The History of Composting
- Evidence suggests that the Tribes of Israel, Greeks and Romans knew about composting. The reference to composting is found in the Talmud and the Bible, both of which mention the use of rotting manure and straw.
- Early settlers in North America used compost consisting of 1 part fish and 10 parts muck (moist manure) to fertilize soil. Early promoters of using compost were George Washington Carver, James Madison, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington.
- American gardeners were introduced to compost by J.I. Rodale in the 1930s as a valuable way to improve the soil quality, according to the University of Illinois Extension. Rodale opened a research farm center in Pennsylvania that practices organic farming with compost.
- Thanks to composting, organic materials naturally break down when they come in contact with the soil. Organic materials include animal manure, leaves, grass clippings and food waste.
