It sounds like your C/N balance may be better than you think.
Dried grass clippings with a few shredded leaves make a good carbon source.
The other sources you mentioned will work fine. That glossy paper will just take linger to break down. If I were composting glossy paper, I'd be sure my pile was hot and moisture levels adequate.
If you can find a source, even a small source, of manure, you can really increase your bacteria count to beneficial effect.
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“I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice! And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.” Barry Goldwater.
III
Thanks Forerunner. You're probably right. A lot do dry out over time. Being on the smaller scale, I don't get a lot of heat. I like the manure aspect and I'm working on that. Also, working on making room in my garage for a smaller garden size chipper a friend is getting rid of. Doesn't work great, but will work great for the small branches, rose bush trimmings, and woody stems, etc., that I have. Think I have a source for a little bit of manure; maybe a 5 gal bucket or two periodically.
ETA: Hard to commune with my pile, though after dark some nights I do my best.
It is a bond that needs be created....and maintained, often.
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“I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice! And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.” Barry Goldwater.
III
my composting at work is cancelled, DEQ has a new inspector that checks us and since COmposting on site wasnt in the original plans 17 years ago Ihll have to bury or remove my piles Unless i can get a permit for it. I can store the material for 30 days. I guess Ill have to bring it to the house.
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“I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice! And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.” Barry Goldwater.
III
You guys are pretty inspiring. My partner and I are going to be growing our own animals soon if we can get the place we want. This thread has inspired me to try to compost as much of the animal and garden leftovers as we can to improve our place. (crossing my fingers that we can get it for what we are able to pay for it)
Oh and btw you guys are the reason I joined the site after reading through this entire thread : pants :
Thanks for being so helpful and informative to all us newbies.
I think I mentioned it somewhere earlier in thread, but, early on in the beginnings of my more extreme bent toward composting, I came across a quote that gave me pause.....
"A nation's wealth is directly connected to the fertility of its soil."
What is true for a nation is true for a family, and it's no stretch to say that, no energy is wasted in nurturing the soil over which you have control.
Good luck with that land, and knock yourselves out once you get rolling.
Taylor, the trick is going to be overcoming the fact that you are dealing with corporate land......and not your own. Not saying that the right persuasion applied might turn the tide in your favor.....
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“I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice! And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.” Barry Goldwater.
III
Well I checked my books and we are supposed to be allowed to compost on site The state will reaccess the situation I may have to have some concrete bunkers built, If thats the case we will try to ease them into letting us windrow compost. I had 60 yards of half finished compost dumped at the farm today.
Ok, compost man, what’s going on, what do I need?
I picked me up this contraption thing from CL called a Compost Tumbler, for $100. I always wanted to try one, but never wanted it bad enough to pay the $400 NEW price. SO, they say this thing can make COMPOST in as little as 6 WEEKS!! Woo Woo, WELL, I gathered up some of the un-eaten hay that the goats had went #2 all over and put it in there. I added about 5gal of water from the ol’ turtle tank, and cranked the handle a few times like the instructions directed me to do. The next day I cranked it again, then again on day 2, and day 3, and three weeks later…………..it smells like something is going on in there, but NO HEAT! What’s up? Do I need to go scoop up some of that runny green cow slop to add some more nitrogen to the mix, what ya think?
If I recall what I read in the instruction manual to one of those contraptions some years ago, you have to crank it really fast for a long time........
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“I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice! And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.” Barry Goldwater.
III
Pull those humiliated contents back out and get them in a nice, tidy pile containing at least the mass of a pick-up load and, having been so relieved of their near-unbearable stint in that torture chamber, they will heat and go on with their preferred routine.
__________________
“I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice! And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.” Barry Goldwater.
III
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“I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice! And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.” Barry Goldwater.
III
Well, if ya’d start selling the stuff, I’d think it would pay for that thing in a matter of just a few months! NO hill for a back-woods-man, RIGHT…………?
Oh but it is, there was one for sale locally for $35k (less the grapple) a while back. When I had surgery a while back, I was doped up on pain medicine and kept dreaming of compost.
A friend sent me a link to a recent documentary film called Back to Eden which I found very interesting. It details no-till gardening using a heavy mulch (wood chips, specifically) and compost. The mulch breaks down over time so that the garden is actually in straight compost with a covering. It made me think of what Forerunner is doing with the added component of a heavy mulch cover. In essence, it's sheet composting in which successive layers of cover are added as needed.
Here's a trailer/teaser:
If after watching that you want to view the whole film, go to:
I've watched it twice and see how it fits perfectly with what we've been discussing her in Extreme Composting. I'm interested in others' feedback and thoughts on it.
I've also been making more use of green manure than ever this year.
Buckwheat, volunteer wheat grain and quite a variety of weeds this year have been tilled in multiple times.
Spot-on video, Mudburn.
It's not Eden here, yet...... but this year's peach crop has me wondering..... we might be getting close.
__________________
“I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice! And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.” Barry Goldwater.
III
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I'm smarter than THAT, Mr. COMPOST! 
