North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[JoanRRosenberg@aol.com]

Having horses, I use the manure for composting.  What I do is create compost 
areas.
 
I have 3 compost areas- the 3 year old pile, the 2 year old pile, and the 
current year's compost.

For regular garden fertilizer I dig from the 3 year old  pile, that has 
turned into neat black soil and is good rich dirt full of earth worms. I use 
this for regular veggies.

If I need to heat an area for overwinter, I use from the current pile, which 
generates heat as it decomposes.  This has to be dug in and mixed with the 
soil at least twice with a good spade, and it is work.  This area does not 
currently have producing plants in it. I just want to plant early in the 
spring, and it is a lot easier to turn over if it isn't frozen.

If I just want to mulch an area to prevent water runoff, I dig from the two 
year old pile.  It is not quite soil yet, so it mats, but it absorbs water.  
I layer it on top of the existing soil to cover/kill weeds.   It also saves 
me from having to drag hoses for watering in drought periods.  

Most of these areas are also limed lightly on top to prevent excess acid 
drain into the soil below.  It also removes any associated smellies.  I also 
use the sprinkle on compost maker you can buy in the stores every 2 years or 
so to encourage breakdown.