General Compost Production Concepts Feedstock mixes
These calculations are relatively straightforward and may be visualized like this:
All feedstocks contain carbon, nitrogen, and other nutrients and compounds. When we think about feedstocks, we often consider the balance of carbon to nitrogen contained in their material, often referred to as the carbonto-nitrogen ratio or the C:N ratio. The C:N ratio dictates how successfully microbes and larger organisms can use the feedstocks to build their bodies and carry out the metabolic processes that give their cells energy. All this “bodybuilding” and metabolism is what produces compost. In composting, we think about the C:N ratio of feedstocks through the concept of browns and greens. Browns are carbon-rich feedstocks like hay, dry leaves, or paper; they contain relatively little nitrogen. Greens are relatively nitrogen-rich feedstocks like food waste, fresh grass clippings, or manure; they still contain considerable amounts of carbon. In a composting operation, you want to provide the optimal initial balance of browns (carbon-rich) to greens (nitrogen-rich).
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