February 25th: Soil Builders Webinar - Soil Health & Water Quality

Learn about the connections between soil health & water quality, and get an overview of compost-based Best Management Practices.

• Live webinar via Zoom

• Thursday February 25th

• 10am-11:30am

This webinar is free, but requires registration.

Join the Composting Association of Vermont with speakers  Marc Companion (Lake Champlain Sea Grant) and Athena Lee Bradley (independent compost consultant) to learn about the connections between soil health and water quality, and to get an overview of compost-based best management practices.

This is the first in a series of interactive Soil Builders Workshops where you can:

1. Gain a deeper understanding of the connections between soil health & water quality

2. Increase your technical know-how about compost, including specific compost Best Management Practices for a wide range of interventions.

3. Learn how to support change of practice for road construction, development projects, stormwater control & site remediation.

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Organized by the Composting Association of Vermont, the Soil Builders Project is funded by the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission, in partnership with the Lake Champlain Basin Program.

VORS 2021 Call for presentations & Workshops

15th Annual Vermont Organics Recycling Summit

2021 Theme: Grow, Eat…COMPOST…Repeat

May 2-8, 2021 (as part of International Compost Awareness Week)

Submission Deadline: Monday, January 25th, 2021

The 2021 Vermont Organics Recycling Summit (VORS) will include a variety of virtual events (webinars, facilitated online discussion groups, and other potential activities) celebrating the value of compost and the many ways it supports the health of the environment, the people and the economy. Presentations will cover topics related to food rescue and the recycling of organic materials such as food scraps, manures, food processing residuals and yard debris.

To supplement the virtual VORS experience, there is also the potential opportunity for small group, outdoor, in-person events to occur regionally across the state. Any such events will be compliant with State and CDC COVID-19 guidelines for events at that time and may include open houses, tours, or workshops/demonstrations.

All composting & organics recycling professionals; researchers and educators; government officials; planners; community & business leaders; consultants; contractors; students and advocates are encouraged to submit a proposal. More than one proposal may be submitted. Download a pdf of this Call for Proposals.

Suggested topics include, but are not limited to:

Please fill out this google form or submit a proposal containing the following information:

1. Proposed Title of Presentation

2. Speaker(s) Name, Affiliation, Address, Email, and Phone Number

3. Proposal type: □ 10-20 min (virtual panelist), □ 90 min (virtual session/workshop),  □ In-person event, □ other

4. 3-4 sentence biography of speaker(s) / host(s)

5. 5 sentences describing the presentation content or proposal

6. Prior speaking experience; has presentation been done at other conferences?

7. If available, sample PowerPoint of presentation

8. Preference, if any, for morning or afternoon time slot   

9. Are you willing to have a pdf of your presentation posted after the Summit? 

10. Additional presentation information

Thank you for your interest in the 2021 Vermont Organics Recycling Summit.

*Presentations that primarily promote for-profit technologies or services are discouraged. 

Submission deadline:  Monday, January 25th, 2021.

Submit proposals to: Natasha@CompostingVermont.org

For more information, contact Natasha Duarte at 802-373-6499 or Natasha@CompostingVermont.org

Vermont Compost Operator Certification Training

Registration is now open for the Vermont Compost Operator Certification Training!

In order to socially distance, we will be offering a fully remote version of the Vermont Compost Operator Certification Training in winter 2021. Hosted by Compost Technical Services, and presented by the VT Agency of Natural Resources (ANR), this workshop will provide participants with a Compost Operator Certificate, which meets the requirements of ANR for small, medium and large compost facility site operators. Current or future compost site operators will be certified to manage composting facilities handling food scraps or animal mortalities in Vermont. The training is a combination of pre-recorded presentations, review tests, and live webinars. Vermont residents and site operators working in the state have priority registration.

Two blocks of course materials will be released on or before January 5th and 20th. Participants will be able to complete this work on their own schedule. Live webinar sessions will be held on January 21 and February 3rd, so block off your calendars from 10 am - 2 pm those days.

The cost to Vermonters and those operating in Vermont is $30.

For Non-Vermonters: Depending upon in-state enrollment, we may open the course to out-of-state attendees. Click here to sign up to be notified.

