By Marcy Barthelette

Compost is one of those nasty sounding words….you know, one of those words that aptly describe the things in life that we would rather hide under a bushel basket! But gardeners know compost as black gold. It’s an almost magical ingredient that brings oceans of color to our landscapes in spring, summer, and fall as well as an abundant harvest to supply and enliven our culinary adventures throughout the growing season.

To get started, you can simply find an out of the way corner in your yard and start your pile. If you want to keep the compost contained, you can choose from an assortment of bins in varying sizes or you can build a wooden bin to accommodate your specific needs. For the limited gardener with limited space, small indoor containers are available that can adequately supply your potted plants.

You can apply compost at any time during the season, but fall will give you the most bang for your buck, so to speak. Spread an inch of compost over your prepared ground, cover it with a good leaf mulch and let it “simmer” all winter. When spring arrives, you’ll be ready to plant. If your quantity of compost is limited, apply it in the spring to jumpstart your plants but remember that compost always continues to decompose and, therefore, needs to be replenished annually.

The first rule of feeding your compost is that it must have a Vegan diet and it prefers well-spaced large meals over frequent snacks. Never add animal products or by-products! Your compost needs a balanced blend of green and brown refuse and your kitchen can yield countless products that will provide necessary nutrients. Chop your ingredients into smaller pieces to speed the process and save those scraps for several days, even up to a week, before adding them. Outdoors you’ll find plenty to toss in the bin when you complete your yard work. Once again, cut into smaller pieces. Be careful not to include weed seed or diseased plant material. Otherwise, most things are acceptable. Remember balance is the key as well as turning the mix frequently and maintaining proper moisture. Your pile or bin should be located in full sun for optimum “cooking”. Online lists of compatible ingredients will take the guesswork out of your feeding habits.

In its finished state, compost is dark brown in color, is easily crumbled, and quite earthy in smell. It naturally invigorates your soil to help prevent damage from disease, insects, and other environmental pressures. It is your best gardening investment as it becomes a permanent part of your soil structure.

Before you begin your project, take a dive into trusted websites or question experienced gardeners to gather information. Composting is not hard but it does require knowledge and you want to invest your time and resources in the best ways to accomplish your specific goals.

Speaking of garbage, hidden among our positive traits, each of us can find a little trash within our spiritual lives; Ozark pigheadedness, selfishness, anger, jealousy, intolerance. All our traits and experiences, good and bad, are a little like compost. Packed down, shaken up, aerated, and left to season, we can be transformed into the new creatures we were intended to be or we can skip a few steps; maybe use the wrong ingredients, perhaps forget to stir the mixture, or let everything slide out of balance. Just as good compost becomes a living, nourishing part of our soil, spending time in God’s word teaches us to filter out our negative traits and strengthen the positive ones, constantly nourishing our soul.

Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.
For his sake, I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ.
Philippians 3:8 (NLT)

What ingredients do we need to help carry out the mission of being light in the world? Let’s start with a large dose of love. Add a good-sized chunk of compassion, a willingness to listen, an abundance of kindness, an extra measure of tolerance, and always a sprinkle of “salt” for just the right seasoning. Mix carefully and tend regularly, toss in a generous amount of Son-shine and we’ll be all set to greet our weary world.

Lord, thank You for the fragrance of forgiveness You leave in Your wake. Rick Hamlin