Question
-------------------------
Followup To
Question -
I want to start an organic garden, and I want to start composting.  However, the yard where I live has been heavily treated with chemical fertilizers and week killers by the owner.  I am even wondering about composting with this soil as a base.  I would like to have the help of the worms, but is it safe?  How can I obtain acceptable soil to start an organic garden?
Answer -
It takes about three years to rid soil of poisons, at least to become organically certified, those are the general guidelines.  I would dump a lot of manure on it, 4 or 5 inches, preferably cow, sheep, or rabbit, cover it with 6 inches alfalfa hay, keep it watered, moist but not soggy, and let it set at least a season.  

The worms will come, eat the manure, and breed in the alfalfa like crazy, and purify the soil as it passes through them.  Once anything has passed through worms, the soil it is safe. Then till the garden, and let the worms compost it all winter, with the area covered with more manure and alfalfa.  Next spring the area should be ok for you to plant it.

You could also just dig out an area, line it with plastic, and fill it with new pure soil, and grow in that area this year until the rest of the garden is purified by the worms.

Good luck!

One more question.  What qualifies as new pure soil?  

Answer
You can buy organic compost, organic soil, and organic nutrients, or find some totallly untreated soil (have it tested) there are a lot of resources on our website resrouce page for organic ammendments, and a place to test your soil.   Click on "soil building" for how to build an organic soil, and check out our "resources" pages with  information where to get organic supplies.  http://www.avant-gardening.com