If you are a composter (current or aspiring) in Vermont and need help accessing this remote course, are facing financial hardship (need the fee waived), or have any other questions about the training, please reach out to James McSweeney at james@composttechnicalservices.com or (802) 224-6888.

Soil Builders - Education for Action:

Using Compost to Prevent Erosion and Improve Water Quality in the Lake Champlain Basin

Photo by LC Basin Program

Hinesburg, VT, [November 4, 2020] – The Composting Association of Vermont (CAV) was awarded an Education and Outreach Grant from the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC), in partnership with the Lake Champlain Basin Program, to develop and provide “Soil Builders” workshops that will provide compost-related eco-literacy for Lake Champlain Basin decision-makers, professionals and advocates.

Concerns about elevated phosphorous levels in the Lake Champlain Basin have contributed to confusion about when and how to use compost. There is a knowledge gap about specific benefits from using compost and how to modify current farming, site engineering and landscaping practices to produce those benefits. The physical, biological, and chemical properties of compost in the soil matrix contribute to the all-important structure that keeps soil particles – and the phosphorous attached to them – from eroding. This allows healthy functioning of the soil: infiltrating water, decreasing runoff, preventing erosion, and retention of nutrients.

Education is key for promoting compost solutions as environmentally beneficial and cost competitive choices. There is a meaningful connection between how we design and maintain the natural elements in built environments and how healthy soil improves water quality. Using compost in land management practices is a critical strategy for climate adaptation. When added to soils, the structure and web of organisms in compost increase soil stability, fertility, water infiltration, and moisture retention.

We anticipate that virtual workshops will begin this Winter, with small in-person workshops convening in the Spring.

Project partners include Athena Lee Bradley, Compost Consultant; Marc Companion, Lake Champlain Sea Grant; Charles Duprey, Naturcycle; Deb Neher, Department of Plant and Soil Science, UVM; Dan Goossen, CSWD Green Mountain Compost; Brian Jerose, Agrilab Technologies; Elly Ventura, Lamoille Regional Solid Waste Management District; and other members of the CAV Board of Directors.

For more information contact Natasha Duarte: natasha@compostingvermont.org, 802-373-6499

A Soil Symphony

Guest blogger Ali Drew

Check out this podcast on “the story of compost as biologically rich soil and a promising source of renewable energy.” This podcast features Soil Ecologist Dr. Deborah Neher and Entrepreneur and CAV Board Member Brian Jerose.

The Attune Podcast includes “stories that stitch us closer to the world outside our window and help us re-imagine what it means to exist on our planet.” Attune is written, edited, and produced by Leah Kelleher.

Soil Ecologist Dr. Deborah Neher and Entrepreneur Brian Jerose tell the story of compost as biologically rich soil and a promising source of renewable energy. Attune is written, produced, and edited by Leah Kelleher. Music by Blue Dot Sessions, Chad Crouch, Siddhartha, and Lobo Loco.

Snake Worm Invasions

Guest blogger Ali Drew

Has your soil been looking different lately? Does it resemble coffee grounds or hamburger meat? If so, you may have a snake worm invasion on your hands.

What is a snake worm?

Snake worms are a kind of earthworms, introduced with plant material from Japan and Korea. These pests “do not target a particular organism the way many pests do. Instead, they ravage the soil on which all plant life relies” (NY Times). Josef H. Görres, a UVM professor in the department of plant and soil science, notes that the pests damage entire ecosystems, not just specific species.

What can you do?

1. If you have snake worms, report them with the address of where you saw them or coordinates (cell phones can give you GPS coordinates) to Professor Josef Görres at jgorres@uvm.edu.

2. Prevent the worms from getting into your garden by:

   1. Washing the roots of plants you buy or receive in a plant exchange. Bare root exchanges are best.

   2. Growing the plants from seed.

   3. Making your own compost, or buy compost from reputable sources.

Find more information from NY Times & from CAV/Professor Josef Görres

Food Scrap Haulers See More Business After July 1 Law

Guest blogger Ali Drew

Find the original article by WCAX here

Photo by VT DEC

Small food scrap haulers are growing across Vermont. These haulers provide a bucket to fill with food scraps and then curbside pickup to take the buckets to a larger compost facility. Small business owners are now gaining more traction due to the July 1 law banning food scraps from the landfill.

