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Any basic yard clearance usually includes adding to or creating a compost heap, hidden away somewhere in a small corner or compost bin, it's how we make use of all the loose foliage on our lawns, together with our food waste. When stored together they combine to make wonderful rich compost that we, in turn, use to fertilize our home grown flowers and vegetables.
Now imagine the huge amount of waste that a farm produces, this will be no standard yard clearance!

Composting on farms has always been carried out, but in these Eco-friendly days it has taken on a whole new turn, as the agricultural world moves into the market of going green, and creating zero-waste farms. Not only is it economically viable for the farmer to create his own compost for use on his crops, but it is doubly beneficial as the farmer can sell off any surplus. There is a big demand for farm compost as it is so rich in nutrients, and farms have the added advantage of not only producing huge amounts of manure and vegetation, but also having plenty of space to store the compost they make from it. However, there are strict guidelines laid down by various farming institutes which govern the quality of farm compost.

One of the most important issues in creating compost, is getting the phosphate and nitrate levels balanced. If too much manure is used, it can affect the nutrients adversely, which in turn will result in a poor crop yield.

Another important factor is keeping the soil aerated and healthy, otherwise not only will very wet and foul smelling compost emerge, it will not be healthy. This in itself can lead to complaints from nearby neighbors. Healthy compost should only have brief periods of releasing a slightly unpleasant odor. Aeration on farms is usually done with pipes or agricultural machinery due to the vast amounts of it.

The only real enemy of the farmer trying to produce his own compost is the weather. It takes around 90 days on average to produce good compost, so the farmer hasn't got too long to get it right! Prolonged cold and wet spells can badly affect compost and permanently ruin it. Then there are possible added costs if he wants to sell it. He may have to look at packaging and marketing, although most compost from farms is bought by locals who turn up with a truck, and is usually advertised by word of mouth, or perhaps nose!

In short, composting on the farm seems to make perfect sense and is extremely viable. Yard clearance on farms could become virtually unnecessary, thereby drastically reducing the impact on landfill sites, and not costing the farmer anything in tipping fees. Therefore the benefits to farmers far outweigh any negative implications. Hopefully all farms will soon become even greener than they usually are a positive outcome for all of us.

Composting really IS one of the best decisions for your farm.