What are you supposed to do with all that "yard waste" you pull out of your garden in the fall? It's simple - make it work for you! By creating a compost pile, your waste is working for you, and not against you. Start the compost pile by putting bulky materials like broken-up twigs and chopped cornstalks on the bottom of the pile or bin. Doing this will help with aeration throughout the pile. When constructing your compost pile, it's important to have a good mix of "green" and "brown" material to encourage a healthy mixture. "Brown" material can be leaf litter raked up in the yard, small twigs, small amounts of corrugated cardboard and newspaper (no colored inks). "Green" matter can be cutback perennials, green kitchen scraps and lawn clippings (as long as there aren't any chemical residues on the lawn). Once the pile has been built, upkeep is easy. Just remember to keep your pile evenly moist, turn it periodically and add a bit of lime to help descrease the acidity in the long run. By following these simple steps, your compost pile will turn to "black gold" and aid your garden for years to come!