[dervish]

Thanks. But I do not think I have access to that product in NY suburbs. Isn’t that the stuff they use to make explosions? When I tried to find it I got really weird looks.

Also, how do others get their piles to “cook” without chemical additives?

[BIGLOOK]

The fertilizer used in explosives is ammonium nitrate. Potassium nitrate is more commonly known as Saltpeter and it's not all that hard to find.

How others get the cooking started, don't know. It depends on the what they're composting and how it's covered really. You could try to obtain some beaver enzyme, that'll cook anything but it's pricey and really hot.