Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
What makes compost truly powerful?
In this practical workshop, 5th generation farmer Niklaus Forstbauer shares the composting methods used on Forstbauer Farm in British Columbia to build healthy soil and resilient crops.
Good compost isn’t just organic waste breaking down — it’s a living ecosystem of microbes, fungi, and soil organisms that help plants access nutrients, hold water, and resist disease.
But many compost piles fail because they lack the right temperatures, materials, or biological balance.
In this conversation, Niklaus explains how farmers and gardeners can produce compost that actually improves soil health.
🌱 What You’ll Learn
• The ideal compost temperature range for killing pathogens
• Why 130–160°F (54–71°C) matters for microbial activity
• How to balance nitrogen, green material, and woody carbon
• Why climate affects composting strategy
• How to avoid anaerobic or “bad” compost
• How a small amount of high-quality compost can inoculate large areas of soil
You’ll also learn why monitoring compost with temperature and biology can dramatically improve results.
🌾 Why Compost Matters
Healthy compost feeds the soil food web — the living community of microbes, fungi, protozoa, nematodes, and earthworms that support plant health.
This approach aligns with the research of soil microbiologists like Dr. Elaine Ingham and soil ecologist Dr. Rob Blakemore, who have helped farmers around the world understand how living soil systems function.
🌱 Mentioned in this Workshop
Dr Elaine Ingham — Soil Food Web School
soilfoodweb.ontraport.com/t?orid=433&opid=48
Dr Rob Blakemore — earthworm ecology
Interview with Dr Rob Blakemore youtu.be/TZdimbtIy0k
Heart & Soil Magazine
🌍 Learn More with Heart & Soil
Heart & Soil shares conversations with the world’s leading voices in:
• regenerative agriculture
• soil science
• composting
• organic farming
• gardening and nutrient-dense food
If you want to grow healthier soil and healthier food, subscribe to Heart & Soil TV.
🌱 Explore the Heart & Soil ecosystem
📖 Heart & Soil Magazine
heartandsoilmagazine.com
🌱 Growers Circle — live workshops for farmers & gardeners
heartandsoilmagazine.com/membership
🌎 The Soil Summit
thesoilsummit.com
💚 Thank you for being part of our journey!
#heartandsoilmagazine
#regenerativefarming #compostingworms #compostingtips #soilhealth
What makes compost truly powerful?
In this practical workshop, 5th generation farmer Niklaus Forstbauer shares the composting methods used on Forstbauer Farm in British Columbia to build healthy soil and resilient crops.
Good compost isn’t just organic waste breaking down — it’s a living ecosystem of microbes, fungi, and soil organisms that help plants access nutrients, hold water, and resist disease.
But many compost piles fail because they lack the right temperatures, materials, or biological balance.
In this conversation, Niklaus explains how farmers and gardeners can produce compost that actually improves soil health.
🌱 What You’ll Learn
• The ideal compost temperature range for killing pathogens
• Why 130–160°F (54–71°C) matters for microbial activity
• How to balance nitrogen, green material, and woody carbon
• Why climate affects composting strategy
• How to avoid anaerobic or “bad” compost
• How a small amount of high-quality compost can inoculate large areas of soil
You’ll also learn why monitoring compost with temperature and biology can dramatically improve results.
🌾 Why Compost Matters
Healthy compost feeds the soil food web — the living community of microbes, fungi, protozoa, nematodes, and earthworms that support plant health.
This approach aligns with the research of soil microbiologists like Dr. Elaine Ingham and soil ecologist Dr. Rob Blakemore, who have helped farmers around the world understand how living soil systems function.
🌱 Mentioned in this Workshop
Dr Elaine Ingham — Soil Food Web School
soilfoodweb.ontraport.com/t?orid=433&opid=48
Dr Rob Blakemore — earthworm ecology
Interview with Dr Rob Blakemore youtu.be/TZdimbtIy0k
Heart & Soil Magazine
🌍 Learn More with Heart & Soil
Heart & Soil shares conversations with the world’s leading voices in:
• regenerative agriculture
• soil science
• composting
• organic farming
• gardening and nutrient-dense food
If you want to grow healthier soil and healthier food, subscribe to Heart & Soil TV.
🌱 Explore the Heart & Soil ecosystem
📖 Heart & Soil Magazine
heartandsoilmagazine.com
🌱 Growers Circle — live workshops for farmers & gardeners
heartandsoilmagazine.com/membership
🌎 The Soil Summit
thesoilsummit.com
💚 Thank you for being part of our journey!
#heartandsoilmagazine
#regenerativefarming #compostingworms #compostingtips #soilhealth
