Description
ABOUT OUR ROBUST FARM COMPOST
At Compost Santo we take extra careful measures to craft what is commonly referred to as Robust Compost (also known as living compost, or biologically-active compost).
Robust Compost contains the full spectrum soil ecosystem; this includes bacteria, fungi, archaea, beneficial nematodes, amoeba, flagellates and micro-arthropods. Our living compost often also contains other types of life, including tardigrades, diatoms, algae, earthworms and other types of protozoa.
Our Robust Farm Compost is made using on-site farm vegetative waste and off-site manures and beer mash. Our compost is made by heating unprocessed organic matter in piles that are turned regularly to maintain optimal temperatures, moisture and oxygen levels – a process referred to as thermal aerobic composting.
Thermal aerobic composting refers to the decomposition of organic matter using microorganisms that require oxygen and high heat. The heat produced in aerobic composting is sufficient to kill harmful bacteria and pathogens as these organisms are not adapted to these environmental conditions. It also helps support the growth of beneficial bacteria species by eliminating their pathogenic competitors.
Once our piles reach ambient temperatures, we begin the curing process. At Compost Santo we make sure to age our compost long enough to encourage lower pH levels, a finer texture, and a higher concentration of nitrate-nitrogen levels (instead of ammonium-nitrogen). Ammonium is a major inorganic nitrogen source for plants. At low levels, ammonium promotes plant growth, however at high levels it can cause toxicity problems.
