Compost is an essential ingredient in any organic farming operation.  The finished product is a wonderful soil amendment that increased tilth and adds nutrients.

Starting material at Willow Run Farm is manure and bedding from calf pens and the cattle lot.  This mixture has the correct ratio of carbon (C) to Nitrogen (N) to make good compost.

Material is loaded into a modified manure spreader.

for transport to the composting area.  The spreader carries about 300 bushels of material at a time.

Long windrows are formed and the material begins the composting process.  Heat is generated as bacteria and fungi break down the organic matter.  The windrows are lifted and turned with a frontend loader at regular intervals to keep the mass aerobic.

Other materials are added to the compost rows including plant clippings from the greenhouse, trimmings from market preparation of vegetables and household garbage.

As decomposition slows down, the rows of compost are pushed into conical piles.  The final product is loaded into a side-delivery type spreader and applied to fields as required.