Compo-Stuff Materials At Both Of Our Locations

Compo-Stuff

McFarlane's Bark processes yard debris to the standards and specifications of the U.S. Composting Council. The vegetation, once completing the composting cycle, is then screened to a finished product.

Fine Compost

5/8" dust, almost black in color. Great as a top dressing for your beds, or can be tilled into soil. Fine Compo-Stuff is recommended to apply as a top layer up to 4 inches in depth.

Super Fine Compost

1/8" dust, almost black in color. Great as a top dressing for your beds or can be tilled into soil. Recommended to apply to top of landscape or garden bed.

Compo-Stuff Uses:

Apply approximately ¼” to 1” base for seeding grass.

Ground Cover in Landscaping:

Apply about 3 to 4” for a top covering for landscape. It’s dark in color which is a great contrast to plants. Placing over roots of plants will conserve water. The additional carbon of the product is a protective soil coverage.

Erosion Control, Turf Remediation:

3 to 4” layer can be placed directly on top of soil to enhance the growth of plants and other vegetations, thus, saving the soil from eroding due to zero plant life. See Environmental Protection Agency Erosion Control and Turf Remediation documentation.

Bioremediation and Pollution Prevention:

Compost will break down contaminates in water or soil. The microorganisms will consume the contaminants, digest and metabolize them and then transform them into carbon monoxide, water and salts which are less harmful. See the Environmental Protection Agency Bioremediation and Pollution Prevention documentation.

The Art of Composting

What is Composting?

Composting is the aerobic, or oxygen requiring decomposition of organic materials by micro-organisms under controlled conditions. During composting, the micro-organisms consume oxygen while feeding on organic matter. Active composting generates considerable heat and large quantities of carbon dioxide and water vapor, which are released into the air. Composting reduces both the volume and mass of the raw materials. Composting is most rapid when conditions that encourage the growth of micro-organisms are established and maintained.

What Happens During Composting?

Raw feed stock materials are piled together. McFarlane's grinds up and recycles all the yard debris that is brought in by you. Initial mixing of raw materials introduces enough air to start the process. Almost immediately, the micro-organism consumes oxygen and the settling of the materials expels air from the pore space. As the supply of oxygen decreases, aerobic decomposition slows and may eventually stop if the oxygen is not replenished. Aeration is provided either by passive air exchange (natural convection and diffusion) or by forced aeration (blowers or fans). Regular turning or rotating of the pile supplies the aeration needed for composting.


Since the release of heat is directly related to the microbial activity, temperature is a good process indicator. Temperature increases resulting from microbial activities are noticeable within a few hours of forming a static pile. The temperature of composting materials typically follow a pattern of rapid increase to 120-140 degrees Fahrenheit and finally to ambient air temperature. This characteristic pattern of temperature over time reflects changes in the rate and type of decomposition taking place as composting proceeds.


During the active composting period, the temperature falls if oxygen becomes scarce, because microbial activity decreases. The temperature rises again after turning of forced aeration. If oxygen is available and the microbial activity is intense, the temperature can rise well above 140 degrees Fahrenheit. At this point many micro-organisms begin to die or become dormant. With the decreased microbial activity, the temperature may then stabilize or even fall. Cooling the pile by turning or forced aeration helps to keep the temperature from reaching these damaging levels.


A curing period usually follows the active composting stage. While curing, the materials continue to compost but at a much slower pace. The rate of oxygen consumption decreases to the point where the compost can be piled without turning forced aeration.

Compost Questions

  • What is Compo-Stuff??

    Compo-Stuff is a natural carbon based product that results from the controlled aerobic (with oxygen) decomposition of yard debris materials. Compost is not soil; it is a top dressing.  If mixed with soil the gardener may need a nitrogen or other nutrients. We suggest the gardener obtain soil testing if they have been gardening in one area for more than 5 seasons.  It is not a fertilizer.


    What materials or feedstocks are used to make Compo-Stuff?

    Compost facilities in Oregon and Washington recycle a variety of green materials. McFarlane’s makes Compo-Stuff with 100% vegetative yard debris.


    What about weed seeds, plant diseases or pesticide residues?

    The controlled time, aeration and temperature process required by the USCC has been shown to kill weed seeds and plant diseases. That same process breaks down most pesticide residues and makes those chemicals inert.


    How do I know I’m getting safe and quality compost?

    Fortunately, in Oregon and Washington there are strict permitting and production standards for compost facilities that include both time and temperature requirements.

    ODOT and WSDOT require that compost products that are used for their state jobs obtain certified test results that meet the U.S. Composting Council (USCC) Seal of Testing Assurance parameters.

    McFarlane’s Bark, Inc. submits their Compo-Stuff for testing once a month/twelve times per year. The analysis on the Compo-Stuff received from the Soil Control Lab in Watsonville, California meets or exceeds the standards set by the USCC. An analysis is available upon request and you may be added to the monthly distribution of the analysis as well.


Quality Assurance

As a Commercial Composter in the Portland Metropolitan area since 1965, it is the desire of McFarlane’s Bark, Inc. to persevere in our obligation to produce safe, uniform and superior products.

To preserve accountability, our soil mixes and compost products are made from the most stable feed stocks and from 100% post consumer recyclable yard debris, wood chips, sawdust, and other suitable materials obtained from the Pacific Northwest.

We maintain the "Seal of Testing Assurance" that has been set by the U.S. Composting Council. It is our aim to continually raise the standards of our products. We have been testing our compost products monthly since 1993. The production of our compost product is Static Pile technology.

You can be assured that our Compo-Stuff products contain the nutrients needed for practical application as a soil amendment, a planting medium, bioremediation treatment, erosion control and various other landscape applications.

-The Mcfarlane family and staff