I really enjoyed this book. I've been composting for years and didn't expect to get much out of it other than basics to improve my backyard compost, but the author is so likeable and knowledgeable that her enthusiasm is contagious. There are so many pictures, graphs, projects, scientific tidbits, etc. that it's a really enjoyable read. I loved learning about keyhole gardens and some of the other projects. Step by step directions and full color photos make it incredibly helpful, and it features so many types of compost bins and piles that there's something for every gardener. I also really benefited from learning things like why you can't just bury the compost and plant over it and what plants will actually flourish that way.

love the details and pictures. Author knows her stuff.

Composting for a New Generation: Latest Techniques for the Bin and Beyond might just become "the" definitive book about composting. As an avid gardener who throws banana peelings into the woods behind my house in an attempt to compost, I have often wanted to do "real" composting. With author Michele Balz's engaging style based on solid science and comprehensive research, this book gives the guidance that anyone would need to get started and to deal with ongoing issues of composting. Using the analogy of a party, Balz makes a scientific treatise of the elements of composting a fun, quick read. On centipedes, pseudoscorplans, and predatory beetles, she writes: "These tolerated predators are like the people who show up to your party uninvited or your friend Lisa's annoying husband who eats all the guacamole. Luckily, a good party can only sustain a few of these "˜friends' and Lisa is the only one who has to go home with him." Balz extends her comparisons to help the reader create solid mental images of the composting process: "Otherwise known as cheater, cheater, pumpkin eaters, compost activators are materials you add to your pile outside of the regular food scraps and yard trimmings to speed up decomposition." Additionaly Balz makes the reading "come alive": "If the thought of shoveling squishy old melons full of maggots makes you scrunch your nose, I highly recommend the two-bin method." Illustrations provide excellent graphics for reference. Complementing the main text are sidebars full of supplementary information such as "The Kinky Sex Life of Worms"! Anna Stockton adds photographs that are aesthetically pleasing as well as being informative. Finally, in the Appendix, Balz succinctly summarizes main steps with visuals, flow charts and recipes, as a handy reference. I read this book in two days, my friend in one. I am eager to get started with the garbage can method and then to move on to the two-bin method as I am not fond of shoveling squishy old melons full of maggots! My friend, who lives in the desert, is starting inside with worms. If you wish to get started, or if you already compost, this book has much to offer. It also makes a great gift. I highly recommend it!

The joy of composting has reached a crescendo in this book! Truly. Who knew turning trash into treasure could be so much fun!

This book is a perfect introduction for the new adventurer in the garden as well as old earth worm lovers, like me...I've learned even more from this reading. Thorough without being tedious--written with humor , flair and wit. Honestly, a fun read no matter what your level compost love is.

A beautifully presented "cycle of life " story with brilliant photos and illustrations. Buy the book. I'm already thinking about potential gift recipients. Too good not to share!

I have been in the composting industry for 19 years providing assistance to every kind of composting facilities, from large regional ones to home composters. There is some good books out there, but none is as comprehensive and explains the science behind it in simple language while still being accurate, as this book does. While the main audience is small scale and backyard composting, this book is incredibly helpful for large facility operators too.
I found very valuable that the author explains h difference between composting and other approaches such as bokashi and other gardening methods while also explaining how all of these approaches are compatible.

I have sent a copy of the book as a thank you gift to some colleagues in the industry. I have been looking for something useful they will appreciate and this book is just the perfect gift! I know this will become their go to recommendation book.