Afraid and don't know what to do!!!

This weekend we went to the local hardware store to buy compost! I bought 20 bags of cotton bur compost. Laid newspaper over the area, and piled on the compost. While dumping the bags we notice lumps, some were rocks, others I think is manure. The compost still has a smell to it. What should I do now? How long should I wait to plant? I need another 40 bags and have looked around my area for other resources. The bags from the local hardware store seem to be my only choice.

I would not wait to plant most of your roots are going to be below this "compost area" but I think you would greatly benefit from an application of compost tea - that way you are "introducing" alot of good aerobic bacteria to help "finish" it, also if you have a Starbucks nearby start covering the compost with coffee grounds (Starbuck has a corporate policy of "Grounds for Gardeners") your worms will love ya.........

Yeah,
I've been collecting a 5-gallon bucket of grinds every week on my job. Started out with a few scrawny worms, and today, they are at LEAST 5" and fat, fat, fat. They hold a convention around the coffee grinds.