There's no real necessity to have a hot pile, and what you're seeing is perfectly normal. I would just poke it now and then to check moisture, and turn once or twice during the year, and you'll get compost.

Is your pile actually 2 years old? If so I would get in there and use the finished stuff. You can start a new pile with whatever was not finished from the old pile and just keep adding to it. You should get some compost about every year, even if you aren't fiddling with it.

Here, I just took some photos, measured the cage, it's actually 35.5 by 35.5, and if I got the pile flush to the top of the cage, it'd be 28 inches high (ofc I could pile higher). You see, I have the 3 x 3, but maybe only 20" top height.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/phillydad12/sets/72157634212841849/

Here is a link that might be useful: My Compost Pile June 2013

Those photos are in the midst of turning the pile, to show a good range of the composition of the materials. Ofc, I sprayed it w/the hose somewhat during the turns before I flattened it again. I've started ripping up by hand cardboard boxes, to try to get some volume to get up the magical 3 x 3 x 3 amount. My wife goes to Starbucks quite often, so I've asked her if our local store has their grounds for gardeners...that'd really help. They didn't have any last time she asked...

This post was edited by parad0x on Wed, Jun 19, 13 at 14:59

As the material you put in to be composted is it will shrink in volume and by half is not unusual.
Whether the material you put in to compost will get "hot" depends on the ratio of the material and amount of moisture in the mix. Too much moisture will limit the amount of air the bacteria that digest the material have assess to which will slow thm down so they will not generate much heat. Too little Nitrogen will not feed them enough to get to work digesting the material fast enough to generate much heat. Volume also can play a part because insufficent volume is known to slow the whole process down.

Been adding some shredded up cardboard boxes, and that brown paper bag paper they pack things in from amazon.com etc, and shred that up as well, and adding more kitchen scraps, and coffee grounds/filters...it's cookin' now! Btw, the ambient temp was I'm guessing low to mid 60's (F), and lookie here! :) I still only have about 3 x 3 x 20 inches tall worth of pile atm....so trying to get it hotter!

Here's a photo update of the pile's temp as of early this morning....

Here is a link that might be useful: Compost Temp as of 6/21/13 a.m.

We officially have a hot pile! :)

Still can make the pile a bit taller yet too...so that can only be a good thing! :)

Woohoo! Still have room to add more height too yet...this is so neat ;)

Well, congratulations. You have now officially joined the ranks of the Compost Wackos*.

Rush in, young composter, to the open arms of this forum, the sort of people that can wax, eloquently, for hours on the readings they get from their compost thermometers, and who share the joy of seeing multiple photos of thermometers at work. Because we understand.

*in years gone by, you could get a certificate, but alas.......

Okay, now I'm jealous. I just leave my compost to do its thing on its own, and I know it never gets that hot.

I think I have thermometer envy.

"TE" its called.

First, you see these photos on the forum, see the out right glee of the posters, read the congratulatory comments.

2nd, you start seeing them everywhere - in the seed catalogues, crafty ads online, nursery shops.

3rd - you leave the catalogs lying around, the thermometer circled in bright red highlighter, when your birthday, Christmas, mom/pop day rolls around.

4th - alternative uses/excuses - like testing the temperature on a really big turkey or roast pig or something fill your thoughts.

5th, and final stage, you buy one as a gift for your Significant Other.

It is an afflcition....some of us take pictures of our thermometers in the compost under the snow! Methinks we need help. ;-)

Lloyd

pt03, looks like we have the exact same themometer. :)

So I've been reading conflicting reports...I have a question here. I just scored a big bag of Starbucks grounds/filters, and had a decent collection of various other table scraps/cardboard I wanted to add to the pile. So I went ahead and turned it, added all the new additions, hosed lightly, and re leveled the pile. Some say let the pile cool down, and that's when you turn the pile to get it to reheat. Others say let it cook for a few days, and then turn, to get the pile to cook evenly. (taking care of any cold spots). What's the consensus here? I know either way, compost will happen. :) Just curious...

And some of us LOOK at those pictures of others" thermometers! =) Nancy

For those who care ;)
Apparently I'm doing something right ;)