Roots Compost, is one of the many food scrap haulers that has seen more business recently since the July 1 law banning food scraps. This small business has been able to thrive thanks to the new compost law.

CSWD and Green Mountain Compost have also seen an uptick in the amount of food scraps dropped off at their facilities.

Looking for a food scrap hauler in your area? Check out this resource from VT DEC.

Healthy Soil Means a Healthy Lawn!

Guest blogger Ali Drew

Did you know that healthy soil means a healthy lawn? Healthy soil is vital for thick, strong grass. Healthy soil is rich in organic matter, earthworms, air, water & nutrients.

How do you create healthy soil?

• When creating new lawn:

  • Add organic matter, like compost, to your existing soil by tilling or turning a layer of it into your existing soil.

  • Then rake the soil so it is smooth and will drain properly, and then scatter the grass seed or lay the sod grass.

• For existing lawn, you can top dress with compost by spreading about a 1/4 inch of compost right over the grass and then gently raking in.

Don’t forget to test your soil!

It’s good to test your soil every so often to see what it needs for nutrients and organic matter - this will help you choose the best compost, and amount of compost, to add to your soil!

How do you maintain healthy soil?

• Aerate your lawn at least once per year. “Aeration perforates the soil with small holes to allow air, water and nutrients to penetrate the grass roots. This helps the roots grow deeply and produce a stronger, more vigorous lawn” (Briggs & Stratton).

• Introduce earthworms to your soil! Simply by adding organic matter to your soil, you create an environment that earthworms will be attracted to and thrive in. If there are no earthworms present you can actually purchase them from local worm farms or from online sources. 

How do you maintain healthy lawn grass?

• Mow regularly and mow "high" (3+ inches for cool season grasses).

• Let the clippings stay on the lawn as they naturally recycle fertilizer nutrients.

• Regularly watering your lawn maintains healthy grass & soil life. As you build the organic matter in your soil, you’re actually increasing its water-holding capacity, which means you won’t need to water as much! As your soil health improves, and the turf roots grow deeper, they also have more access to moisture and nutrients. Over time your lawn will look better and be easier to maintain.

For more information see Lawn to Lake’s Raise the Blade Campaign and Wilson Bros Gardens.

Scrap Food Waste from the VT DEC

Guest blogger Ali Drew

Recently during the Vermont Organics Recycling Summit (VORS), this website created by The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) was highlighted. It has many helpful resources on how to keep food scraps out of the landfill. The homepage features this short video showing how Vermonters are composting their food waste.

The website also features an “About” tab which has some helpful information on WHY we should compost, and how you can help.

There is a “Tips” tab that features some advice on how to get started to scrap your food waste.

The final tab on the website is called the “Scrapbook”, which features the various ways Vermonters manage their food scraps. These stories include Vermonters that backyard compost, drop-off their food scraps, and/or use a curbside pickup service.

5 Composting Misconceptions

Guest blogger Ali Drew

There are many common composting misconceptions that hold people back from composting, or composting correctly. Here are 5 composting misconceptions that we’ve found people are curious about!

1. Compost smells bad

If your compost smells bad, you’re most likely not composting correctly. A common mistake people make when composting is only adding greens (food scraps) and no browns (yard debris like leaves, dry grass, sawdust and chipped wood). Browns, or carbon materials, keep your compost from just being a pile of rotten food. The microbes doing the work need the right mix of carbon and nitrogen (about 3 parts carbon to 1 part nitrogen for most backyard systems)! Maintaining the right mix of browns and greens in your compost also helps balance the moisture, as most greens are wet and most browns are dry. If your compost is too wet, it typically gets pretty smelly which can attract animals.

2. Compost attracts wildlife & rodents

As stated above, properly managing your compost helps deter wildlife & rodents from visiting. A big part of this is ensuring that you’re adding enough carbon. If you are concerned about - or are already having issue with animals in your compost - DO NOT add meat & bones. You need to be consistently achieving hot compost (120+ degrees F) to safely compost these items. Vermont’s Universal Recycling Law (Act 148) allows you to dispose these items in your trash if you are already composting everything else at home, or you can bring them to your transfer station or another food scrap drop-off site, so they don’t attract animals to your composting bin. Additionally, look around your property to see if you have other wildlife attractants, like bird feeders. If wildlife are coming into your yard for other food, they often then take a look around for other treats as well. See more tips in Vermont DEC’s Compost with Confidence tip sheet.

