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Composting for
Fruit, Vegetable,
and Field
Crop Production
Course includes one
off-site visit.
Course hours may be
used towards
Continuing Education
Credits.
The sustainable
grower must choose
whether to purchase
or produce compost.
This track gives you
the knowledge and
skills needed to
evaluate the
quality,
characteristics and
value of finished
compost and/or
compost feedstock,
so that you can
decide whether to
operate a composting
enterprise as part
of the farming
operation or secure
off-farm produced
compost. Topics
include knowledge of
the land, equipment,
labor, management,
and regulatory
requirements for an
on-farm composting
operation. Come
learn what you need
to know to get the
best compost for
your operation —
whether or not you
make it yourself!
Registration limited
to 30.
Instructors: Nadine
Davitt, PSU Organic
Materials Processing
and Education
Center; Dr. Robert
Graves, PSU
Agricultural and
Biological
Engineering
Department; Dr.
Richard Stahouwer,
PSU Crop and Soil
Sciences
Thursday, February 4
9:00–9:15am Welcome
& Introduction
9:15–9:30am Evaluation
of Composts
Using their current
knowledge and
experience,
participants will
evaluate several
composts on display,
select the one they
would use in their
operation, and
select an
application rate.
9:30–10:00am
Science &
Art of Composting
Participants will
learn the role of
carbon, nitrogen,
porosity, aeration,
moisture, and
feedstock
characteristics in
composting.
10:00–10:45am Compost
Evaluation
Faculty teaching the
workshop will review
the characteristics
of the compost
samples provided and
each participant’s
selection and
application rate for
the compost selected
to use in their
application. After
review of the
compost samples,
participants will
learn about compost
testing and methods
for determining
rates of application
of compost.
10:45–11:05am
Break/Compost
Feedstock
Selection & Recipe
Formulation
Using their current
knowledge,
participants will
select from various
feedstocks and
develop a recipe for
making compost
11:05–11:35am
Recipe
Development
Participants will
learn how to blend a
recipe using
analytical lab
results. Each
participant’s recipe
will be evaluated
using analytical
results for each
feedstock selected
for their recipe.
11:35am–12:05pm Developing
an Environmentally &
Neighbor Friendly,
Efficient Compost
Site
Participants will
learn the importance
of site selection
with respect to
protection measures
for water, soil and
air quality,
neighbor relations,
local and state
regulations and
permitting.
12:05–12:45pm
Lunch
12:45–1:45pm
Panel Discussion
Panel will consist
of 2 ‐ 3 farmers
with experience
using or producing
compost or who are
in the process of
setting up a
composting
operation. Brief
descriptions of
their experiences
will be followed by
open discussion.
1:45–2:15pm Cost
of Quality
Participants will
learn how to
evaluate the cost of
producing versus
purchasing compost.
2:15–3:45pm Site
Tour
The site tour will
take participants to
Penn State’s Organic
Materials Processing
and Education Center
(OMPEC). OMPEC is a
year round operation
composting food
residuals, leaf and
yard debris, manure
and various other
organics. The site
tour will give
participants the
opportunity to see
equipment used in a
commercial scale
facility and
participate in hands
on monitoring
techniques.
3:45–4:45pm Field
Testing Practicum
Participants will
perform tests for
determining moisture
content,
conductivity, pH,
SolvitaTest and bulk
density on both raw
compostable
feedstocks and
finished compost
4:45–5:00pm Return
to Penn Stater, Wrap
Up, & Evaluations
