I till in old manure with shavings, then I top-dress with vermi-composting manure..worms included.

Chuckiebtoo

Good system Chuck! I am starting to think that both are better than just the one. Diversity is where it's at! I am trying to increase my worm populations in my bins so my garden doesnt get too many.

Any time raw organic matter is processed "above ground" there is some loss of carbon and/or nutrient. What is then put back in the ground does not contain all of the same compounds that were present in the raw material. Research suggests that when raw OM is worked GENTLY into the soil that the loss can be minimized as carbon and other essential elements are captured and held in the soil matrix. This would suggest that, in at least some circumstances, direct application composting can be more beneficial overall than is first composting or vermicomposting the raw OM above ground. This, of course, presupposes there are no sensitive plant roots present in the soil that might be damaged by the process and that the OM does not contain high levels of caustic compounds, like salts (there's always a "but"!).

For what it's worth, Paul, I, too, like the idea of using a bit of both direct application of raw OM and composting/vermicomposting. As you note, nature uses multiple systems to great effect; perhpas we ought to listen to her.

Kelly S