Compost for Climate Action: Build a Carbon-Capturing Homestead

The weather these days… it’s anyone’s guess what tomorrow will bring. Here on the homestead, we’ve seen everything from record droughts to flash floods, sometimes within the same season! It's made planning the vegetable garden feel more like a gamble than a science. But amidst this uncertainty, we've doubled down on one practice that makes a tangible difference: composting. We know that healthy, thriving soil is our best defense against climate extremes and it all starts with feeding the soil.

More than just a way to get rid of kitchen scraps, composting is a powerful tool for combating climate change, right in your own backyard. It's about closing the loop on food waste, turning "trash" into garden gold, and sequestering carbon back into the earth where it belongs. Whether you have acres of land or a small balcony garden, you can harness the power of compost to build a more resilient and sustainable homestead.

In this blog post, we'll guide you through the how's and why's of climate-friendly composting, regardless of your space or experience level. Get ready to transform your waste into a powerful ally in the fight against climate change!

Scooping up handfuls of garden gold! This compost is packed with nutrients, ready to enrich our soil and help us grow a thriving garden. Healthy soil is crucial for carbon sequestration and a resilient ecosystem.

Why Compost for Climate Change? The Science & Benefits

We often think of trees as the primary carbon sinks, but healthy soil is an equally important player. Through the process of carbon sequestration, soil acts as a sponge, absorbing and storing carbon from the atmosphere. Composting is a fantastic way to build soil organic matter, which significantly increases its carbon-capturing capacity. In fact, studies have shown that widespread composting could sequester massive amounts of carbon, helping to mitigate the effects of climate change.

But the benefits don't stop there. When organic waste ends up in landfills, it decomposes anaerobically (without oxygen), producing methane, a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide. By composting your food scraps and yard waste, you prevent the release of methane into the atmosphere.

Furthermore, compost is a miracle worker for soil health. It improves water retention, reducing the need for irrigation during droughts. It provides essential nutrients to plants, reducing or eliminating the need for synthetic fertilizers, which are often produced using fossil fuels. And it enhances soil structure, making it more resistant to erosion and less susceptible to compaction. A healthy homestead ecosystem truly starts with healthy soil.

![graphic showing carbon cycle composting]
Composting and the Carbon Cycle: this image highlights how composting plays a crucial role in returning carbon back to the soil.

Choosing Your Composting Method: Finding the Right Fit for Your Homestead

The best composting method is the one that fits your lifestyle, space, and resources. Here's a rundown of some popular options:

• Traditional Backyard Composting: This involves creating a pile or using a compost bin in your backyard. It's a great option for those with ample outdoor space.

  • DIY Difficulty: Easy
  • Pros: Simple, inexpensive, great for large volumes of yard waste.
  • Cons: Can be slow, may attract pests if not managed properly.
  • Key Tip: Maintain the right ratio of "browns" (carbon-rich materials like dried leaves, shredded paper) to "greens" (nitrogen-rich materials like food scraps, grass clippings). A ratio of approximately 2:1 or 3:1 is generally recommended.

• Vermicomposting (Worm Composting): This method uses worms to break down organic waste. It's ideal for smaller spaces, like apartments or balconies, and can even be done indoors.

  • DIY Difficulty: Medium
  • Pros: Odorless (when done correctly), produces nutrient-rich castings, great for small spaces.
  • Cons: Requires a worm bin and specific types of food scraps, can be sensitive to temperature changes.
  • Key Tip: Avoid adding meat, dairy, oily foods, or citrus to your worm bin. These can attract pests or create an unpleasant odor.

• Bokashi Composting: This is an anaerobic fermentation process that breaks down all types of food waste, including meat, dairy, and cooked food. It involves layering food scraps with Bokashi bran (inoculated with beneficial microbes) in an airtight container.

  • DIY Difficulty: Medium
  • Pros: Can compost all types of food waste, reduces odors, produces nutrient-rich liquid fertilizer.
  • Cons: Requires purchasing Bokashi bran, fermented waste needs to be further composted in soil after fermentation.
  • Key Tip: Press down firmly on each layer of food waste to remove air pockets and ensure proper fermentation.

• Compost Tumblers: These are enclosed bins that can be rotated to aerate the compost. They are efficient for faster decomposition.

  • DIY Difficulty: Easy (if purchased), Medium (if built)
  • Pros: Faster decomposition than traditional piles, keeps pests out, easier to turn.
  • Cons: Can be expensive, limited capacity compared to open piles.
  • Key Tip: Choose a tumbler with good ventilation and a sturdy construction.

