Page 29 - MNLGA Free State Winter 2025
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their heads on the ceiling; probably Our methodology is to watch the type of compost we make contains
go to jail for that today. temperature. When I consider it ample fertility for plant production
ready for the field it still has some over a period of many years.
Horse manure, it turns out, is the
pieces of wood chips visible but looks Sometimes when we tour a customer
best compost source for us. The
and smells great! Gourmet compost and tell them we don’t use any
mineralization rate for horse manure
does not reveal any source materials. synthetic fertilizer, they think we are
is ten years while some sources can
After 18-24 months of mixing and lying when they see the ample color
be only one year. It also produces
‘cooking’, the temperature stabilizes and robust nature of our plants.
a fungal based compost favored
at 90-100 degrees F. We see initial
by woody plants. Bacterial based To resolve the cost issue of compost,
temperatures of up to 160 degrees
compost is more useful for flowers, we can’t afford to buy it, but we can
fahrenheit which kills most weed
vegetables, and grasses. afford it if we make it. A
seeds and other bad things.
Our compost production system
Not counting my time, I guestimate
requires 18-24 months, turning the
we are spending about $4.00 per
windrows based on temperature.
ton for what I call finished compost.
The manure is free. We also receive
That brings the material cost down
arborist wood chips for free and mix
to about $400 per acre versus $1,475
them with manure while building
per acre for purchased material. If we
windrows. Our additional cost
assume a six-year planting rotation,
is windrow management which Jerry Faulring
the annual cost is less than $70 per
includes the cost of equipment, Waverly Farm
acre, less than synthetic fertilizer. The
depreciation, fuel and an operator. 1931 Greenfield Road
Adamstown, MD 21710
310-874-8300
Finished product
Membership Matters • WINTER 2025 29
