My 'barn scrapings' is manure with waste hay. I put it in a big pile during the summer. The next spring I spread it out a little (still 2' thick) and plant winter squash on it. The squash doesn't seem to mind that it isn't completely composted yet, but the weeds haven't found the pile, so it's carefree gardening at it's best. Between the composting and the dark sun-absorbing color, it stays warmer than the rest of the garden. I get a good crop of winter squash for no work from a pile of compost I wouldn't otherwise be using yet.
The next spring I'll either move the compost where I need it or till it in where it is and make a new bed; it makes a nice productive bed for a couple years before it needs anything added.
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