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You asked for it...
 Over the past two months, we have been experimenting with SOLAR POWER as a means of providing electricity to power the blower for our aerated compost systems. We have completed our solar test project and are excited to announce that...
IT WORKS!
Visit our WEBSITE for more information on this exciting new option.
SPECIAL INVITATION... This Friday - October 2
O2Compost invites you to join Peter Moon, John Pefley and Steve Hauser for a demonstration of one of our active solar compost systems. The system is located at 6140 Palm Drive, Carmichael CA 95608 (at the corner of Palm Drive and California Avenue near Ancil Hoffman Park). The demonstration will begin at 11:00am and end at 12:30pm. For more information or to RSVP, please call 916-486-2637.
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Tips for Composting in Cold Weather
It is officially Fall and cold weather is right around the corner. Here are a few tips for hot composting during the winter months when everything else is frozen solid:
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Cover the pile with an insulating layer of finished compost at least six inches deep. In severe cold climates, it is also helpful to provide insulation inside or on the walls to help retain heat in the compost pile. This can be done in a variety of ways, such as inserting foam board in hollow walls or screwing rubber mats to the interior side of each wall.
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If your farm experiences temperatures well below freezing for extended periods of time, install a heat cable in the base of the pile. Contact us for details on where to buy and how to install and use a heat cable. We can be reached at info@o2compost.com.
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Cover the pile with a tarp. A good method for this is to stretch the tarp across a wooden frame creating a lid for your compost bin, which is easy to handle and can be tied down in windy conditions. The tarp will work much like a wind breaker, but more importantly moisture will condense on the underside and keep the pile wet.
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Remember that cold air is also very dry air. When we push air through a compost pile during cold weather, we can quickly strip the moisture from the pile if we over aerate. For this reason, use a maximum aeration rate of 30-seconds ON and 30-seconds OFF, with a valve half open, to get the pile started. Additional airflow may be required once the pile becomes hot, but it is important to avoid over aeration.
If you add grass from your lawns and food waste from your kitchens to your compost mix, it is very helpful to have a source of carbon to blend in with your Nitrogen-rich feedstocks. Leaves make an ideal admixture, so take time to bag up your tree leaves and store them in a convenient place for composting next spring and summer.
"Seeing is Believing" Tour
Our next "Seeing is Believing" Tour is almost here! Don't miss out on the opportunity to see our systems in action and learn about horse health and pasture management from local experts. Click HERE to see what we have planned!
Composting in Beijing, China
In mid-September, Peter Moon had the extraordinary pleasure of traveling to Beijing, China as a "Foreign Expert on Composting". He was part of a technical exchange group comprised of eight foreign experts, three of whom are native Chinese living in the U.S. and the rest United States citizens. Most were invited to talk about various waste management strategies relating to municipal solid waste (landscaping debris and food waste) and biosolids (the residual solids from wastewater treatment plants). Two members of the group are professors who specialize in wetland management and stream restoration.
Peter is the tall fellow in the back row.
Visit our website to read more about Peter's trip to Beijing.
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