Word has it, a Roman scientist and farmer--Marcus Cato-- was the first person to develop a compost formula.  Cato knew  that compost enriched soil and considered its use vital to maintaining healthy farmland.

Bob Wackernagle may not speak Latin but he and the ancient Roman share something ... a belief that the age-old process of helping organic materials decompose can build soil and result in more productive crops.

This is how Bob does it.

Other Resources

The Michigan Integrated Food & Farming Systems (Meg Moynihan, 517-353-3209) is sponsoring several Innovation Projects that are working with composting:

"Livestock Manure Composting" (Muskegon and Newaygo Counties).  This team has farmers, NRCS, MSU Extension, FFA and other members.   They are working to test cost-efficient, environmentally-safe methods of on-farm composting using livestock manure and on- and off-farm compost sources.  Area high school student team members are working on a compost management service and marketing plan. 

Contact:  Greg Mund at 616-773-0008.

"Stewardship Plan for Water Quality" (Barry County).  This team is working to develop and implement a model farm stewardship plan to protect water quality and other natural resources for a commercial cash crop/livestock farm.  Composting & grazing are the main manure handling/disposal methods being used and they have established a creative partnership with a local lake homeowners association.  Now that they're not allowed to landfill yard waste, the homeowners bag and deliver their leaves to the farm;  the farm uses the leaves as a carbon source in making compost.

Contact: Diane Finchem at 616-623-8112 for additional information about composting

Michigan Compost Council, (517) 371-7073

Subscribe to Compost Science and Utilization, JG Press, Inc. at 215-967-4135.