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reaches 155-160 degrees. This kills all the pathogens and eliminates the odor while preserving the nutrients.” After that initial cooking process, a wind row is then tilled using an Aero-Master PT170 Midwest Bio-Systems pulled by a John Deere 720/130-horse power tractor. This machine is also equipped with a watering system should a wind row need added moisture once tilled. Prior to purchasing the Aero-Master last year, a front-end loader was used to turn the compost over in the wind rows. “This turning of the wind rows brings oxygen into the composting process and speeds it up,” said Lerman. “Depending on the size of the wind rows, it generally takes six to 12 weeks to get a a usable finished product. A 100 cubic yards of stall waste yields about 50 cubic yards of compost that can be used as fertilizer or mulch. We use 50 percent of the compost on the farm and sell the rest by the truck load.” There is an “Organic Compost for Sale” sign by the main Lambholm South farm entrance and periodically ads are placed in the local newspaper. There is also some word-of-mouth business derived from satisfied regular
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customers. Spring and fall are the busiest times for commercial sales of the compost. Bill Bazzell, general manager of nearby William Schettine’s Signature Stallions, made good use of 70 dump-truck loads of Lambholm compost. “It’s an excellent mulch product,” said Bazzell, who utilized it on the 12-acre stallion station. “We put it pretty much everywhere. It was great for filling in low areas, fence lines and trenches. Our bahiagrass grew in very nicely.” Lerman pointed out that one of the best qualities of the organic compost is that “it absorbs and holds a lot of moisture similar to peat moss.” This prevents soil erosion and allows nutrients to slowly leach into the ground, encouraging better grass and plant growth. “We use it in all our fields as a broad-cast product and as mulch all around the farm,” said Lerman. “As the soil dries out, the compost will penetrate down through the surface and help aerate the soil with the nutrients. In essence, it helps change the sandy soil into more of a loam consistency.” For Lerman, the composting operation has suited a purpose and fulfilled a need. “I’m very happy with our composting operation,” said Lerman. “When it comes to the cost of waste disposal, we’re ahead economically and we’re doing something that has environmental benefits too. So it’s a good thing all the way around.” ■
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