I have heat! ... and mold?

Never before have I been so excited to see steam. I turned my pile, which I started last year but haven't really figured out until I did some reading this winter. It's not a very big pile (4.5 feet square probably ... made out of pallets) but it was COOKIN' in the middle. I could feel the heat through my gloves. I was doin' a happy dance. However a lot of material in the middle seems to be molding. Is that just part of the process? Also, when I was turning, it was not smelling too good. I stirred it up and put some more leaves on top and the smell didn't seem bad (just whenI was actively fiddling with it),but is this all normal or am I doing something wrong?

You just aerated the pile. The mold is from the lack of same, and you are doing just great! You have good instincts, compost should never smell "bad", means it's going anaerobic and needs air or more greens/browns to bring it back into balance. Ya did good :)

It sounds like your on the right track to get it back in to balance.

I always have to suggest the use of cattle grade black strap molasses. It feeds your army and has a whole bunch of good other content for soil building and compost nuture. You are looking real good and thinking right too. Use four to six ounces in warm water and water it into your pile once a month. It is not rocket science but it is ummmmmmmmmmmm good. you can get it where they mix up and make cattle feed. Take your own bottle. They are not used to selling it to gardeners. I use about two gallons a year just for my compost piles.