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Composting

Thanks to the work of Sir Albert Howard and Robert Rodale, almost all gardeners know the basics of making and managing a compost heap. I hope to add pages on that subject as soon as I can get to it.

I must say, though, that as I get older I am more interested in alternatives to the classic, labor-intensive compost heap. I will open this section, therefore, with “The Boxwood Vermicomposting System”—a description of how we use earthworms to compost horse manure for garden fertility.

Another labor-saving approach to composting: Let the chickens do it! I’ve added to this section an article published in a recent issue of Backyard Poultry, “The Lazy Gardener’s Compost Heap”. I'm excited about the many benefits of “turning the flock loose” on heavily mulched areas.

I'm especially excited about working with a managed colony of black soldier fly grubs to convert organic “wastes” not only to high-fertility amendment for soil improvement, but to live protein feed for the poultry flock. Check it out. ~Harvey, February 2010

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