Composting and Varmints

This has probably been addressed; if anyone would like to shoot me a helpful link, I'd greatly appreciate it!  

Our problem is making compost that isn't constantly rooted through and dragged all over creation, by the local wildlife.  I am aware that we all have different local environments; but there has to be someone out there who has wrestled with this problem!  Our compost doesn't get composted, because it attracts creatures to dine every night!!!

You could use Trench Composting if you dig down deep enough.

I use that method for coffee grounds.  The only time I had problems is when I included eggs or eggshells.  

Here are some threads for you or others:

https://permies.com/t/120258/composting/Thinking-trench-composting

https://permies.com/t/117189/composting/Trench-Composting-forest-garden

https://permies.com/t/177101/composting/Composting-tilling

Thank you, Anne!  That was most helpful; especially:



Dig a trench (approx. 18" or deeper if you have logs) where you intend to grow, in the shape and width of the beds you intend to plant in,  fill the trench with split logs, tree branches, rotted branches, the wettest branches you can find, or thoroughly wet them after filling, and fill that over with manure, put some of the soil back, wet it again to fill in any air pockets, then add leaves, mowed weeds, more manure, top it off with soil, wet it all again, and plant over the trench, thickly mulching around the plants with wood chips  (as opposed to bark chips, if you can) or whatever organic mulch you have to keep the soil damp.  

You'll be creating a fungi web structure that lasts for years.  The trench keeps the wood wet, everything composts over a long period.  It's easy to dig a quick hole to dump kitchen scraps in in the future, just keep "feeding" the trenches.

I've been retrofitting my orchard and the trees are thriving despite a drought.  I wish I'd done this years ago.

I just put mine in a tight surround of woven wire, they can climb in and stir it around for me they want but they can't really scatter it.

Hey there!
I lived on a farm out in the country for a long while, and we also hosted many unplanned 'critters compost cabaret.'
There are a couple ways we went about addressing it, with varying results. Depends on how much effort you want to put in.

1) Grab a shovel
Take a shovel out with you, and BURY fresh scraps under the rest of the heap, instead of piling them on top or mixing into the surface.
It adds quite a bit of effort to each instance of composting, so my family got tired of it eventually.

2) Build a structure to hold the compost in
If you don't want to build something out of wood, there's also stakes and chicken wire, or stacked hay bales to create a composting 'box.' The straw/hay will additionally keep the pile insulated & decompose faster. After a year or two, the straw/hay can be mixed into the compost itself, and replaced.
Having an open-top structure won't really prevent critters from getting in, but I've found it usually stops them from EXPLODING the pile everywhere. They might drag a scrap or three out, but that's easy to toss back in.

3) Cover the top
Grab some chickenwire or other small-hole metal fencing and 'sew' (with wire, string, or zip ties) panels together until you have a wire blanket big enough to lay over the pile.  You'll need to lift a side of the 'blanket' every time you need to add more biomass, but it should solve the critter issue neatly.

My neighbor critters take a share of the top of the heap, and they make small messes (corn cobs are the thing I'm most likely to notice and take time to toss back into the heap) sometimes, but like Mark, I'm fine with them stirring the pile up and leaving their own waste to richen things.

I've never had a varmint issue with a hot compost pile.  I use the Joe Jenkins center feed method for keeping the pile hot.  I add entire chicken carcasses, dead lambs, and various parts from larger animals we've butchered. Our chickens won't even jump up on it even when they're showing interest in the things I've collected to add. When I pull the top couple of inches of (now cooked) compost layer to the sides I first add the more varmint attracting material followed by the new regular compost material into the depression. Then cover the new material with a little of the now cooked material from the sides if I can, and finally top off with a few inches of spent grass/hay.