What did I find?

FEATURED PRODUCER Route 66 Compost & Topsoil Mike Bacon | Pacific, MO Every year, over 90 tons of vegetable waste from SFM are picked up from SFM by Route 66 compost and made into a special blend of compost that is sold as Route 66 compost, and Route 66 topsoil. The vegetable waste is mixed with horse bedding and manure and windrow composted in an active system. The temperature is monitored scientifically to ensure that weed seeds and pathogens are killed, and the compost is sifted and re-sifted before being bagged and sold as a soil amendment that outperforms every soil product it has been tested against. The compost is high in nutrients and micro-nutrients and will help improve the texture of garden soil. It's great mixed with potting soil in containers, too.

Sounds to me like I found two of the five, right?

That sounds pretty awesome!

@Megan wrote:That sounds pretty awesome!

It does, doesn't it? My neighbor found it for me tonight. I'm full, but I'm working on converting him....and I'm winning him over. He is the one that has my book...lol. I think he's "in."

But, you score that as 2 blends, correct? Veggie and horse.

I would certainly score that as 2 of 5. I think five is a great number to achieve diversity in nutrients, but personally I am more for diversity and less about numbers. I may not manage 5 this year... or maybe I'll find 7, who knows??

@Megan wrote:I would certainly score that as 2 of 5. I think five is a great number to achieve diversity in nutrients, but personally I am more for diversity and less about numbers. I may not manage 5 this year... or maybe I'll find 7, who knows??

Thanks. I just wanted to make sure I understood different blends when I saw them. And, wasn't confusing horse whatever and horse manure as separates. When I get questions, I want to make sure I'm saying things correctly....by the book. And, my neighbor may ask.

@BackyardBirdGardner wrote:

Route 66 Compost & Topsoil Mike Bacon | Pacific, MO Every year, over 90 tons of vegetable waste from SFM are picked up from SFM by Route 66 compost and made into a special blend of compost that is sold as Route 66 compost, and Route 66 topsoil.

Sounds to me like I found two of the five, right?

Maybe

Maybe not

Sorry, I am so skeptical these days, that I don't believe anybody about much of anything. What do family, friends, and neighbors say?

(Once upon a time, topsoil was the top layer of stuff that came from the woods when they were clearcut for development. Nowadays, 'topsoil' is 'manufactured' with sand, silt, and clay. In my area, that is called 3 way. If they throw in some identifiable compost, they call it 5 way. I know too many guys with dump trucks and backhoes. The idea of valuable 'topsoil' is many years outdated.)

Well I think the beauty of having 5 different sources is that if one is a dud you still have 4 to supply nutrients to your plants. If you count 1 source as 2 and it's a dud, then you have more of a loss on the nutrient part. Does that makes sense?

Jen

I grew up in IL, to me topsiol is the stuff that is constantly blowing away on windy days after the farmers plow up the fields to plant.

@FarmerValerie wrote:I grew up in IL, to me topsiol is the stuff that is constantly blowing away on windy days after the farmers plow up the fields to plant.

So, taking that one step further, topsoil is the stuff that settles on my furniture every week? And, compost is the stuff I flush out of the house?

Instead of "types" we could also be counting "sources?" Meaning, we should just find horse, cow, pig, mushroom, veggie, whatever composts from different stores.....and the more you find, the better you are. But, if you only find three, you roll with three and hope for the best?

Either way, I will be making my own, too. I trust what I do more than what anybody sells. And, have always been that way.

I would likely tell my buddy that he has possibly a couple of types/sources, but should still branch out in case of a dud. And, if he wants to know more of the science behind things...google around or God forbid....join our forum....lol. He makes his own compost, too, though. So, I assume he will likely have things well covered as well.

Right on, guys.

+1 what Boffer said. These days topsoil is dirt. When I make a new flower bed I use the dirt and add all the ingredients that comprise Mel's mix, primarily as a soil conditioner. I also may add other amendments to boost the soil mix fertility.

Mel's Mix is a soil less mix, and that is the beauty of it.

Well I have about 40 tonne of topsoil on my garden in a big heap. This is the top 2 feet of our natural earth as the next few feet are sand & gravel. The topsoil is black and kind of very fine dust when dry, when wet and walked on a lot it is like slippery slime. It should be a great product to grow in once I mix a soil conditioner with it.

I went to the local DIY store and they sell it a £4 UK pounds a bag for 20 kilo. When I worked it out that I have around £2000 worth on my garden I thought I had better put it to some good use.