- Ancient civilizations in Mesopotamia, Rome and Greece used manure to fertilize crops. Historic religious texts, like the Talmud and Bible, refer to the use of organic compost in farming.
- In the 1600s, Native American farmers taught the colonists in New England a technique for using a compost made from fish and muck.
- Technological advances in chemistry and agriculture led to a discontinuation in the use of compost as it was replaced by chemical fertilizers in the 1840s.
- The father of organic farming, Sir Albert Howard, spent the early 1900s studying compost compositions. He found that the most effective composts contained a higher ratio of plant matter to manure.
Howard's early research developed into soil conservation and organic agriculture methods used today. - Heat released during a compost pile's decomposition process can reach temperatures as high as 150 degrees Fahrenheit.
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