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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] P.S. to adding organic matter

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  • From: "Mark & Helen Angermayer" <hangermayer@isp.com>
  • To: "North American Fruit Explorers" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] P.S. to adding organic matter
  • Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2007 11:36:49 -0600

Hans/ Donna,

I'm thinking rats and mice won't be a problem. We have a small dog who, as
they say in Arkansas, "ain't much count", but he's lovable, and he's killed
a couple of squirrels and several snakes. I doubt he'd stand for a rodent
nest on his turf. But I also doubt he'd try a groundhog or a coon, so
wildlife could be a problem. The orchard area is all surrounded by chain
link, but will that stop the wildlife?

As far as the Carbon/Nitrogen ratio, I wonder if the old bread will supply
enough carbon? But I'm also wondering if processed bread might contain
enough additives to cause a harmful buildup over time. (i.e. sodium)?

Ciao,
Mark



Hans schreib,

Usually each composting has a hot- and a cold period. Some piles have
only a cold phase.
Organisms like e.g. worms are living only in the cold phase.
In some cases the hot-phase is becoming even more hot, only due to
"Chemical oxidization" in combination with gases like eg. methan.
This happens sometimes in - quite dry-fresh-hey-barns, which have to be
rebuild after that.
Usually not in quite moist - well balanced - compost piles/drums.
Well balanced means:
A. right moisture
B. structure(air-circulation)
C. C/N-ratio.

C: The C/N ratio will be the major problem for you, because of your
vegetables/fruits (dairy/sausage?)...
In any case (I think) you have to add quite much e.g. sawdust (also the
course one, I do not know the Engl. name).
At Europe we can add also crumpled newspaper, because bleach-agents and
poisons in the dye are prohibited.
I am quite sure, without adding, your "rich waste" will only small like
a dead opossum or skunk.
If some smelling occurs still, after adding high C-materials, you can
add easily:
1.Stone-powder!!! (I don't know your name) from e.g. basalt. This
eliminated all smells
very well and is in addition a very good compound for the soil. It is
used also as a wonderful longterm
natural fertilizer at ecological production.
2. Also lava-powder may be used. See # 1.
3. A little Limestone-powder (simple fertilizer) and or more bentonite
(e.g. for cat's closets)
are useful in your case because your waste material will be too moist.
Anyhow I think few basalt-powder will work the best against smelling.

B. To have a better structure, either more stirring ore/and more course
material
(course woodmaterial) is necessary.If you have sufficient course material,
stirring may be not necessary - if you have a little bit more time.

A: For the right moisture we say in Germany: the compost pile should be in
between a sun- and complete shade-position.To be not too dry and not too
moist.
Some people cover the pile sometimes with a foil to get/keep the right
moisture.

I think like this smelling can be avoided completely and animals like
e.g. raccoons
you have to love as colleagues in waste erasing or you need the
proposed fencing, or a compost drum.
I think this will be the only convenient method against e.g. rats. On
the other hand, beloved
and very positive hedgehogs do love also compost piles (For additional
food and housing during winter).
Many birds too - especially during famine winter season.

It will be up to your national food-contamination-laws, if you may use
finally the compost for a
vegetables garden or better only for ornamentals, because some
vegetables and
fruits may contain (skin) too many poisons. Like e.g. your banana or
oranges.
Many infected plant-material will be no problem at all, but some (e.g.
fire blight) should be not used.

E.g. in Germany each household can pay also for a waste drum only for
"organic-waste",
if they do not want/can compost waste. Inside the ordinary waste-drum,
it is prohibited.
More and more farmers and municipalities are using bio-gas-plants (plant
= fabric) in Germany.

ciao
hans










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