these can attract unwanted pests.
Remember Ratios
There’s a science behind effective composting. A healthy compost bin must have a good carbon-to-nitrogen ratio, with higher amounts of carbon compared to nitrogen. Carbon-rich items include tree branches, sawdust, coffee filters and grounds, straw, and peat moss. Nitrogen-rich matter includes manure, food items, lawn clippings, and leaves. The latter items possess the necessary enzymes to break down matter and feed oxygen into the container.
Adding carbon matter on top of nitrogen matter captures any odors from the nitrogen materials. If you find that your compost is too dry, add water. This will expedite the decomposition process. Remember to rake or shovel your compost bin every few weeks to continually feed air into it.
Buy Industrial Composting Equipment
This pertains mainly to industrial dairy farms, but industrial equipment takes care of all composting needs for you. With industrial composting equipment, farmers save money, save time, and produce greater yields. This is because industrial compost manufacturing produces compost soil in a fraction of the time of small-scale composting. Industrial composters also have the technology and skill sets to handle composting on a grand scale, which is perfect for large-scale agricultural operations.
Reuse the Compost Soil
Once the composting process has finished, you can reuse the matter for your needs. Compost soil is great for revitalizing flower beds, trees, or small- or large-scale farms. Since compost is made of organic matter, its richness in carbon and nitrogen fuels plants and crops, therefore producing greater yields and greater quality.
