At its simplest level, composting requires gathering a mix of 'Greens' and 'Browns'. Greens are materials rich in nitrogen such as leaves, grass, and food scraps. Browns are more woody materials rich in carbon-like stalks, paper, and wood chips. The materials are wetted to break them down into humus, a process that occurs over a period of months.[from wikipedia]

When it comes to making compost from autumn's leaves, a few simple tips will go a long way to help create a fast working pile -- and more importantly, one that can generate incredible compost for next year's garden and flower beds.from old world garden farms]