More Specifics on Hot and Cold Composting - CulinArt Group

Eat Well Blog

More Specifics on Hot and Cold Composting

For those of you who read our post on composting back in August (click here to read) – we discussed how to start hot and cold compost piles. Here is some more information and details about that process.

Hot Composting

When starting a hot compost pile, it is a good idea to have all the organic matter at hand to start it off properly. Then, more can slowly be added on over time. Referring to the term “hot” compost, the goal is to create a pile warm in temperature. To do so, there must be the perfect carbon to nitrogen ratio. This would be 25 carbon to one nitrogen. Some carbon materials that are rich in carbon may include but are not limited to, shredded paper, small twigs, dry leaves, straw, or dry corn stalks. Meanwhile nitrogen rich ingredients are more moist products. Such as grass clippings, farm animal manure, trimmings of garden plants, coffee grounds, tea bags, weeds, or fruit and vegetable scraps or peels. When maintaining this pile and keeping its warmth, it must be turned regularly. The goal is to keep temperatures at 130 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. On top of maintaining temperatures, moisture is also essential. The pile should have a sponge consistency. If you ever find the pile to be too dry, running a hose over it will help moisten it. Or if the pile becomes too wet, adding a high carbon material such as shredded paper will ensure levels to even out.

 

Cold Composting

Cold composting is a much quicker process that does not require as much maintenance or monitoring compared to hot compost. It is a great way to ease into the world of composting for beginners and learn the basics before advancing to a hot compost pile. Cold compost is created in a bin and materials that can be used include fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, hair and fur, grains, beans, lentils, eggshells, leaf and grass clippings, yard waste, and coffee grounds. When mixing the materials, typically two cups of nitrogen rich material and six cups of carbon rich material will start off one bin. A great way to tell the difference between material is color. Nitrogen rich materials are often green while carbon rich is brown.

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  • September 13, 2021

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“Thank you for including me today in the food waste demonstration/[chef competition] and flattering me with the role of “judge.” I will proudly don the [Stop Food Waste Day] apron the next time I plan an “event” in our own kitchen. I think this is a very worthwhile cause and the statistics you read off are staggering. They, alone, can intimidate a home chef, let alone be the “driver’ for a professional one.”

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“We are so thankful and so impressed by your immediate attention to our power outage. It was such a relief to see all the equipment and workers coming in within a few hours of the outage. Thank you for serving dinner to all [the] students in a very difficult circumstance. Please extend our thanks to your workers who braved cold weather to grill hamburgers and hotdogs.”

“With all the prep work from Winterim ramping up and classes continuing as usual, it's a busy time to be a Forman teacher. Imagine my delight, tired as I was, when I delved into the upscale-restaurant-quality chicken parmesan our dining hall served last night. Forman is all about support, and providing our students with a dinner of that quality is just as important a measure of support as anything that happens in a classroom.”

“I can’t thank your entire team enough for the outstanding service, food, displays, everything!  You are a master at detail, and because of that Adam and I were able to focus on the parents.  I know what a sacrifice pulling off a weekend like this means, we are so appreciative and grateful to you all for your talent and generosity.”

“I ALWAYS feel spoiled by the meal offerings at CSW (The Cambridge School of Weston) and am entirely grateful for it. As I eat today's delicious and lavish lunch (and think about yesterday's as well), I can't tell you how much I feel so well cared for here, both with the food and by the dining hall staff. CSW cares for us in so many ways, both big and small.”

“Thank You! Chef Budd [and team], you overcame a new online ordering system (and hundreds of labels daily!), provided creative and healthy menus, continued to connect with local farmers to incorporate locally sourced ingredients, and worked tirelessly to serve the school community on three campuses.  While it feels like you are all a little like the Wizard of Oz right now, working behind a curtain in a kitchen far away, we sense your smiles and your passion to deliver the best possible service during these trying times. We are all so grateful!”

“I will say that CulinArt has always been a very collaborative partner to T. Rowe Price, listening to our current needs and future goals and suggesting realistic and achievable strategies to meet those goals.  2020 was obviously no exception.  CulinArt also altered other areas of our OCS and pantry programs to create safer environments for all our associates. We can only thank you for your continued flexibility and innovative ideas through these difficult times.”

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