Ultimate in recycling—The Earth provides us with food,
clothing, and shelter, and we close the cycle in o<ering
fertility, health, and life through the shepherding of
materials.
Building a Compost Pile Step-by-Step
- Under the pile area (9 or 16 square feet), loosen the
soil, to 12 inches deep with a spading fork.
- Lay down roughage, such as brush or other woody
material, 3 inches thick, if it is available, for air
circulation.
- Put down a 2-inch layer of mature material, such as dry
weeds, leaves, straw, dry grass clippings, hay, and old
garden wastes. Water it thoroughly.
- Put down a 2-inch layer of immature material, such as
fresh weeds, grass clippings, hedge trimmings, green
cover crops, and kitchen wastes you have saved. Water
well.
- Cover lightly with a ¼- to ½-inch layer of soil to
prevent flies and odors.
- Moisten the soil.
- Add new layers of mature vegetation, immature
vegetation, kitchen waste, and soil as materials become
available until the pile is 3 to 4 feet high.
- Cover the top of the pile with a ½- to 1-inch layer of
