NRAES–54

On-Farm Composting Handbook

On-Farm Composting
Handbook

NRAES–54 ISBN 978-0-935817-19-5

NRAES–54

Plant and Life Sciences Publishing (PALS)

Recycled
Paper Cooperative Extension
Plant
Plant and
and Life
Life Sciences
Sciences Publishing (PALS)
Publishing (PALS)
34Cooperative
Plant Science Building
Extension
Ithaca, NY4557
PO Box 14853
Ithaca, NY 14852-4557
 for
for
for
About
About PALS
PALS, Plant and Life Sciences Publishing (formerly NRAES), is a not-for-pro it program dedicated to in-

PALS
PALS,
creasingPlant and Life Sciences Publishing (formerly NRAES),
livest public availability of science- and experienced-based knowledge. The for is a not-for-pro it program
programdedicated
for is sponsoredto in-
by
creasing
four public availability
land-grant universitiesofinscience-
the eastern and United
experienced-based
States. It is partknowledge. The program
of the Department of is sponsoredin
Horticulture, by
PALS,
three Plant and
land-grant Life Sciences
universities Publishing
in the eastern(formerly
United NRAES),
States. It is
is a not-for-pro
part of the it for
program
Department dedicated
of to
Horticulture, in-in
the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, at Cornell University.
PALS,
creasingPlant and
public Life Sciences
availability Publishing
of science- (formerly NRAES),
and experienced-based is a not-for-pro
knowledge. it program
TheSection
program dedicated to
is sponsored in-
the College
livest
Plant
livest andofLife
Agriculture
Sciences and Life Sciences,
Publishing (PALS) atisCornell
a program University.
of the Horticulture for in the School of by
creasing
four public availability
land-grant universities ofinscience-
the and United
eastern experienced-based
States. It is knowledge.
part of the The program
Department of is sponsoredin
Horticulture, by
PALSIntegrative
publishesPlant Science,
practical books in the Collegeto
of interest of fruit
Agriculture and Lifegrowers,
and vegetable Scienceslandscapers,
at Cornell University.
dairy and PALS
livestock
three
the
PALS land-grant
College universities
of Agriculture
publishes practical and
books inLife
the easterntoUnited
Sciences,
oftheir
interest atfruit States.
Cornell It is part
University. of the Department ofdairy
Horticulture, in
assists
producers, university
natural faculty
resource and
managers, colleagues
SWCD inand
(soil and vegetable
publishing, growers,
marketing,
water conservation landscapers,
and distributing
district) staff, and livestock
books
consumers,for
the College natural
livest
producers, of Agriculture
resourceand Life Sciences,
managers, SWCD at (soil
CornellandUniversity.
water
small farmers,
landowners,
livest gardeners,
and professionals land owners,
interested workshops,
in agricultural wasteconservation
college courses,
management district)
and consumers. staff,
The
and composting. consumers,
University
PALS books
PALS
areof publishes
landowners,
Maine
used andpractical books
professionals
is a memberextension
in cooperative of interest
interested
university. to fruit and vegetable growers, landscapers,
programs, in college courses, as management guides, and forPALS
in agricultural waste management and dairy
composting. and livestock
books
self-di-
PALS
are publishes
producers,
used practical
innatural books
resource
cooperative of
managers,
extension interest to fruit
SWCDin(soil
programs, and vegetable
and courses,
college growers,
water conservation landscapers,
as management district) dairy
staff,and
guides, and livestock
consumers,
for self-di-
rected learning.
producers,
landowners,
livest
rected natural
and resource
professionals managers,
interested SWCD
in (soil and
agricultural water
waste conservation
management district)
and staff,
composting. consumers,
PALSandbooks
PALSlearning.
books are practical and comprehensive. They are based on decades of grower experience
landowners,
areuniversity and professionals
used in cooperative extension interested
programs, in
Coo include agricultural
in college waste
courses, management
as management and composting.
guides, PALS
and small-fruitbooks
for self-di-
research. Book Contact
categories PALS for more
garden andinformation.
landscape, small-scale farming,
are used
rected in cooperative extension programs,
learning. Contact PALS in college courses,
for production,
more as management guides, and for self-di-
information.
production, composting, pasture-based
Plant and Life livestock
Sciences Publishing rural-land
(PALS) management and personal
rected learning.
�inance. The gardening, small-scale Plant farming,
and
Cooperative small-fruit
Life Sciences
Extension, production,
 Publishing
PO Box
4557 rural-land management and
(PALS)
4557
Coo
Contact PALS
nraes@cornell.edu
Coo for more information.
www.nraes.org
pasture-based livestock production booksNew
Cooperative wereYork written forBoxthe4557
Northeast,
8770 Mid-Atlantic and Great
PALSExtension, PO

