Beginner Gardening: Need to start a compost pile! , 1 by yardener

yardener wrote:
I use a compost pile that I turn once (or twice) a year. There are folks who like to get all technical on nitrogen (green stuff) to carbon (brown stuff) ratios but I believe in doing in the way nature does it. Let whatever falls on it be the ratio.
I only have a pile so I can use the compost to grow potatoes in bins and I use the compost when I'm starting trees from seed in pots.
Otherwise, my main way to compost is directly in the garden. Either buried or just let it lay between the rows. Once again, I prefer mother nature doing most of the work. She battles me enough, she might as well help out once in awhile.