Reference Document Permaculture Report 131998 98121 5

Composting areas and methodology, reducing waste to land ll

All organic matter is made up of substantial amounts of carbon (C) combined with lesser
amounts of nitrogen (N). The balance of these two elements in an organism is called the
carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (C:N ratio). For best performance, the compost pile, or more to
the point the composting microorganisms, require the correct proportion of carbon for
energy and nitrogen for protein production. Scientists (yes, there are compost scientists)
have determined that the fastest way to produce fertile, sweet-smelling compost is to
maintain a C:N ratio somewhere around 25 to 30 parts carbon to 1 part nitrogen, or
25-30:1. If the C:N ratio is too high (excess carbon), decomposition slows down. If the
C:N ratio is too low (excess nitrogen) you will end up with a stinky pile.

We propose a number of composting areas onsite:

Large composting area:
The large composting area is located in the Southwest corner of the cattle grazing
system. This is where larger tree material can be chipped, cow manure can be added
from the nearby cattle yards and composted. This compost can then be transported to
the smaller composting areas or go directly under fruit trees or other food growing
systems.

Integrated Chicken Composting area:
We propose an Integrated Chicken Composting area located above the Syntropic Market
Garden. This will be an Integrated Chicken Compost system, with vegetable scraps, hay,
manure, woodchip and other carbon and nitrogen sources from the site added to be
composted by the chickens, reducing green waste to land ll and cycling nutrients onsite.
The compost will be made by the chickens scratching the material, as well as people
shovelling the material into piles to heat. This material will then be used as compost for
the market garden below this system.

Nursery composting area:
We propose the nursery is located where the old chicken coop was (see roofed area on
Image B above). As part of the nursery there will be a composting area where material
from the chicken composting area and the large composting area will be deposited for
further composting. This compost will then be further processed and other materials
added to re ne it for potting mixes in the nursery.
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