Why make compost? To feed your food of course. Plants need food too and humus is the best way to give it to them.
Here is another video from Full Circle Compost giving a brief overview of microbial growth in compost windrows even in the dead of winter. Yes, spring has sprung in Northern Nevada; however, seeing active compost windrows in the dead of winter demonstrates the amazing microbial and bacterial power of the aerobic composting process.
In the beggining of the video you can see three rows covered in snow. These are rows of compost that are finishing the composting cycle and will be ready to use in your yard and garden. The temperatures have dropped significantly and are not able to keep the snow off. The other rows, on the other hand, are hot with microbial life. They are newer rows still in the composting process where bacteria are breaking down the organic materials in the windrows. What do these bacteria and microbes produce? PLANT FOOD ALSO KNOWN AS HUMUS!
These bacteria are happy bacteria, as you can see in the video, and are working very hard digesting the orgainc material and turning it into humus, the best plant food around. The recipe that you feed your compost is the key to bacterial growth and life. A diverse recipe of quality materials is how you get excitied microbial life such as in these windrows.
The unfinished rows will be turned to give the bacteria a breath of fresh air and in a few weeks will also be finished compost piles like the ones with snow on them. This is how you feed your food. Feed the bacteria in the compost so they make food for your plants. Beautiful thing.
Cody Witt: Real Deal Compost 