5 different composts

I'm new to SFG and have three beds made so far. Took me awhile to find the materials to build, but on my way now. Having problems finding 5 different composts and I've inquired at a lot of places. It shouldn't be this difficult...can anyone help a newbie?

Since you're looking for five types, I'm assuming you're doing purchased/bagged compost this first year (don't worry, I am too).

The key to five types is reading the ingredients on the bags. Thing you can find at big box stores will range from composted chicken manure (pretty decent stuff!), all the way down to basically just partially composted wood processing products.

Ideally, your five types will be a roughly equal mix between wood products, aged herbivore manure (might want to stay away from pure steer manure...it usually isn't composted/aged well, if at all), poultry manure, perhaps mushroom substrate, and if you're really lucky and depending on location, even stuff with ocean-sourced materials (crustacean shells, seaweeds, etc).

You can get the most basic stuff at big box stores like Walmart, Home Depot, Lowes, Menards, etc. Most of the bagged stuff will actually be a blend in and of itself, but it will be primarily one thing (the waste product they want to sell) leavened with other stuff like bat guano to make it more desirable for purchase. That doesn't mean there's a lot of the good stuff in it, just that they put some in there.

Be careful of the really inexpensive stuff like Kellogg products (N'Rich, etc). They're cheap for a reason - lots of wood chips, may not be fully composted, and poor sorting control...I swear they vacuum the sides of the roads for their stuff...always finding plastic bits and sometimes even chewed up aluminum cans in Kellogg stuff.

Sifting/screening can be your friend, or your nemesis; depends on your viewpoint I suppose.

Good luck!