Meat – Composting

Q: Why can’t I put meat in my compost pile?

A: You can…but it’s not really practical. Rats, possums, and raccoons will be attracted to the pile and they will make a mess. Smell is also an issue. On the other hand, on poultry farms it’s common practice to compost dead chickens in piles of wood chips. If you can control smells and unwanted visitors, meat could contribute substantial amounts of nitrogen to a compost pile. Perhaps you could construct a wire tube from 1/4″ mesh hardware cloth, insert it into your pile, and drop small amounts of meat, yogurt, and eggs into it, covering each addition with a handful of chips.