8 Easy Steps to Making Compost

Pick at least a 4-ft. area (shaded) where water does not collect when it rains. Creating a composting bin is optional. Containers can be made with lumber, pallets and wire fencing.
Cover half the area with a 6 in. layer of leaves. Water thoroughly.
Add a 2 inch layer of grass clippings and/or fruit and vegetable scraps and add a dash of soil.
Mix this layer lightly into the layer below it with a hoe or cultivator. Water thoroughly.
Top with a 2-inch layer of leaves
Repeat steps 3 through 5 with additional layers as ingredients are available.
Note: The top layer of completed pile should be at least 4 inches of leaves covering all food materials. Build the pile to 3 feet x 3 feet x 3 feet high as soon as you can.
Turn the whole pile over with a hay-fork or shovels every 2 to 3 weeks, adding water as needed to make the whole pile moist like a wrung-out sponge.
Compost is well-done when most of the original ingredients have broken down and when it smells like rich soil.