I amalgamated the communal compost into the one pile and added some soil and some old jute bag material that had decomposed in another compost pile. That should add some more microbial life to the pile.
On the communal compost plot the first compost heap has been turned and moved. A second heap is being built next to it as and when compostables are donated.
More material will be added every week now as more people start to get their plots ready for spring.
It’s been interesting to see the depth of good soil before the clay layer starts too. Being no dig I only get to see the top soil depth when I do a project like this. This area has probably been undisturbed for nearly a decade. I wish I’d measured the top soil depth before I started down the no dig route.
I’ll add a lid and then worms and feed them some food scraps regularly. The worms should be safe from predation and be able to escape into the soil away from any extremes of heat and cold.
I’ll add a layer of sand or grit at the bottom to improve the water infiltration as the worm box it is now sitting directly on the clay layer.
The worms may just leave for somewhere better but I’m hoping they’ll stay and provide lots of worm poo for the plot.
Hey #compostodon! My composting newsletter, the Aerobic Digest is out.
In it I detail how I made compost last year, share a rather eccentric 1939 booklet on compost making, and showcase some art about the acoustic study of the soil biome.
Research offers a reason why diversity in plant species causes higher farming yield, solving ‘a bit of a mystery’
A study shows how a boost in agricultural yield comes from planting diverse crops rather than just one plant species: Soil pathogens harmful to plants have a harder time thriving.
A dry, windy day today was ideal to turn the compost pile out into ton grab bags. I’ve just the bottom ton of the pile left to turn and then it can all go back in the one heap again.
The ton grab bags come in really handy for turning the compost into. They also replace the need for me to have more than the one permanent bay.
Our lab works on effects of global change on soil; we always explore new factors and their potential consequences for soil processes and soil biodiversity
I’m taking on another half plot at the weekend. It’s like a marsh & one of the wettest plots on site.
The aim is to improve the plot’s resilience to adverse weather by building up the soil level & soil health.
Not everyone makes their own compost on the allotment site. I’ll use organic matter donated from across the site to build the plot level up & make compost.
Most of the compost made will be a communal resource for other plot holders to use.
Open #internship at FiBL Switzerland! Are you interested in soil health, nature-based solutions and organic farming?
I am looking for an intern, preferably with a social science background and a focus on society-environment relationships.
Very good command of German OR French is required to conduct surveys/interviews in on of those languages.
No better time to build a compost heap than on the hottest day of our Indian summer. The cover crops are coming along nicely. More people are commenting on the home made compost since I started making a pile at the front of the plot three weeks ago.
Too often, and I do it too, compost is made somewhere out of sight or hidden away.
A few more photos from our final day touring Alberta to study soil health. We spent the morning at the Olds College of Agriculture and Technology, learning about smart farming and precision agriculture. Then we visited rancher Doug Wray, near Irricana, who is at the “bleeding edge” of regenerative ag innovation in Alberta. #SenateofCanada#AGFO#Calgary#Alberta#soil#soilhealth#regenerativeagriculture#OldsCollege