COMPOST PILES

There are two kinds of piles:

• Hot-batch (thermal) piles
• Cold Piles

Within each of those kinds there are may ways to compost.

What you see in the photo in the right sidebar is a hot-batch (thermal) pile created with the Frame Technique with no containment to hold the pile together after it is completed. It is constructed using a rectangular, adjustable frame made of half inch plywood and a few pieces of 2 x 4 lumber and some wood screws. This particular pile was originally 5' wide, 7' long and stood 4' high. This photo shows the pile following the 1st turn and while it is still 5' wide and 7' long the material has shrunk to only 36" high due to rapid thermal decompostion. You can read more about this kind of pile by reading the link How Soilguy Composts

Hot Batch Piles

"Hot" means 'thermal' - heated by means of thermophilic microbe reproduction. "Batch" means the pile is made at one time (perhaps over several days), then no additonal solid material is added with possible exception of some ingredients to assist in attaining a 2nd heat.

"Cold" means that the pile was made not to heat - or it was supposed to heat - but didn't. In most cases a 'cold' pile is a 'continuous-add' pile whereby feedstock is added throughout the full life of the pile - or until it is finished-off for harvest.