Ithaca,
Contact for more  14852-4557
information.
4557
Lakes states. E Phone: Plant and
(607) Life
Ithaca, Sciences
New York
255-7654
nraes@cornell.edu 
Publishing
• 14852-4557 (PALS)
Fax: (607)www.nraes.org
254-8770
Plant
Phone: and Life
Cooperative
(607) Sciences
255-7654

Extension,•
 Publishing
Fax:PO Box
4557
(607) (PALS)
4557 8770
254-8770
E-mail: palspublishing@cornell.edu
Visit
E PALS nraes@cornell.edu
web
Coo site for
nraes@cornell.edu • Web
descriptions site:of palspublishing.cals.cornell.edu
4557
books distributed.
www.nraes.org
www.nraes.org
Cooperative
Ithaca, Extension,

PO palspublishing.cals.cornell.edu
Box 45578770
MartyNew •York 14852-4557

E-mail: palspublishing@cornell.edu Sailus, Web site:
PALS Director
4557 8770
EE Phone: Plant Ithaca,
and
(607) Life New
255-7654
nraes@cornell.edu
Marty York
Sciences 14852-4557
Publishing
• Fax:
Sailus, PALS 4557
(607)
Director (PALS)
254-8770
www.nraes.org
nraes@cornell.edu  www.nraes.org
8770
Phone: (607)
E-mail: palspublishing@cornell.edu 34 255-7654
Plant Science
• Web• Fax:

site: (607)
Building 8770
254-8770
palspublishing.cals.cornell.edu
4557
PALS
EE is sponsored
nraes@cornell.edu
nraes@cornell.eduby these Land Grant Universities:
www.nraes.org
www.nraes.org
E-mail: palspublishing@cornell.edu
PALS is sponsored Ithaca,
Marty • Web
New
Sailus,
by these

York
PALS site:
Land palspublishing.cals.cornell.edu
14853
Director
Grant
4557Universities:
8770


E University
Marty
Phone:
nraes@cornell.edu Sailus,
( of
607) Connecticut
PALS
 Director
255-7654 www.nraes.org
E-mail: palspublishing@cornell.edu University• Webof Maine
site: 8770
palspublishing.cals.cornell.edu
PALS
E is sponsored by these
University
nraes@cornell.edu Land
of Maine Grant Universities:
www.nraes.org
PALS is sponsored Marty by these
Cornell
Sailus, Land
University

PALS Grant
Director Universities:
Cornellof
University University
Connecticut
West VirginiaofUniversity
University Maine
West VirginiaofUniversity
University Maine
Cornell University University
Cornell University
West Virginia University University
West Virginia University
University
University
University
University
University
University
University
ISBN 978-0-935817-19-5
ISBN 978-0-935817-19-5 University
Requests to reprint parts of this publication should be sent to PALS. In your request, please state which
Requests to reprint parts
partsofofthis publication should
ISBN 978-0-935817-19-5
the publication you be sent
would liketotoPALS.
reprintInand
your request, please state which
describe
partstoofuse ISBN
thethe 978-0-935817-19-5
publication you wouldContact
like to reprint
how you intend reprinted
ISBN material.
978-0-935817-19-5 PALS ifandyoudescribe
have any questions.
Requestshow
to reprint partsto
you intend ofuse
thisthe
publication
reprintedshould be sent
material. Contactto PALS.
PALSIn yourhave
if you request,
any please state which
questions.
parts of Plant
the and Lifeyou
publication Sciences
would Publishing
like to (PALS)
reprint and describe
Requests to reprint parts of thisPlant and Lifeshould be Publishing
Sciences sent to PALS. In your request, please state which
(PALS)
how you intend Cooperative Extension, PO Box 4557
partstoofuse
thethe reprintedyou
publication
Cooperative
material.
would Contact
like PALS if you have any questions.
PO Box 4557and describe
to reprint
Ithaca,Extension,
NY 14852-4557
how you intend to usePlant the reprinted material. Contact PALS if you have any questions.
Phone:and Life Sciences
Ithaca,
(607) Publishing
NY 14852-4557
255-7654 * Fax: (PALS)
(607) 254-8770
Cooperative
Plant
Phone: and
(607)
E-mail: palspublishing@cornell.edu Extension,
Life255-7654
Sciences
* Web PO
Publishing
* Fax:
site: Box254-8770
(607) 4557
(PALS)
palspublishing.cals.cornell.edu
Ithaca,
E-mail: palspublishing@cornell.edu NY 14852-4557
34 Plant Science Building
* Web site: palspublishing.cals.cornell.edu
Reprinted June 2013(607) 254-8770 Reprinted March 2012
Phone: (607) 255-7654
Ithaca, NY * Fax:
14853
Reprinted December 2013
E-mail: palspublishing@cornell.edu Phone: *(607)
Web255-7654
site: palspublishing.cals.cornell.edu
E-mail: Reprinted•June
Web2013site: Reprinted
Reprinted March
March 2012
2012

Reprinted September 2018

Reprinted March 2012