We
all know that composting has been happening in nature on forest
floors since time began (so to speak), but who would have thought
that composting as a recognised practice dates back to at least
10,000 years ago. This
is when the people who settled in the Fertile Crescent area between
the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers (Iran and Iraq), gradually changed
their way of living. They stopped hunting and food gathering and
settled down into small villages, growing their food and tending to
their animals. They noticed that plants and grass all grew better
when they were next to manure. This led to the placing of manure,
which is high in nitrogen, on their crops. Thus, compost making was
discovered!
The
Greeks, Egyptians, and Romans all practiced compost making and, in 50
BC, Cleopatra is reported to have made worms sacred after observing
their composting abilities. The first recorded compost "recipe"
was developed by a Roman Statesman, scientist and farmer named Marcus
Cato over 2000 years ago. His system was the first recorded use of
vermicomposting, or worm composting and was hailed as a wonderful
soil conditioner.
Marcus Cato (234-139 BC.)
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