General – Page 153 – Crazy About Compost

FAQ(v): What are the necessary materials for composting livestock mortalities?

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1YN-pCljnk In this video, our waste reduction specialist shows us that mixing wood chips works best for degrading animal carcasses. I'm curious if he's experimented with shredded leaves and/or sawdust instead, as they compost quicker than wood chips. Either way, I'm really happy this is being taught instead of simply hauling the carcasses off to an incinerator, which is definitely not the way to go.

FAQ(v): Is odor a concern when composting livestock mortalities?

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmslZkOAWB4 Perfect! I was wondering if anyone on the ol' Youtube would cover animal carcasses in compost piles. While brief, it really is that simple- if you're composting carcasses or other potentially smelly stuff like humanure, just add brown materials until it doesn't smell. In this video he mentions 18 to 24" of material on top of the carcasses, so I'm guessing this is a pretty huge pile of carcasses! I'm curious if their technique was inspired by the Humanure Handbook or not...the bin they show later in the video looks just like a Jenkins-style bin.

Trash Can Compost Bin

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZyox5yLiMU Here's a good video on composting using nothing more than a trash can and a pair of bricks. It really is that easy! The bigger the container you can fit, the better. One critical factor for successful compost is volume. Using a nice big trash can will ensure you can get your pile cooking.