What is compost?

“Let us find value in the concept of regeneration and create something useful from our loss.”
— Amanda

Compost is a soil amendment.

It is not fertilizer, it is not potting soil… but mix it with your soil and you will replenish organic matter and therefore...

  • Improve soil structure, porosity and density, creating a better plant root environment

  • Reduce water loss by increasing infiltration and permeability in heavy soils

  • Supply macro and micronutrients as well as beneficial microorganisms

  • Buffer soil pH and improve ability to hold nutrients for plant use over time

As stewards of the land and our animals, we have a responsibility to do right by our horses and the environment.

What does our compost process look like?

Upon arrival at our home, the horse will be immediately and carefully laid upon a bed of wood chips and sawdust. We then fully cover the horse in a blanket of wood chips and stall waste. From there we will mark the location for our records, place thermometers, and allow nature to take its course inside of what looks like a large pile of dirt.

Inside of the pile is a where all of the natural processes will take place over a matter of months. We meticulously monitor the compost piles —temperature readings, moisture levels, turning/aeration, pile shape, etc.— and after two, full heat cycles and time for curing, we will have created a safe and stable compost.

The process that has taken place has nullified any barbiturates that were in the animal’s system, eliminated pathogens and weeds, and has left us with a nutrient-dense soil amendment that can be utilized in a myriad of ways. (see below) Specific advantages of compost include a slower release of plant-available nutrients, a more stable form of nitrogen that is less likely to leach into water supplies, and the advantage of increased water-holding capacity and water retention in the soil.

We have carefully designed our facility to include a non-porous pad upon which the composting process takes place, dedicated storage bays for feedstocks and various compost stages, and ease of access for our transport trailer and unloading zone. Additionally, biofilters of native vegetation surround the property.

Uses for compost

  • Gardening

  • Top dressing, land spreading

  • Landscaping

  • Erosion control

  • Roadside planting enhancements

The use of compost as a growing media has been shown to reduce fertilizer and liming requirements, improve crop vigor, increase the number flowers per plant, reduce the need for fungicides, and improve root growth, according to Cornell University.

If you would be interested in memorial compost, let us know and we would be happy to make accommodations. Speak with us to learn more about this possibility.

  • Adding compost to heavy soils helps to reduce compaction and increase infiltration, which in turn reduces erosion-causing run off.

  • Our compost is mature and stable. It will look and smell like soil—not any of the ingredients we started with!

  • There are many variables to consider, but in general, compost is valuable in your gardens and flower beds. Additionally, top-dressing your lawn with a light layer of compost can improve its health and vigor. There are many resources for compost use.