The Kansas Composting Operators’ School provides hands-on training in municipal, agricultural, and commercial large-scale composting for operators and managers of compost facilities who want to gain knowledge and experience in composting. Regulatory staff, environmental consultants, and compost equipment company employees also frequently attend. This year there will be two offerings that will cover the same material but the tours will be different (see below):
- Hays, May 9-10 – Tour a feedyard and learn about dead animal and manure composting. Classroom is located at the Western Kansas Agricultural Research Center in Hays.
- Instructors: DeAnn Presley, KSU Agronomy; staff from KDHE Bureau of Waste Management; and Brittany Howell, Fort Hays State University.
- Instructors: DeAnn Presley, KSU Agronomy; staff from KDHE Bureau of Waste Management; and Brittany Howell, Fort Hays State University.
- Winfield, May 15-16 – Tour the city of Winfield’s compost facility. Classroom is located at the Cowley County Fairgrounds.
- Instructors: DeAnn Presley, KSU Agronomy; and staff from KDHE Bureau of Waste Management.
The program includes two full days of classroom and laboratory instruction along with field activities. Field activities will include a demonstration of composting equipment such as a turner, and collection of compost samples for testing for maturity as well as chemical and physical properties.
Training topics:
- Composting science and methods
- Compost biology
- Compost feedstocks
- Food waste composting
- Mortality composting
- Determining compost mixes
- Permit and legal requirements
- Site design and maintenance
- Compost equipment
- Windrow construction and aeration
- Compost moisture
- Field and laboratory monitoring
- Learn to measure moisture, temperature, pH, soluble salts, maturity, interpreting laboratory data
- Compost quality and use
- Methods of composting: static versus active
The fee for the school is $180 and includes lunches, breaks, and training materials. Hotels are not included, however both cities have several options for overnight stay. Payment must accompany registration (payable to KSU Agronomy).
A registration form can be downloaded and printed here. Mail to: Extension Agronomy, 2014 Throckmorton Plant Sciences Center, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506.
Online registration is available for those who wish to pay with a credit card (additional fees apply), http://www.agronomy.k-state.edu/extension/soil-management/
Registration is due by May 4, 2018. Class size is limited to 20 people so don’t wait too long to sign up!
For more information contact DeAnn Presley, 785-532-1218, deann@ksu.edu
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