On-Farm Composting Virtual “Compost Tea Talk” August 5th!

/

On-Farm Food Scrap Composting and Solid Waste Regulations

You are invited to participate in the "Compost Tea Talks" series - online trainings and discussions to support community-oriented on-farm food scrap composting.

This month we will be discussing the relevant Solid Waste Management rules with guests:

  • Ben Gauthier from VT Department of Environmental Conservation, and

  • Mike Nork and Paige Wilson form NH Department of Environmental Services

Do you know how Solid Waste Rules apply to on-farm food scrap composting in Vermont and New Hampshire? This will be an informal Q&A session, so be sure to bring your questions!

When: Friday August 5th from noon-1pm

Where: Register for this free event to get the Zoom link

Funded by a USDA Rural Utility Services Solid Waste Management Grant, the purpose of this project is to reduce solid waste, avoid water pollution, and increase soil health by providing technical support and training for community-oriented food scrap composting and manure management on farms in rural and small communities in Vermont and New Hampshire.

While developed and extended to farmers in these two states, these Compost Tea Talks are open to all and are applicable to rural small-scale farming communities. Recordings of the Compost Tea Talks will be posted on CompostingVermont.org

On-Farm Composting Virtual “Compost Tea Talk”

/

Press Release

June 6 2022

On-Farm Composting Virtual “Compost Tea Talk”

The Composting Association of Vermont (CAV) is hosting its first in a series of “Compost Tea Talks” on Friday June 10th from noon-1pm. These free virtual events are being offered through CAV’s project—On-Farm Community-Scale Food Scrap and Agricultural Organic Waste Management in Vermont and New Hampshire. The Compost Tea Talks will be an opportunity for farmers and farm advisors to share information about on-farm food scraps composting and hear from experts on a range of topics.

Funded by a USDA Rural Utility Services Solid Waste Management Grant Program, CAV’s project offers participating farms and communities a cost-effective solution for diverting food and organic waste to composting and improving manure management, resulting in significant benefits including: 1) solid waste diversion; 2) the use of compost for farming, 3) exploring the use of compost for meeting erosion control applications; 4) helping to create a more “waste-aware” mindset through local management, diversion, and composting of food scraps and other organic materials; 5) increasing adoption of creative food recovery to benefit communities and build resiliency; 6) diversifying farm income streams for increased farm viability.

The project involves four small, diversified farms from Vermont and four from New Hampshire; all are located in towns under 6,000 in population. Project components include a multimedia ‘toolkit’ for both farmers and community members about how to establish and sustain community-based composting sites on farms; vIrtual and onsite, hands-on technical assistance and support for the management of food scrap and agricultural organic waste through community-oriented composting sites on farms; and, remote, local and regional trainings covering all aspects of community food scrap and agricultural organic waste composting.

Registration is required for the free June 10th event. The topic will be Troubleshooting On-Farm Food Scrap Composting.

More information about the project, as well as links to project resources and a recording of an On-Farm Community-Oriented Composting Models and Systems Webinar training are available on the CAV website. The virtual Compost Tea Talks will be held approximately every 4-6 weeks.

Composting in the Time of COVID-19: Part 5

/

What's it about?

Record numbers of your customers are creating Victory Gardens.  This is a perfect time to engage, and the USCC is here to help you! Whether you are a marketer, or the thought of social media makes your head hurt, you will leave this webinar feeling like a champ, armed with the tools and steps you need to create engaging social media posts. Let’s work together, create a movement, and make this go viral! #VforVictory 

The webinar is open to non members, but the toolkit is only accessible to USCC members. If you want to JOIN US you can take advantage of our spring special by clicking here! We'd love to have you join the movement!

Panelists:

  • Suzanne Longacre, Laurel Valley Soils

  • Linda Norris-Waldt, US Composting Council

  • Hilary Nichols, US Composting Council

Recordings and slides from Parts 1-4 are available here.

Resources for organics management in the time of COVID-19 are here.

Composting in the Time of COVID-19: Part 4

/

Gardening is an empowering act. While everyone is sheltering in place, how can we reach out to customers in new ways? How can we assure our customers that we're using safe practices to sell compost? Topics will include marketing the re-emergence of the Victory Garden, transportation issues, marketing how you are keeping your customers safe, and YOUR questions. A panel of compost manufacturers from around the country will discuss how they are managing during the emergency.

Panelists:

  • Emma Yates, WeCare Denali

  • Clinton Sander, A1 Organics

  • Shota Austin, Tank’s Green Stuff

Recordings and slides from Parts 1-3 are available here.

Resources for organics management in the time of COVID-19 are here.

Composting In The Time of COVID-19: Part 3

/

Join this webinar to hear from a panel of for-profit, nonprofit, and government food scrap collectors.In this discussion moderated by Brenda Platt of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, they will share their experience in adapting drop-off and curbside collection programs in response to COVID-19. The discussion will cover new safety protocols, defending the right to collect food scraps for composting, services paused, and new services offered (such as home composting kits and food delivery for local businesses).  

Panelists:

Watch for the Series:

Part 4 April 21: "The Re-emergence of the “Victory Garden”: Selling Compost to Customers While They Shelter in Place". More details coming soon!

Composting In The Time of COVID-19: Part 2

/

What Will Be Covered in Part 2:

Compost manufacturers large and small are having to adapt to doing business during the pandemic. A panel of operators from across the country will answer questions about how they are managing during the emergency. Topics will include keeping employees safe, handling sales, contingency planning, and YOUR questions.

Panelists:

  • Brian Fleury, WeCare Organics

  • Pierce Louis, Dirthugger

  • Patrick Geraty, St. Louis Composting

  • Justen Garrity, Veteran Compost

Watch for the Series:

Part 3:  Week of April 13: Navigating Covid-19 for Small-Scale Food Scrap Collectors: Drop-off and Curbside

Part 4:  2nd Half of April: The re-emergence of the “Victory Garden”: Selling compost in the current economic environment; Home/Vermicomposting Considerations

More details coming soon!

Composting In The Time of COVID-19: Part 1

/
corona_eblast_header.png

What Will Be Covered in Part 1:

What can science tell us about composting and the virus that causes COVID-19? What do we as composters need to know to control the disease and prevent it from spreading? In this webinar we will review safe handling procedures and meeting pathogen reduction standards (PFRP) at compost sites.

Speakers: Pat Millner, USDA Microbiologist and Jean Bonhotal, Cornell University Waste Management Institute.

Part 2:  April 7: Composting IS an essential service: Experiences and recommendations from around the country

  • Panel: Brian Fleury, WeCare Organics; Pierce Louis, Dirthugger; Patrick Geraty, St. Louis Composting, Justen Garrity, Veteran Compost

Part 3:  Week of April 13: Navigating COVID-19 for Small-Scale Food Scrap Collectors: Drop-off and Curbside

Part 4:  2nd Half of April: The re-emergence of the “Victory Garden”: Selling compost in the current economic environment; Home/Vermicomposting Considerations