Grist offers a brief guide and a list of resources on how to begin composting. If you don't already compost, the biggest immediate benefit is that you reduce your waste stream significantly, particularly if you compost both kitchen waste and yard waste. A secondary, somewhat longer term benefit is that you can create valuable food for your plants. Bonus: it also helps sequester carbon, for those of you concerned about climate change.
I love composting, and there's nothing quite as satisfying as forking over a pile that's really cooking. However, my own composting experiences have run the gamut from stinky pile of rotting vegetables to static pile of leaves to the aforementioned steamy black gold. You can manage your pile as you choose, and your style may depend on the results you want; I favor the actively managed pile. You need a mix of brown (i.e. dry) and green (i.e. fresh) material, preferably weighed toward the brown though that's always the quantity in short supply at our house. (As Bill Finch pointed out at his vegetable gardening talk, you can take advantage of your neighbors' bagged leaves to save yourself some work.) Avoid meats, fats, and pet waste. Turn frequently, every week or two, and add water as you turn the pile if it's getting dry/starting to slow down. The type of container doesn't matter too much as long as there is air circulation (not a huge issue if you're turning it regularly) and it's covered from the rain. In a few months you'll have usable compost.
My personal favorite composting resource is a little booklet that I got years ago from my co-op, Home Composting Made Easy ($3.95, shipping included), but you can find free online resources at the end of the Grist article.
Have any compost experiences, good or bad, that you'd like to share?
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