Compost Production in Rural Dryland Communities When thinking about starting to produce compost, consider this question: You’re not adopting a puppy, but are you ready to take care of a hamster? Compost is not a new member of your household that needs to be trained, petted, taken to the vet, and fed and walked daily, but it does need to be fed, monitored, and cared for a little bit! When you compost, you are maintaining a microbial ecosystem so that it will do some valuable work for you, and in that sense it is much like farming: you will have to invest time and infrastructure in this effort to be successful.
Space
Climate
All composting efforts take up space, some more so, some less so, depending on the quantity of feedstocks you are processing. It is important to think about where the compost pile should go, such that it works well in the overall flow of materials in your operation. Also, consider the location of buildings and the topography of a site. A flat area is critical for a larger compost system. If one area gets much more sun than others, the compost there will dry out more quickly. Overhead clearance might be a consideration for moving materials. As we go through each composting system in subsequent chapters, we will describe the space and infrastructure needed for each particular composting system, keeping in mind common constraints posed by the arid environment of New Mexico.
New Mexico is a land of weather extremes that need to be considered when establishing and maintaining a successful compost system. Wind: Heavy and persistent winds may blow certain feedstocks away and dry out your compost pile. You will also need to consider the wind when applying compost to crops. Temperature: If it can get very cold where you live, you will need to consider how to keep the microbes and larger organisms functioning under cold conditions. New Mexico’s generally warm climate may also contribute to drying out the feedstocks and drying the compost pile. This is of concern as most of the organisms we want in our compost system need water.
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