How to make excellent compost!

If you are tired of spending money on compost and are ready to make your own, now is your chance. Keep in mind you will have to work a bit to create compost and with a litle effort it won't cost you a dime!

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Grass clippings
• Leaves
• Dirt
• Cow manure
• water
• Large wooden box or barrel
• Black Plastic

1. Find a location to have your compost. It should be close enough to get to conviently, but far enough so the smell (although minimal)doesn't become an issue. Make a wooden box or use an old barrel to hold your compost. I have used pallets which you can get from behind grocery stores or the local newspaper building.
   
   Use one for the back of the box and then two for the sides. Attach them together with screws or nails. I also use old 2x6 deck planks on the front and as the compost pile gets higher I add a plank simply by screwing to the pallets.
   
   Your compost box is ready for use.
2. Shovel a layer of grass clippings into the bottom about 2" to 3" thick. Then do the same with the leaves. Then toss in a couple of shovel fulls of cow manure then cover all of that with a layer of dirt about 2" to 3" thick. Now hose down the layers with some water, go ahead and soak it pretty good.
   
   Repeat the process until you have filled you box or run out of materials. I also throw all of my organic kitchen scraps into the pile. fruits, veggies, peelings, coffee grounds, even the filter. DO NOT THROW ANY MEAT OR MEAT PRODUCTS.
3. Once you have completed your layers cover it with a black plastic or big trash bag and just let it sit for a couple of weeks.
   
   Make sure you remove the bag every couple of days and hose it down then cover it back up. This will help the compost "cook". It will actually create heat as your layers decompose.
4. After a couple of weeks the pile needs to be turned. Now I have made a second box so I can shovel from one box to the other thus mixing it and creating a spot to start the process all over again.
   
   You could just shovel out the compost box and then shovel it right back in again and this would help mix the contents up. Once you have filled the box with the mixed compost water it a bit and cover it again.
   
   Let it sit again for about a week then repeat the mixing process. You will see when your compost is ready for use. Once all of the matter that was placed in the box completely decomposes it is ready to use in your garden. This is a compost recipe that was given to me from my father in law which was given to him by his father. Although they grew up in South Africa and maybe they used zebra manure the result is the same...a killer compost for the garden.

Tips & Warnings

• Look around your area for that spot that people like to dump their grass clipping and leaves. I live in Arizona and don't have many trees or grass, but I found the dump spot and it keeps me well supplied for free.
• Locate a farm with cows and ask if you can get some of the manure. Another good source would be the circus or zoo and score some elephant manure it is all organic.
• As the compost does its thing it is creating bacteria that breakdown the matter. So if you have cuts on your hands just make sure you wash them well after you are finished working with the compost.