Compost help

I live in Michigan and I'm a first timer at doing a garden. I puchased Mel's 4x4 garden book. I got everything but three other types of compost mixers. Currently I have:
40 pound bag of Cow Manure
40 pound bag of Spurt Horticultural Grade compost
The three other types of composts that are called out in Mels' book is difficult to find here.
Is there a cross reference to the Worm casing; PennGro-the mushroom compost; Posy Power. I did not have any luck finding what are the ingredients
for these bags.
I feel like I'm starting to lose my compost-er. Hope u can help out.
Thank you very mulch,
Big Denny

The 5 types that you see in the picture in Mel's Book are just what Mel is able to get locally. You can get 5 different types of any type of compost. You are not required to get the exact same ones that Mel uses.

Make sure that any manure that you buy is fully composted. It should smell like good soil and not like manure. There are many different types to choose from:

Horse Manure
Cow Manure
Sheep Manure
Chicken Manure
Mushroom Compost
Fish Compost
Bat Guano
Compost made from Yard Waste
Compost made from food scraps

The list goes on.... There are more than that, I just can't think of them right now.

Another commonly found one is cotton burr compost. A few have mentioned not liking it due to being a bit coarse. Not sure why coarse but I plan to use some in my MM it is on the cheaper side per sqft. Probably the ultimate commercial stuff is worm castings. I found some here for $20 per 30 lb bag which is not a lot over a half cuft. But at a big box store the stuff is $5 for a quart jar. If there is an item in Mm that you would do well to use an extra amount it would be compost because that is the fertalizer so to say and the other two are the conditioners that control moisture and air in the MM. Someone posted that Wal Mart has cotton burr compost and mushroom as well. Mushroom is also usually highly recommended stuff. I may not find or buy these in equal proportions but it looks like one intent of the variety is for getting a good variety of soil organisms and bacterias into your plot.

^^ to the two above me. They are right, and I can't add anything better.

I just jumped in to say Welcome Aboard! I noticed that was your first post here.

As you can see, we are eager to help answer questions. And, I commend you for sticking to the 5 types of compost, and MM, in general. You won't regret it!

Cruise around, get comfortable, and remember, no question should be left unasked. That's why we are all here. Oh, and if you don't mind, stop by the SFG Poll section and tell us how you found us...

https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t5411-poll-how-did-you-find-the-sfg-forum

Thanks a million, and hope to see you around the forums!

to the forum, and I'm guessing SFG. I don't really have a compost system yet, just a pile in the back yard that sits there, I really need to improve it. You did get some great replies though. If you have any more questions, please don't hesitate to ask, and we would love to see pictures!!