I've got close to 4 yard of compost that I've been building for about a year and a half now. I did get one pile pretty hot around 130 or so for about two weeks and then the temp dropped to about 80 degrees. I turned it and it got watered really good but it still hasn't gone over 80. Is it done? I made some compost out of leaves a couple of years ago and it was obvious to me when it was done. I can't get a handle on this batch.
Thanks
-Rake

Compost is done when you can't identify any of the pieces in it. Ok, well, I use mine if there are still some small twigs, etc., but the key is for it to be mostly unidentifiable. It also should smell nice & earthy!

Also, if it is full of red small worms, they are still working on breaking it down and it isn't finished yet. If there are regular worms and night crawlers in it, it may be further along.

Compost is finished when very few of the constituent parts are identifiable. If the piles temperature did not increase after you turned it and added water you may well have wet it too much. Compost that is working does not need to be, and should not be, wet. Compost that is working just needs to be damp, about as damp as a well wrung out sponge. It does not need to even feel damp.

My compost appears ready to use, but I still can identify some of the ingredients - some leaves, like small pin oak leaves can be intact and identifiable but the color is a dark, saturated brown and the texture is different.

I figure, if it's good enough for the worms, it's good enough for the plants (meaning it's cooled down enough for the worms to move in so the "cooking" is mostly done) - am I right or should I wait? There's a certain amount of woody, twiggy materials that would take FOREVER to completely break down and I just don't want to wait that long.