This is the final part of a 3 blog set that discusses the importance of healthy soil, the need for compost at the Willits Energy Farm, and which factors lead to good compost. This blog will summarize our findings and report on the next step to addressing the needs of the site.

After examining the compost under the microscope, David, Jason, and I discussed the possibility of bringing some to the site. All of us agreed that we should probably not bring the compost made of grape pomace to the farm as it most likely contains alcohols and the presence of ciliates were a clear indicator of anaerobic conditions. Also the introduction of symphylums and springtails to the site was unthinkable. Balance is important when making compost, and a gigantic supply of one material (in this case grape pomace) does not make for a healthy end product. The gentleman who wanted to sell the compost made it clear that this was not his best batch and recommended that it might be better as mulch.

We also decided against the animal manure compost for one main reason-we were unsure of the temperatures of that the compost reached, and therefore, could not be sure that the weed seeds had been destroyed. The land at Brookside Elementary is gifted with a small weed bank. There is perennial grass that has been growing on the site, but otherwise we do not have any significant weeds in our beds. If we were to introduce this compost then we could run the risk of seeding the site with a problem that could eventually become a nightmare and more work.

After all this analysis we are back to the same problem of how to feed the soil and still intensively grow crops. Since compost is indeed a priority, I think that we must begin to treat it so. David and I fixed a broken stand pipe and we should now be able to water the compost piles that are located in the northwest corner of the site. We have amassed an abundance of biomass from clearing away the sod. Also, the warm spring weather has led to a burst of grass and clover growth along the perimeter of the fence. I can harvest the grass and clover with a push mower or a kama and use it as the nitrogen source for the compost piles. If we can keep on top of the compost situation we will end up with a bit of material to feed back into the soil after the spring vegetables.

I hope these blogs made it clear that it is important to consider the soil first as you begin or continue to grow food and energy crops. We must not simply mine the soil and we cannot extract its vitality without a cost. If we are going to grow crops intensively than we must be equally intensive about our compost processes and crop rotations. Compost is not a mere catch phrase as much as it is a means of emergency preparedness in relation to local food security. When Cuba faced an immediate scarcity of supplies resulting from the collapse of the Soviet Union, they lacked sufficient compost to grow crops on land that had been depleted through decades of practicing the conventional agricultural model that utilizes inorganic fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides. A ready supply of compost will be a great resource for any community looking to turn to local agriculture as a response to an immediate and long-term need for food. It can help boost depleted lands and sustain the vitality of rich soil. I believe that we can do a lot for our communities and the environment if we can pursue agricultural practices that make the effort to grow and sustain healthy topsoil.