Messick Dairy utilizes an aerated composting system to process separated dairy manure from their 400-head herd. In this system, the solids are first composted in one of four active compost bays for a period of three to four weeks. The material from each bay is then transfered to an aerated curing and storage bay for an additional three to four weeks. The finished product is then screened and distributed to landscapers and nurseries in a 20-mile radius of the farm.