Expanding Large-Scale Manure Composting Expertise in Illinois and Wisconsin

Expanding Large-Scale Manure Composting Expertise in Illinois and Wisconsin

Summary

Five University of Illinois Extension staff and one University of Wisconsin staff were provided scholarships to participate in a three day Midwest Compost School at Illinois State University in Bloomington, IL in June 2011 hosted by Dr. Paul Walker. As a result of this training, a demonstration site was established in Wisconsin and composting workshops have been offered and many more are scheduled.

Objectives/Performance Targets

-To provide training in composting solid manure (mostly beef, dairy, sheep, goat and horse) for 6-8 Extension or NRCS educators in Illinois and Wisconsin. Training will be provided at a 3 day Midwest Compost School at Illinois State University in Bloomington, IL in June 2011 hosted by Dr. Paul Walker.
-Participants will be expected to offer 6 composting workshops over a 2 year period in return for their training expenses being covered. Composting workshops will held at designated composting demonstration sites around the state of Illinois and Wisconsin. Focus of the workshops will be on the how to compost, what to do with finished compost, and rules and regulations for composting livestock manure.
-This project will expand state-wide the existing project to set up composting demonstration sites in NE Illinois and SE Wisconsin and conduct workshops for horse/stable owners and also nursery, landscapers and recyclers who are interested in composting manure.
-The goal of both projects is not just to educate on how to compost manure or what can be done (and what value it has) with the finished product, but to provide alternatives to manure going to landfills or manure being improperly stored so as to create odor and water quality problems with neighbors.

Accomplishments/Milestones

Five University of Illinois Extension staff from different geographic regions in Illinois and one University of Wisconsin staff were provided scholarships to participate in a three day Midwest Compost School at Illinois State University in Bloomington, IL in June 2011 hosted by Dr. Paul Walker. This is an intensive, hands-on workshop focusing on the science of composting and learning how to use tools to monitor composting process and quality.

Pre-post evaluation showed significant increase by participants in their knowledge and understanding of Recipe development, Use of monitoring equipment and control charts, Troubleshooting strategies, and Compost regulation and permitting.

A “Science of Composting” 3 hour workshop curriculum was finalized and made available to educators to utilize and modify for workshops in their region.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

Since June 2011, one composting demonstration site was set up in Wisconsin. Three “Science of Composting” workshops were offered. Two were not held due to low registration. A “Composting and Sustainable Equine Management” workshop in Wisconsin was held Oct. 29, 2011 with 24 participants. A post workshop evaluation indicated increased knowledge in composting science and monitoring piles. A 6-month post survey is planned to evaluated changes in practices.

Currently, there are four workshops planned, two at demonstration sites previously established. A meeting of scholarship recipients indicated that other workshops will be planned in the coming year.

A survey of grant scholarship recipients indicated at least 8 presentations at producer workshops have been given that focused on manure management and composting manure.

• Dr. Paul Walker, Illinois State University, sharing about composting tools at the Midwest Composting School, June 2011
• Checking temperature of the compost pile at the workshop in Wisconsin
• At the Midwest Composting School participants created their own compost recipes and evaluated the results

Collaborators: