----- Original Message -----
From: Stephen Barrow <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Monday, May 20, 2002 5:35 AM
Subject: RE: Shredders for composting
Hi Steven
I'm with you on shredding compost for hand turning (we only
do small amounts for the home garden) I find the long stuff as advocated by
most BD practicioners is a hopeless business if you want to aerate it a bit
and get it done in a reasonable time.
Dont know whether this suggestion will be any help but the
straw chopper / shredder off the back of a smaller combine harvester might
make into a good shredder for your purpose - probably need about 20 hp to
drive it - and would have a quite high work rate - replacement parts would
be available when worn out - they chop into pieces about 4 inch long and
would handle most things with the exception of wood - have a look at one of
these in a wreckers yard.
Cheers
Lloyd Charles
> The thing is, I don't know how small to shred compost material! I find
that
> making compost with unshredded material just increases the amount of work,
> especially when turning. We do everything by hand, so need to make
> composting making as easy on the body as possible.
>
> Also, due to South Africa's semi-arid climate, the rate of soil organic
> matter mineralization is more than 5 times that in Europe. Conservative
> estimates mentioned during a conference last week ranged from 200 - 300
tons
> per hectare in year 1, 100 tons for the next two years, before repeating
the
> cycle again. Some farmers double those amounts.
This is a frightening rate of application - talk about high input farming -
totally unsustainable !!
