What is composting and why do it?
Composting is the managed breakdown of manure and bedding by microbes. A well managed pile heats up, shrinks and turns into a dark crumbly material that is easier to handle than raw manure. Different animals make different manure, and horse, cattle, poultry and rabbit manure each behave a little differently in a pile, so ask local advice for your mix.
Composting can cut odor and flies and reduce the risk of spreading germs, but only if the process is managed properly. A neglected pile is still just a manure pile.
Ask your extension office what works in your climate. It also gives you a way to use bedding that would otherwise pile up.
What goes into a good pile?
Compost needs a balance of nitrogen rich materials, like manure, and carbon rich materials, like straw, wood shavings or leaves. It also needs moisture and air. Too wet and it turns sour, too dry and it stalls. If you keep several species, keep notes on which manure goes into which pile.
Your extension office or NRCS can give you recipes and ratios for your materials. Do not use ratios from memory.
Keep out trash, plastics and anything treated with chemicals. Wet manure and sawdust alone make a heavy, slow pile, so mix materials as local advice suggests.
- Manure and soiled bedding
- Straw, leaves or shavings
- Enough moisture, like a wrung sponge
- Air through turning or aeration
How do I manage the pile?
A pile needs size, turning and time. Many keepers monitor temperature, since heat shows the pile is working. Ask your extension office what temperatures and timing are recommended for your situation.
Turning adds air and mixes the materials. Without turning, a pile may become compacted and slow.
Be patient. Finished compost can take months, depending on conditions. Keep a simple log of when you turn the pile and what you add, since it helps you spot problems.
- Check temperature often
- Turn the pile as advised
- Keep it moist but not soggy
- Let it cure before use
Where should I put the pile?
Place it on firm, level, well drained ground, away from wells, ponds, streams and property lines. Rainwater running through a pile can carry nutrients into water, so keep runoff away. Plan a place for finished compost to cure, away from the active pile.
A cover or a roof helps in wet climates. Ask your conservation district about good designs.
Think about wind direction and distance from neighbors. Keep the pile where you can reach it with a wheelbarrow or loader without crossing wet ground.
- Away from wells and water
- Firm, well drained ground
- Away from property lines and houses
- Accessible for equipment
Is finished compost safe to use?
Finished compost looks and smells like earthy soil and no longer looks like manure. Even so, composts differ in quality, and germs can survive in poorly managed piles. Have your finished compost tested through a lab your extension office recommends if you plan to use it on a large garden.
Ask your extension office and food safety authorities about how long to wait before using compost on crops people eat. Rules and advice differ, and some buyers or programs set their own standards.
Wash hands after handling compost and wash produce well. If anything looks or smells like raw manure, treat it as raw manure and give it more time.
Can I sell or give away compost?
Selling compost can bring rules about labeling, testing and registration. Check with your state department of agriculture before you sell or give compost away in bulk.
Keep notes on what went into each batch.
Gardeners often welcome compost, but tell them what is in it. If you share compost with neighbors, a note on what animals it came from is helpful.
What about special hazards?
Some herbicides can pass through animals or hay and persist in manure, harming sensitive plants like tomatoes and beans. Ask your hay source about any chemical treatments.
Large piles can heat and in rare cases catch fire. Keep piles to sizes recommended locally and watch for steaming or smoking.
Keep children and pets away from active piles.
- Ask your hay supplier about herbicide use
- Keep piles to manageable sizes
- Watch for steam or smoke from the pile
- Keep children and pets away
Key takeaways
- Composting needs the right mix, moisture, air and time.
- Site piles away from wells and water and keep runoff controlled.
- Ask extension about timing before using compost on food crops.
- Check state rules before selling compost.
- Keep notes on each batch so you can improve the next one.
Sources and further reading
Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Rural Farm Life Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.