NCSHC June Meeting - Using Compost on Your Farm with Amy Fulford of Brooks Contractor
“Always work with Mother Nature. Anytime you work against it, you might as well be pedaling backwards.” – Dean Brooks, Founder of Brooks Contractor
The June 2023 meeting of the NC Soil Health Coalition included a presentation by Amy Fulford from Brooks Contractor in Goldston, NC. Brooks Contractor is located in Chatham County in the center of the state and commonly works with farms in their area to provide compost and soil blends for market gardens, pastures, and crop land. Brooks Contractor was started in 1990 and is a major compost producer, processing about 60,000 tons of feedstock per year, including food waste, eggshell waste, leaves, wood waste, animal manure, and other organic materials. Amy’s family started the compost operation after transitioning from a dairy farm in the late 1980s, and Amy continues to work closely with farmers. Brooks Contractor sells approximately 75,000 cubic yards of compost and soil blends each year.
Aerated windrows are used at the facility for compost production which creates compost that is safe for all uses, including food production. The facility is permitted and has to meet both temperature and turning requirements for all of its compost. When they arrive at the facility, high nitrogen materials like food waste and manure are blended with carbonaceous materials such as wood waste. Brooks Contractor creates several types of compost blends, as well as custom blends for their farm customers. They haul compost and topsoil blends in bulk using two different methods, either a quad dump truck or a tractor trailer dump trailer. A dump truck can hold 30 cubic yards of compost and a dump trailer can hold 40 cubic yards.
Compost can be applied across pastures and crop land to add organic matter and build the topsoil layer. Adding organic matter to the soil enables it to act more like a sponge by absorbing and holding rainfall and nutrients. Compost also adds beneficial microbes to the soil and provides a more suitable environment for microbes to function long-term. Adding compost has lasting benefits and improves the soil “bank account” by increasing nutrient and water holding capacity and microbial diversity. This can reduce the need for external inputs and build healthier soil in the long term. One indication of healthy soil is the number of earthworms that are present and active, which is normally increased after applying compost.
There are a variety of applications for compost, including converting land from forestry to pasture or crop production, planting perennial areas, soil remediation, improving cover crop germination and vigor, and nutrient-dense vegetable production. Compost offers benefits above using manure alone because it is easier to avoid excess heavy metals and soluble salts and it provides beneficial biology and stable organic matter. Proper compost production will also kill most weed seeds and pathogens.
Compost can be applied at varying rates per acre, normally from 2 to 10 tons per acre. Applying 2 tons per acre would provide light dusting whereas applying 10 tons per acre would provide approximately 1/8” of coverage. Amy can assist farms in determining what quantity and type of compost is appropriate for meeting their goals. Brooks Contractor offers several types of compost and compost blends for various situations. Amy can provide detailed pricing and compost coverage calculations for farms. For example, an 1/8” broadcast over one acre would require approximately 17 cubic yards of compost (around 9-10 tons) and a 1/2” application would require about 67 cubic yards per acre. When using compost, farms often spread it with ordinary manure spreaders or have poultry litter spreaders apply it for them.
Brooks Contractor has shipped compost across North Carolina, however, shipping costs are calculated per mile, so shipping further distances will increase the cost of compost. One resource for finding reputable compost producers closer to your farm is the North Carolina Composting Council. The Composting Council offers a bulk compost producer map for finding producers near your location. Speaking with other farmers in your area or other Soil Health Coalition members can also be a great way to find compost producers. For more information or to order compost for your farm, contact Amy at amy@brookscontractor.com or 919-837-5914.
