TOFG-all

Making & Using Compost

Unit 1.7 | Part 1 – 317
Hands-on Exercise

Hands-on Exercise: Build & Monitor a

Compost Pile

step-by-step instructions for students

SUMMARY

In groups of 2 to 3, you will

build a group compost pile, and

monitor its progress over the next

6 months. The step-by-step outline

(pages 1-313–1-316) can serve as a

guideline as you build the pile and

later as you turn it. Use the Compost

Materials and Temperature Chart

(Appendix 5) to list materials and

the sequence of layers, and to rec-

ord temperatures, observations, and

other data.

GROUP RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:

• Assessing the available compost materials


• Planning compost layering


• Building the pile


• Keeping records on the pile (see record sheet in appendices)
  including labeling (name of pile, ingredients, date); record
  observations; daily temperature readings for first month;
  weekly temperature readings for subsequent months


• Turning the pile at least once (at 3 weeks or so)


• Troubleshooting any problems


• Answering the questions below after 1–2 months

QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR PILE

1. How hot did your pile get and how long did it sustain this
   heat?


2. How does the heat curve on your pile compare to others
   you have seen? What assumptions can you make based on
   this heat curve?


3. When you turned your pile, what was your assessment of
   it? What if any troubleshooting did you need to do?


4. When you dig into your pile now, what recognizable
   materials remain? How does the pile smell, feel, look?


5. What other observations have you made about your pile?