As far as composting anything, including manure and used bedding as I do,
the key to getting compost is to have sufficient moisture. I have shavings
and manure six feet deep that is still in pristine condition after five years
because of insufficient moisture.
On that note, has anyone tried using red wriggler worms to eat their
compost pile? I know people do it with small amounts where they are able
to sift out the worms when the compost has been turned into soil but I would
like to do it with a compost pile that is some 100' in circumference. My
concern about these worms is that they basically eat almost anything, including
boards. If I were to spread the soil on my pasture I don't want those
hungry little beggars eating my whole pasture.
Here in montana the road dept was having issues with what do to with all
the road kill(more deer are killed by cars times two than by hunters) So they
started composting the dead animals. The bodies are put on top of two
feet of saw dust and covered with two to three feet of the same. The
pile is kept moist and after the pile reaches a certain temp it is turn with
big machine. In 9 months there is nothing left but great compost. Of
course they have a significant fence around the pile. In one area of the
state, because the grizzlies were coming down to the ranches, drawn in by dead
carcasses (on big ranches there is generally a "bone yard" where all dead
livestock are put) the fish and game got together with the ranchers,
and the road department enlarged the composting area to accomodate
the ranchers livestock. A fellow in our valley composted his
horse....didn't turn the pile because he didn't have the machinery but in 11
months there weren't even bones left and he claims there was never a bad
odor. He used the compost on his pastures and flower bed. There
are several articles about the above in a magazine called Rocky Mountain Rider
out of Hamilton Montana
