We are very busy making compost for a research project funded by the European Innovation Partnerships (EIP). The aim of the project is to trial growing various plants with Biochar compost in different parts of Wales.
During the wet cold winter months our cows live in the barns on warm comfy beds of dried Molinia grass. The used bedding is a perfect source of nutrients for our compost.
Every summer we shear the wool from our flock of Welsh Mountain sheep, The high nutrient properties of wool make it a valuable addition to blend with our compost.
We have already started composting the bedding from the recent winter.
The used bedding is shredded with the wool into a pile where the aerobic composting process starts. The micro-organisms break down the organic matter into compost. After only 24 hours the internal temperature rises up to over 40°C, reaching over 60°C after 48 hours. With regular re-shredding (every two weeks) the process should be completed after approximately eight - ten weeks.
