--- title: Static Compost description: Trialling a static composter which aims to use ventilation rather than regular turning and moving to aid the composting process, saving time and money. image: https://thearc.farm/hubfs/AdobeStock_339458814.jpeg --- [Skip to content](https://thearc.farm/newsandupdates/static-compost#main-content) [![Main Logo Colour](https://thearc.farm/hs-fs/hubfs/Logos/Main%20Logo%20Colour.png?width=2000&height=778&name=Main%20Logo%20Colour.png)Homepage](https://www.thearc.farm) - [Research Model](https://thearc.farm/research-model) - [Explain](https://thearc.farm/explain) - [Evidence](https://thearc.farm/evidence) - [Experiment](https://thearc.farm/experiment) - [Exchange](https://thearc.farm/exchange) - [Projects](https://thearc.farm/projects) - [ADOPT](https://thearc.farm/adopt) - [Network](https://thearc.farm/network) - [ARC Innovators](https://thearc.farm/innovators) - [News & Updates](https://thearc.farm/newsandupdates) [Connect](https://thearc.farm/contact-us) - [Research Model](https://thearc.farm/research-model) - [Explain](https://thearc.farm/explain) - [Evidence](https://thearc.farm/evidence) - [Experiment](https://thearc.farm/experiment) - [Exchange](https://thearc.farm/exchange) - [Projects](https://thearc.farm/projects) - [ADOPT](https://thearc.farm/adopt) - [Network](https://thearc.farm/network) - [ARC Innovators](https://thearc.farm/innovators) - [News & Updates](https://thearc.farm/newsandupdates) [Connect](https://thearc.farm/contact-us) ![](https://thearc.farm/hs-fs/hubfs/AdobeStock_339458814.jpeg?width=5739&height=3831&name=AdobeStock_339458814.jpeg) ADOPT Project Soil Health # Static Compost ![Daniel Kindred](https://thearc.farm/hs-fs/hubfs/dk%20sancton%20cropped.jpg?width=48&height=48&name=dk%20sancton%20cropped.jpg) Daniel Kindred September 22, 2026 ### Turning Farm Waste into Valuable Compost: Testing Practical Aerated Systems UK farms produce large quantities of organic materials, including livestock manure, bedding, straw and crop residues. These materials contain valuable nutrients and organic matter, but managing them effectively can be challenging. When stored in unmanaged heaps or applied directly to land, nutrients can be lost, ammonia and odour emissions can occur, and nutrient availability can be unpredictable. Composting offers a practical way to turn these materials into a valuable farm resource. By stabilising organic matter and transforming it into a consistent soil amendment, compost can help improve soil structure, water retention and biological activity while recycling nutrients back into the farming system. However, traditional windrow composting can be demanding. Regular turning is needed to introduce oxygen and maintain good composting conditions, requiring machinery, fuel, labour and time. For many farms, these requirements can make composting difficult to adopt at scale. A new farmer-led project in Norfolk is investigating whether **aerated static composting** could provide a simpler alternative. Rather than turning compost windrows, the system uses small fans and pipework to supply oxygen directly into the composting material. This could maintain aerobic conditions while significantly reducing the need for machinery and manual intervention. The project will compare different approaches to aeration, including horizontal systems using perforated pipes beneath compost piles and vertical systems that move air through the composting mass. The systems will be tested using typical farm materials such as manure, woodchip and crop residues. Throughout a complete composting cycle, the team will measure decomposition, nutrient retention, compost quality and labour requirements. The ultimate aim is to develop a practical **farm-scale composting bay** capable of producing high-quality compost with minimal labour. The project will also contribute to a growing programme of farmer-led composting research, including related ADOPT projects in Lincolnshire working through a **Compost Hub**. By testing simple, practical technology on real farms, the project hopes to demonstrate how organic farm materials can be transformed from a management challenge into a valuable resource for healthier soils and more efficient nutrient cycling. ![Defra Innovate logo](https://thearc.farm/hs-fs/hubfs/Defra%20Innovate%20logo.png?width=774&height=230&name=Defra%20Innovate%20logo.png) ### Who is involved? ADOPT funding is supporting work from the following project partners: - S.S. Eglington & Son Ltd. – Chris & Julie Eglington (Lead) - NIAB – David Clarke - Farmer Charlie - Biomeasurements Ltd. - Morley Farms Ltd. – David Morley ## Share this post [mailto:https%3A%2F%2Fthearc.farm%2Fnewsandupdates%2Fstatic-compost](mailto:https%3A%2F%2Fthearc.farm%2Fnewsandupdates%2Fstatic-compost) ## Keep reading ### [![](https://thearc.farm/hs-fs/hubfs/AdobeStock_1838007274.jpeg?width=5321&height=3547&name=AdobeStock_1838007274.jpeg) ADOPT Project Nutrition Smart Slurry](https://thearc.farm/newsandupdates/smart-slurry) ### [![](https://thearc.farm/hs-fs/hubfs/AdobeStock_514645886.jpeg?width=9480&height=5081&name=AdobeStock_514645886.jpeg) Project Digital AI for Agronomy](https://thearc.farm/newsandupdates/ai-for-agronomy) [![Main Logo Colour](https://thearc.farm/hs-fs/hubfs/Logos/Main%20Logo%20Colour.png?width=2000&height=778&name=Main%20Logo%20Colour.png "Main Logo Colour")](https://www.thearc.farm) © 2026 ARC Agronomic Sciences. All rights reserved. [Privacy Policy](https://thearc.farm/hubfs/Official%20Documents/ARC%20Privacy%20Policy.pdf) [Terms & Conditions](https://thearc.farm/hubfs/Official%20Documents/ARC%20Terms%20and%20Conditions.pdf) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Daniel Kindred", "url" : "https://thearc.farm/newsandupdates/author/daniel-kindred" }, "dateModified" : "2026-09-25T12:26:43.389Z", "datePublished" : "2026-09-22T09:24:46.000Z", "headline" : "Static Compost", "image" : [ "https://thearc.farm/hubfs/AdobeStock_339458814.jpeg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://thearc.farm/newsandupdates/static-compost", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://thearc.farm/hubfs/Logos/Main%20Logo%20Colour.png" }, "name" : "ARC Agronomic Sciences" } } ```