FarmStart

Composting at the Ignatius Incubator Farm.

On farm production of compost in ecological farming operations has many advantages, not the least of which is reduced cost for trucking compost from production facilities. Also, the various elements of the compost – manure, vegetable waste, wood chips, grasses and straw – can be monitored to ensure that toxic chemicals do not enter the system.

At the Intervale Center, in Burlington Vermont, a compost production facility has been a cornerstone enterprise. FarmStart is also making on farm composting an integral part of the New Farms Incubator Program so that participants can gain experience with composting techniques and technologies.

Ongoing Research

During the summer of 2006 the Ignatius Jesuit Centre conducted composting trials and demonstrations. A Sittler compost turner was made available for the season by Global Repair Ltd. A number of different compost recipes were tested and the speed and quality of compost produced was monitored.