What we are doing is called sheet composting, composting in place, or sheet mulching. According to The Book (again, Gaia's Garden) it's easier than regular composting because there is no need to babysit and turn the pile, and then when it's finished, haul it all back to the planting bed. So far, it does not seem particularly easy to me. Many wheelbarrow loads later, we have moved about half our mulch pile onto our future planting beds.
Let's review. In our hugelkultur areas, starting from the ground, we have logs, sticks & branches, leaves & brush, hay, purchased compost. On our planting beds by the house, we have paper & cardboard, lots of hay, manure from the neighbors, purchased compost. We are working on wetting it down (the rain is helping) and crossing our fingers that composting will begin.
Will it work? Well, it will almost certainly work - you couldn't stop the rotting process even if you wanted to. The question is how long it will take. Right now, it pretty much looks like a big mess, though less so now that the manure layer is covered up. Patience! Faith! A watched pile never rots - go south for the winter!
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