Compost is far more than fertiliser. It transforms the residues of one process into the resources required by another.
Manure, bedding, leaves, crop residues, weeds, food waste, woody material and other organic resources can be brought together and transformed into stable organic matter. Good compost can support microbial diversity, contribute organic matter, improve soil structure and help nutrients remain within the biological cycle [REF].
Increasing organic matter can also improve the soil's ability to absorb and retain water. Compost supports the organisms that perform much of the work we would otherwise attempt to replace with purchased inputs.
“Compost is the digestive system of the farm. It transforms residues into fertility and dead organic material into part of the living foundation of the landscape. We do not make compost simply to feed plants. We make compost to feed the living soil, and the living soil feeds everything else.”