Subject: Re: BD Now! Compost turners

From: Steve Diver <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 28 Jun 2004 17:18:45 -0500

Yes, the little self-propelled is a Sandberger turner.  The whole page
is in the tradition of Luebke compost and Sandberger turners, from
the compost fleece to the temperature and CO2 chart showing
Breakdown and Buildup phases.

In Europe, contact:

Sandberger
http://www.sandberger.com/englisch/start.html

Compara.nl
http://www.compara.nl/
http://www.compara.nl/engels.shtml

In the U.S., George Leidig with Autrusa/Imants USA
carries the smaller turners.

Do not look at the web page and assume that what you
see is all you get. You have to inquire about the smaller
turners.   I have slides of a little compost turner that
attaches to a bobcat-like mini-tractor.   It was in use at
a market-farm greenhouse in Bavaria.  It was sweet.  The
greenhouse grower and market farmer, who based the whole
operation on quality compost, was happy with the compost turner.

It so happens that I have the most comprehensive paper on
Luebke compost, also known as controlled microbial compost.
Luebke compost is geared to premium-grade, well humified, compost
that has clay-humus microbiology and overall consistent quality.  

There is a prominent biodynamic CSA that uses a Sandberger
turner and BD preps to make BD compost.  

You can also make Luebke compost with a pitch fork, you
just make smaller windrows.  It is the process of management
and amendments that achieves this type of clay-humus crumb.
But it is more intensive than what many farmers can afford to
spend time on.  

For small-scale composting, you can also use a manure spreader
and two tractors.  You PTO-operate the manure spreader with
one tractor, and load the feedstock into the manure spreader
with the second tractor.  It mixes the material and lays it out
onto a windrow.   But thereafter, you will need to turn with a
bucket, or repeat the process.  It amounts to a major hassle
compared to a bonafied compost turner.

Manure forks that clamp onto the end of a bucket loader, can
turn a bucket-loading tractor into a compost turning machine,
much better than one without the tines.

Steve Diver

Arjen Huese wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I am doing some research in finding out where to find affordable 
> compost turners for small scale compost (windrow) turning. Does 
> anybody have any suggestions?
>
> I found this website with a picture of an electrically powered small 
> scale windrow turner: 
> http://www.ncl.ac.uk/tcoa/projects/compostpotsveg.htm
> but it doesn't say anything about where it comes from. Does anybody 
> recognise it?
>
> Cheers
>
> Arjen Huese
>

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From: Steve Diver <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 28 Jun 2004 17:18:45 -0500

In Europe, contact:

Sandberger

Compara.nl
http://www.compara.nl/

Steve Diver