Most piles contain grass clippings and leaves. You can also add raw vegetables, food scraps, coffee grounds, tea bags, cotton, dust, meat, or any other organic matterial.
* NOTE: If you add food scraps be sure to cover it with leaves or grass to help mask the smells that might come from the pile.
Decompostion takes place through the action of microorganisms. It is a good idea to shovel a couple of scoops of soil from your yard to help the process.
The pile needs to be turned with a shovel or picth fork at least once or twice a month the keep the pile supplied with fresh air.
Remember the more you put into a compost pile, the less you put into a landfill.