Girl Scout Gives First Steps for Composting

It’s day two of a two-parter here on your Southeast Regional Ag News as we chat more with Summer Davies, a 17-year-old Girl Scout working on her Gold Award. As Summer told me, through this platform, you are able inform the public about a well-known issue that you would like people to take notice of and even help to develop a solution.

Her solution to improving soil health and decreasing the input costs associated with fertilizer was to increase the use of composting in agriculture. So how do you start?

"Composting is quite simple in that it does not require many outside materials. In fact, the materials are almost always found on hand. This process only requires three main factors: green matter, brown matter, and a pile location. Green matter is discarded nitrogen rich elements, such as food scraps and rotted manure. Brown matter is discarded carbon rich elements, like brown leaves and straw. Pile upkeep only requires minimal turning and appropriate moisture, while total work involvement depends on the time frame and soil consistency desired."

Summer told me the most common type of composting is thermophilic composting. This method of composting is perfect for farms in warm climates.

For more of the how-to’s, check out her full presentation: https://www.canva.com/design/DAGL309zLIo/pVYTaW6_zlqS5SeiCgHxkQ/view?utm_content=DAGL309zLIo&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=editor#1