BUTLER TWP - There has been a waiting list for residents like Amy Wilson of Center Township to learn about browns and greens.

The Butler County Cooperative Extension office has offered composting classes and receives compost bins from the state Department of Environmental Protection. This spring, the office received 100 bins, which meant 100 households could enroll in the classes.

The classes were full within a matter of days after they were advertised, said Donna Zang, extension director. No more classes are scheduled this spring.

On May 12, about 30 people listened to Dixie Reinold, a master gardener, share tips for mixing high carbon organic waste, such as brown leaves, with high nitrogen waste, such as green grass, to create rich soil.

It's not as difficult as it sounds, Wilson said.

"I was surprised that you can just pile stuff in there and not worry," she said.

Reinold said that's a common reaction for many homeowners. The average household doesn't need to follow formulas or invest in additives to successfully compost, especially with the EarthMaster bins given at each class.

"It's a natural process," she said. "It's happened from the first time a green thing grew up and fell over."

She did offer tips to speed up the decomposition process and prevent odors.

Claire Martin of Worth Township listened to those tips, and realized she her compost pile wasn't getting hot enough.

The ideal temperature for a compost pile is 90

to

150 degrees. When the higher temperatures are reached, the bacteria break down the waste rapidly.

Other conditions to watch, Reinold suggested, are the moisture content and aeration.

A compost pile should be between 40 percent and 60 percent water. Higher moisture encourages bacterial growth.

The bacteria also need oxygen. Turning the pile every five to seven days or propping the pile up from the ground on sticks should sufficiently aerate the soil.

Reinold said that isn't necessary, but it does speed up the process.

"You can put a lot of effort into it or you can put almost no effort into it," she said.

Zang admitted she doesn't tend to her compost bin often, but she and Reinold said putting waste in the bin instead of the curb makes a difference in the landfills.

Handing out the waist-high plastic compost bins, valued at $70, for free at the end of the hourlong class encourages an alternative to putting organic waste in landfills, Zang said.

"Your little bag of green grass not going to the corner really helps," Reinold said.

Since the composting education program began in 2001, the extension office has given away 500 bins to county residents, Zang said.

For information, call the extension office at 724-287-4761.