Compost time will vary with what exactly is in the pile AND how it is maintained - the hotter the pile the faster it will decompose. If you don't have one pick up a compost thermometer on Amazon.

or use a cheap meat thermometer from the grocery store. No difference.

Two piles if you have the room. Start the second one at most any time, and toss the un-rotted stuff from the first pile onto the second when you need to "harvest" the compost. The trick is to ignore the newer pile for a year, when the two spots get reversed. This is slow composting, but it's effective in cold country, very forgiving about ratios, low-work, and long term.

The big difference in thermometers is 14in (or more) in length. You really want to get to the center of your compost pile.

I do use a 6in kitchen thermometer to measure the soil temp for spring planting and to measure the car AC temp in the ducts. But have not found it useful or helpful in a compost pile.

How long material takes to compost depends on many variables ranging from what goes in to moisture levels to turning. Even here in Michigan I have made compost in October and have had it finished by April and kitchen scraps were added to the mix all winter long.

The Rodale Institute people developed 14 day composting method that Penn State posted, but that is apparently no longer available. Making compost in 14 days does involve a lot of work because you need to turn the material often, but it can be done and the compost is just as good as that stuff that took longer to digest.

kimmq is kimmsr

I've said it before - "IF you need compost in 14 days, go buy it".

In the OP's case she may need to buy some just for the volume needed but I would be very selective and find a place willing to have it tested; some places will throw just anything into their compost.

Thanks everyone. I'm using stuff from my own property, so I know it's all okay. We have 35 acres. I think what I'll do is to just stat a second pile right next to the present one, and if it's good by next April, then that's great........but if it's not, then I haven't contaminated the first pile (with whole pieces of food). We have a big varmint problem here, so I don't want any pieces of food in it. We'll also be adding lots of grass and leaf mold and chicken run stuff to the first pile. I just hope I have enough for these stock tanks, come spring, since I refuse to buy any "compost". Thanks again for your suggestions!

If you need more bulk than you can create yourself, keep an eye on your local shopping center(s), lots of compostable cardboard waste will be generated.

You could also try calling your local tree trimming services and see if they're willing to make a dump run to your place (apparently it costs them to drop their stuff off at a landfill, and if they're working close by, many of them are more than happy to dump a 5-30 ton truckload on your property for free).

Bear in mind if you add that much carbon, you're going to need a heck of a lot of nitrogen to break it down at a reasonable pace.

I have 3 compost piles going. I reinforced one with 25ft of 1/2" hardware cloth to keep any rodents out. 25ft was enuff to go 3x3 and line the bottom and make a cover. I use it for the kitchen scraps and have not had a problem since.

In another pile I compost just weeds and lawn trimmings. No kitchen scraps. And contrary to what some here believe composting just greens will heat up nicely when you add just the right amount of water.

In the past I would add kitchen scraps to the center of a hot pile w/o any rodent problems.

The reason to get the pile hot is not only to make compost faster but to kill the weed seeds. I am sure you will be harvesting weeds on 35 acres. This time of year they come with seeds as will anything from a tree service. They grind up ivy, sumac, bind weed, bitter sweet, and anything else that is in the way. IF you have a way to heat it up that is a good thing.

IF/When you have compost with weed seeds you can either add it to a hot pile or steam it using an old gas grill. But to me that is not only more labor intensive but adds to the COG (Cost Of Gardening).

There are vegetables that will do well in unfinished compost piles. Use finished compost in tanks which will grow, e.g., carrots. Use unfinished compost where tomato, squash, potato, melons, peppers will grow. Next year, it will be all finished, Though I agree with Kim, the freeze/thaw cycle here in Michigan does produce good compost over a winter.

at any rate I trench compost, and the results are IMHO better than composting. Why not do it with the brand new tanks? Fill them with OM one month before planting, then cover with soil. I use compost only with winter gardening (sunflower, peas and other shoots) and of course for plant starting in spring. Just for my garden I need over three wheelbarrows in starter mix (compost and some garden soil, well mixed by worms) every year.

Glib, do you know where one might find a list of which plants grow well in unfinished compost, and why they do?

The "freeze/thaw" cycle has little, if anything, to do with making good compost. It is the activity of the bacteria that digest the material put in to compost that produces the end product, Unfinished compost can tie up necessary nutrients which can result in plants nutrient deficient.

Many of the manufacturers of those tumblers promote 14 day compost which their equipment is supposed to make. Nothing wrong with properly made 14 day compost or any other properly made compost.

kimmq is kimmsr

I skimmed the thread rapidly so someone may have said this, but TURNING the pile a couple times while it's composting will help it get done faster for a variety of reasons. You don't have to turn a lot, but especially if you are layering materials, turning after a couple months will help. The pile I am adding stuff to now, will be turned before it gets cold, and by spring it'll be compost.

35 acre property and a varmint problem? I'd go the wood chip and urea (commercial feftilizer 46% soluble N) route. Not green but it gets the job done knowwhatImean?

45 grams of urea = about 2 pounds of chicken manure. Wood chips without the green stuff don't pack down so much so not as much turning. You also have to take into account the highly soluble nature of the urea and load a disproportionate amount near the top of the pile.

The freeze thaw cycle helps with cell breaking. Not everything is ready to be eaten in a compost pile. edit: a simple example is citrus peel. It composts faster in winter than in summer.

I am guessing that plants that do well in unfinished compost are more likely to form symbiotic relationships with the existing flora. I see no improvement in planting collards or chard on top of a new trench, but all types of cucurbita, allium, and solanaceae improve. The other reason may be simply more nitrogen, but collards do require a lot of it.