Test Data

Abstract

Demo was conducted with the full participation of Charles Gould, Ottawa and Allegan County Nutrient Management Extension Agent from Michigan State University and Bernie Beers of BW Organics, Inc.

On February 4th, Charles Gould, Bernie Beers, Lyle Veldheer, Mike Bronkema and Herb Prator worked on the recipe for the compost demonstration scheduled at the Shady Side Farm for February 5, 1999. The chart displays the final mix used for the demonstrations.

By 3:30 PM on the 4th, we started to mix the ingredients in a Knight Mixer wagon. First we added the sawdust, then the chips (using the scale on the mixer wagon) and finally the main ingredient, the pullet manure. The mixer wagon was operating at a slow speed as the manure was added and when all of the manure was in, it was about 90% mixed. It was allowed to mix as we moved the wagon to the demo. The mixture was stored in a barn until the next day.

At 8:00 AM February 5, the day of the demonstration the temperature of the mixture had risen to 50 degrees F. In an attempt to cool the mixture, we activated the mixer wagon for a short time. By 10:45 AM when we were ready to load the mixture into the BW Organics in-vessel composter, the temperature had risen to 80 degrees. We proceeded to load the mixture and in addition, we added 57 chicken mortality (~ 0.5 lbs each), newspapers from the bottom of the cages, a small amount of chick feathers and down, and a dead pig weighing approximately 50 lbs.

A variety of people witnessed the loading phase. Farmers, various government employees (MDA, NRCS, Extension Specialists), Macatawa Area Coordinating Council representative and other interested individuals. Most everyone left by 12:00 noon as the loading was complete.

The following chart shows the vital statistics taking place within the machine throughout the 4 day process.

Results continued on next page.