Hello all, after some trial and error of what garden beds we like and what survives our zone 4A/B weather, my wife and I are finally getting started on a long overdue garden. Needless to say we have been waiting to do this for a while but life keeps delaying but no more, I'm clearing debris and scrap from a spot in our yard to start raised beds as it's what she has always wanted and after a test bed we want more.
Had some trees needing to come down around our property, as they were overgrown to a hazardous state, and have the logs in a huge pile with a decent pile of wood chips laying around. Looking to compost the pile and not sure what to add to it as I'm confused by so many options and quantities. I can get horse manure free of herbicides and chemical, a coworker has a 10x20 chicken coupe "knee high" with chicken poop, leaf gathering in the fall as every tree in the neighborhood lands in my yard and neighbors bag there's for landfill use. Green weeds and grasses abound at work and old rotten soybeans at work can be scooped in 5 gallon buckets if need be. Wasn't sure if they would work but I'm referring to whole soybean grains, no pod or stalk, I work in a grain elevator and there's spoilage in corners when cleaning happens and it gets tossed so free beans if they work.
Sorry for the long post but wanted to hear your educated thoughts or experience with starting beds and composting. Trying to be resourceful as much as I can but able to purchase materials to get started. Thank you for any clarification you can bring, cheers.
