Composting is EASY, however, composting during the winter months can present some challenges.

With aerated composting, we induce airflow intermittently through our mix of materials (e.g., food scraps, horse manure and stall bedding, landscape debris, etc.) and by doing so, we establish and maintain aerobic conditions throughout the compost pile. The bacteria that are doing all the work for us (without turning the pile) thrive in an oxygen-rich environment and the result of their metabolic process is the generation of heat. We take advantage of this heat to:

• Eliminate pathogens in the mix, making the compost safe to use as a soil amendment.
• Destroy parasites, weed seeds, and insect (fly) larvae.
• Degrade most organic-based medications.

Challenges can arise when winter air temperatures drop below freezing. Delivering cold air into the pile presents two problems.

First, it cools the pile down and if we add too much air we won’t meet the time/temperature threshold for pathogen destruction (55^oC / 131^oF for a minimum of 72 hours, or 3 days). 

Second, cold air is also very dry air and over aerating the pile will quickly dry it out.  If the moisture content of our mix drops much below 50%, all biological activity comes to a screeching halt.  If this occurs, our only option is to break down the pile, re-wet it, and try to restart the process.  This is challenging (and frustrating) when temperatures are well below freezing and the chance of success is small because much of the energy in the pile has already been consumed.

For this reason, I recommend minimizing the On/Off cycle timer to prevent over cooling and over drying. This means paying attention to the pile temperature as wintertime arrives and adjusting the timer as needed to sustain high pile temperatures.

Additionally, we recommend you: 

1. Make sure the mix going into the bin has a moisture content of 60% - 65%; and
2. Minimize the airflow during the first 30-days of composting, or
3. Shut off the blower during extreme cold weather, and open up the valve to allow the air to flow passively up through the pile due to convection (heat rising in the pile).

By carefully managing airflow and monitoring moisture and temperature, you can prevent winter conditions from derailing the composting process. 

Navigating Three Winter Composting Possibilities

Number 1: The first possibility is that the compost system is functioning perfectly, and you know that the compost will be ready to apply to your pastures, use in your garden, or sell to your neighbors when spring arrives. Of course, that’s the ultimate goal.

Number 2: The second possibility is that the compost system is failing to meet our time/temperature goal and, worse yet, the composting process has stopped altogether. It is for this situation that we offer unlimited technical support with every one of our Training Programs. Instead of becoming frustrated, we ask that you visit the Contact page on our website and schedule a Zoom appointment with Peter Moon so that he can help you troubleshoot your system. 

We also ask that you revisit the Compost 101 section of our website, and review “Peter’s 12-Rules of Composting”, paying particular attention to Rule #2 – To Learn to Compost, One Must Compost; and Rule #9 – It’s Critical to Make Mistakes. 

As I mentioned earlier, Composting is Easy! The only way to fail is to quit trying.  If you request our assistance, we guarantee your success.

Number 3: The last possibility is that you haven’t yet purchased one of our Compost Training Programs. Winter is the best time to do your research by visiting our website (o2compost.com) and scheduling a free one-hour Zoom consultation with Peter Moon, owner of O2Compost. He will answer all your questions and, if you like, send you a detailed proposal for a compost system that is best suited for your situation. To schedule a Zoom appointment, simply visit the Contact page on our website.

We pride ourselves on not applying sales pressure to these meetings. We are here to help you when you are ready to resolve your organic waste challenge. To see what others have to say about our approach to on-farm composting, we invite you to visit the Testimonials page on our website.