• Open Pile Composting: This is suitable for large-scale homesteads with plenty of space. It involves creating a large pile of organic waste in an open area.

  • DIY Difficulty: Easy
  • Pros: Suitable for large volumes of waste, requires minimal equipment.
  • Cons: Can be slow, prone to attracting pests, requires regular turning.
  • Key Tip: Site the pile away from water sources and buildings, and ensure good drainage.

![worm bin overflowing dark castings]
Our worm bin is thriving! These little guys are hard at work turning food scraps into nutrient-rich castings, a fantastic soil amendment for our garden. Vermicomposting is perfect for small spaces and a great way to reduce waste.

Supercharging Your Compost: Regenerative Composting Techniques

To take your composting efforts to the next level, consider incorporating these regenerative techniques:

• No-Till Gardening and Compost: These two work hand in hand. By minimizing soil disturbance, you protect the soil food web and prevent the release of carbon into the atmosphere. Applying compost as a top dressing feeds the soil organisms and improves soil structure without the need for tilling.
• Using Cover Crops for Green Manure: Planting cover crops like clover, oats, or rye in your garden beds and then incorporating them into the soil as "green manure" is a fantastic way to add organic matter and nutrients to your compost pile. The diversity helps improve nutrient cycling in the compost.
• Compost Tea Brewing: This involves steeping compost in water to extract beneficial microbes and nutrients. The resulting "tea" can be sprayed on plants or used as a soil drench to improve soil health and plant immunity.
• Inoculating Compost with Effective Microorganisms (EM): Using EM cultures (available at garden centers) to inoculate your compost pile can accelerate decomposition and enhance the beneficial microbial community in the compost.

![cover crops green manure soil]
Our cover crops are thriving. Soon we will integrate it into our garden as green manure. Cover crops improve soil structure and add valuable nutrients to our soil, supporting a healthy and resilient garden.

Troubleshooting Common Composting Problems

Composting isn't always smooth sailing. Here are some common problems and how to fix them:

• Foul Odors (Anaerobic Conditions): This usually indicates a lack of oxygen. Turn the pile more frequently or add more "browns" to improve aeration.
• Slow Decomposition: This could be due to a lack of moisture, a lack of nitrogen, or temperatures that are too cold. Add water to the pile if it's dry, add more "greens" if it's not decomposing quickly enough, and insulate the pile if temperatures are low.
• Pests (Fruit Flies, Rodents): Make sure to bury food scraps deeply in the pile and avoid composting meat, dairy, or oily foods. Use a compost bin with a tight-fitting lid or add a layer of chicken wire to prevent rodents from accessing the pile.
• Temperature Control: The compost pile must have a good temperature balance to assist with breaking down the waste.

Using Your Compost: From Pile to Paradise

Knowing when and how to use your compost is just as important as making it.

• Testing for Compost Readiness: Compost is ready when it has a crumbly texture, a dark brown color, and an earthy smell. You should no longer be able to identify the original materials.
• Different Ways to Use Compost:
  • Soil Amendment: Mix compost into garden beds before planting to improve soil structure, drainage, and fertility.
  • Top Dressing: Apply a layer of compost around plants to provide nutrients and suppress weeds.
  • Potting Mix Ingredient: Add compost to potting mixes to improve drainage and fertility.
  • Compost Tea Application: Use compost tea as a foliar spray or soil drench to boost plant health.

Using compost regularly in your garden will lead to increased yields, healthier plants, and a reduced need for synthetic fertilizers. It’s a win-win for your garden and the planet! When using compost, be mindful of what crops it is safe to use on.

![hand holding dark compost seedling]
We planted a seedling with compost in this hand, now it is in our garden. Using compost ensures our plants have the nutrients they need to thrive. A little bit of compost makes a big difference.

Conclusion

Composting is more than just a way to get rid of kitchen scraps; it's a powerful tool for climate action and a vital component of a regenerative homestead. By building healthy soil, reducing methane emissions, and closing the loop on food waste, you can make a tangible difference for the planet, one compost pile at a time.

As the seasons change, remember that every handful of compost is an investment in the future of your garden and the health of our planet. So, get composting and cultivate a thriving, carbon-capturing homestead!

Ready to get composting?

What composting method do you use on your homestead? Share your experiences and tips in the comments below! Have you ever tried vermicomposting or Bokashi? What were your biggest challenges and successes? Share a photo of your compost pile or garden grown with homemade compost using #BetterHomesandHarvests and #ClimateFriendlyComposting. For more tips on sustainable gardening, check out our other posts on organic pest control and water conservation. Consider making a donation to organizations that support community gardening and composting initiatives.