Essentially, this method is similar to what was described above under ‘Hot’ Composting except that:

· material is added slowly over time rather than all at once, and

· the compost never (or infrequently) heats up

The right combination of materials will become compost with very little attention, and it doesn’t need to get ‘hot’ to do so The biggest disadvantage of this method is that it takes longer -- up to a year until finished compost is available. It’s quite useful if you aren’t interested in the physical task of turning the compost, or if you don’t need the compost in a hurry.

You still need a variety of ‘foods’ for the decomposer organisms to eat -- a similar mix of greens and browns as detailed above -- and you need to pay attention to whether the compost is getting enough air and moisture. In lieu of turning, an occasional ‘stir’ can help.

It’s also usually a good idea to put a good quantity of ‘browns’ on the bottom of the box (leaves, straw, small twigs, etc) before adding many ‘greens’ like grass clippings and vegetable trimmings. Additionally, a good rule of thumb is to always try to add an equal quantity of ‘browns’ whenever ‘greens’ are added. This helps keep the pile from getting slimy or odorous.

The ‘High Fibre’ method could be a good variation on this ‘Cold Composting’ theme for many households.