Perhaps instead of compost starters or turning tools you might get yourself a compost Thermometer check the link.
Composting is not a fast process. You are probably better off just making a pile of as varied of contents and let it sit. There isn't really that much need to turn it. Yes turning it can speed the process a bit and make the contents a little more even but it is so much work for only minor gain.

You mention that most of it gets spread on the fields so it isn't that you need to reduce the volume of it rapidly to get rid of it. Just put together a compost pile about 6 months before you are planning to use it. Perhaps build one in spring for fall garden dressing and another in late summer/fall for spring planting. Even if it doesn't do alot of real active composting it should still be great stuff for the garden after the aging.

Here is a link that might be useful: Reotemp

You need to find Captain Compost on the web and get his new book. He uses horse manure to make compost fast. He is well known and admired here and in the organic forums.

"Horses are on grass grazing so manure is very green.".

If I had "green horse manure" - I would be using "it" to start my compost.

HTH,
Gumby_CT

Goodhors,

As suggested, you need a thermometer. It will tell you if your pile is working. If its working leave it alone.

I used to put my horse manure and carbons mixed in a 4 x 4 x4 bin. Got to be too much work taking the bin apart at 2 months to remix the working pile. Now I just mound it up in the middle of the pasture. If its mixed properly you'll get temps of between 150 and 160 for starters. When it cools down to around 120, and that may take several weeks to over a month, then turn it. The pile I've got working right now is 2 months old and the temp is at 115 so it needs to be turned. My rule of thumb is if I can't get it over the ambient temperature then the pile is done. That usually takes about 4 months.

Bob
Central Arizona

>I read an article a person used compost starter about once
>a month on her horse manure pile. She said using compost
>starter reduced the pile incredibly fast, within a couple
> days whole pile was great compost.

I am guessing the article quoting this person was an ad trying to sell the compost starter? There isn't anything that will take a big compost pile and make great compost in a couple days. Compost starter is a waste of money. Turning a pile is optional, save your energy, don't do it. It will take longer to compost, so what.

>This was wonderful, kept her neighbors from complaining
>about the smell and flies that manure drew in.

And you already said you don't have problems with the smell and flies. Compost in the process doesn't smell unless you have not enough air or too many greens, doesn't sound like you have either of those problems. I would say just leave the pile, it will take a while but so what?

Marcia

"Compost Starters" are a high Nitrogen source that is very expensive, and unneeded. If you have sufficient Nitrogen in your compost to start they will not be needed and if you don't have enough other Nitrgoen sources are available at much less cost.
Turning compost is much more than simply scratching at it with a garden cultivator. The purpose of turning your compost is to move the undigested outside material into the center of the pile where the bacteria are most active, and maybe to aid in drying too wet compost out a bit. Turning a compost pile, properly, is a lot of work and is only necessary if you want finished compost sooner that several months. If you have patience and can wait your material will become finished, eventually as long as the C:N ratio is close to the optimal 30:1 and the moisture level is close to just enough.
There is no way you will get good quality finished compost in a day or two, or even a week. Months unless you really want to work hard and turn that pile frequently and then you can get compost in 14 days.

Hi Goodhors,

I wouldn't waste my money on compost starter which I think has pretty much been the concensus of all the posters so far.

I have the garden claw. If you are talking about the same tool, it's about 2 1/2-3 ft tall, a straight electric blue bar with handles at one end and tines at the other, then no, I have not found that particular tool helpful in the compost pile. A large, strong man might be able to use it to turn compost but I don't think even he would find it easy. Give me a good ole pitch fork for turning the pile...if and when I decide to bother with it.

It may not be useful in your case, but I use my Mantis tiller to run through the pile and mix things up then I rake or pitch fork it back into a pile.

I don't even things with major turning/anything that you can have "finished" compost in 14 days or 21 days. There is more to composting that just getting the materials to heat up. Perhaps with a batch compost you can have the materials past the hot stage in 14 days but they should still be left to sit and cure for a while before use around sensitive plants.

As to compost starters. Don't spend money on em. If there isn't enough nitrogen in you pile to heat it up you can always add urine.

Thank you for all your answers and great comments. Composting is new to me and I haven't much experience with all the balancing of nutrients and elements. Obviously you folks are better at science than I am!

The article was in the TSC store quarterly magazine, where the person sent in a helpful tip for other horse owners. She was having neighbor trouble about her "stinky horses and their manure pile drawing flies". She changed how she piled it up by adding some powdered lime every time she put manure on, then the compost starter when pile got to a fair size. She thought that her new method reduced her pile very quickly, aided in no smell, no flies problem. She didn't name any brands of compost starter. TSC gave her the Grand Prize for best equine tip. The tip got me thinking about having a compost pile again. She didn't turn her pile, a plus in time savings to me.

The Claw is the blue handled tool described by shelva. I didn't think it would be easy to use, but sometimes I am wrong, which would have been nice. A "magic" tool! I tend to have too many tools, trying out different ones, new designs. Correct tool for the job is easier work. Some are great, others never get used after the "improved" model is found. Sure didn't want another wall decoration. I do have a small Toro tiller, nice to know it could be a good option for mixing. Not something I would have thought of by myself.

I did think about doing a manure pile again, but they take up too much room. We use all the available ground now for paddocks and grazing in a rotation system. The colts would have any piles torn down pretty fast. This is why most of the daily bedding is spread. Really very little smell, no fly attraction with manure drying in the daily sun. Helps keep the pastures in better shape than when we did pile the manure. More organic matter to protect grass roots, makes for better fields. Less work to fill the spreader than wheelbarrow the dirty bedding out to a pile.

I guess I will make a 2nd bin, just fill it up and wait for the process to take place. Keep topping them off as the piles sink. I will get a thermometer to try out. I am not sure my bedding ever got very hot, but I wouldn't know without the thermometer!

Again thanks all. You have given me a lot to think about, great ideas to work with. I plan to read a bunch of the other posts, learn from them too.

I have one of those garden claws which I find useful for 2 purposes.

It's good for fluffing mulch in mid-season, the small size and shape fits well between my plants and shrubs, better than a rake and faster than a hoe.

I also use it for digging out weeds or plants I want to get rid of. Just center it over the plant and twist, and it will even loosen deep tap roots.

Karen