4. Rice, pasta and other carbohydrates cannot be composted

It is totally fine to compost carbs! We have no idea where this myth came from, but please compost your carbs. However, if most of your compost is carbs, you should adjust your recipe to include a diversity of greens and browns.

3. Dairy cannot be composted

Dairy can be composted! But avoid putting blocks of dairy into your compost, as it could disrupt your compost ecosystem for a few weeks.

5. Large outdoor space is necessary to compost

A compost bin or tumbler doesn’t take up much space! But if you don’t have outdoor space on your property, you can still divert organics to drop-off centers or use a curbside pickup service.

1. Drop-off centers: You can drop off food scraps and yard debris at any transfer station or bag-drop in Vermont. Many compost facilities also have drop-off options. Check out these resources by The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation to learn more about services in your area: local Waste Management District or town & Materials Management Map.

2. Curbside pickup: Ask your hauler if they offer leaf and yard debris or food scrap pick-up, or call or look at the website of a hauler on the statewide list of food scrap haulers. 

Act 148: Food Scraps Banned from Landfill

Guest blogger Ali Drew

Find more information here from the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation

The last phase of Act 148 is being implemented today, July 1st. This means that all food scraps are banned from the trash.

What do I need to do?

So you likely know that you have to collect your food scraps in a separate container from the rest of your trash. But what happens next?

You have 3 options:

Solar digester for food scraps

1. Compost in your yard:

   1. Compost bin: Food scraps (“greens”) and yard debris like leaves, dry grass, sawdust and chipped wood (“browns”) can be added to your compost bin. Adding carbon, or “browns” to your compost bin is essential to reduce odors and deter animals from your compost. This compost can be used as fertilizer for your garden!

   2. Solar digester: This green cone method allows you to simply add food scraps, and doesn’t require “browns” to be added. These digesters decompose food scraps almost entirely, so you will not end up with compost you can use in your garden.

2. Drop-off composting: You can drop off food scraps and yard debris at any transfer station or bag-drop in Vermont. Many compost facilities also have drop-off options. Check out these resources by The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation to learn more about services in your area: local Waste Management District or town & Materials Management Map.

3. Curbside pick-up: Ask your hauler if they offer leaf and yard debris or food scrap pick-up, or call or look at the website of a hauler on the statewide list of food scrap haulers. 

Why are food scraps being banned from the trash?

1. Vermont is running out of space to throw its trash in existing landfills, and building new landfills is very expensive.

2. Food scraps and yard debris make up almost 1/4 of a typical Vermont family’s waste, and at restaurants food scraps can be over half the waste. Keeping these materials out of the landfill has a big environmental impact.

This graphic from the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources shows the positive environmental impact from keeping food waste out of the trash.

Want more information? Check out 802recycles.com & VTrecycles.com

Composting Tips from Cabot Creamery

Guest blogger Ali Drew

The Fosters of Middlebury, Vermont have built one of the Northeast’s larger manure-based compost companies. The Fosters are one of the many Cabot farm families that produce compost on their farms to sell to community members.

Bob Foster, a Board Member here at CAV, is very proud of his family’s sustainability efforts. Foster explains what compost means to him, “The whole concept is to close the loop. I enjoy the thought that we are converting solar energy into food, fiber and energy to nourish animals, plants, and people.”

Why compost?

40% of the food produced globally is wasted. This is a waste of food, money, natural and human resources as well as valuable landfill space. Composting is a way to do your part to reduce food waste.

Find the original blog entry by Cabot Creamery here

Cabot describes 4 different composting styles. Which category does your compost system fall into?

1. Minimalist Composter: Pile in the yard compost

2. DIY Composter Enclosed Bins: Homemade open compost bins

3. Hands-Off Composter: Enclosed compost bin

4. Action Composter: Tumbler or spinning compost bin

Remember:

Carbon is key! “Brown” materials keep your compost from just being a pile of rotten food. Adding carbon to your compost ensures that your compost doesn’t have too much moisture. If your compost has too much moisture, it can attract animals and is often smelly. 

Final takeaway: Browns + Greens + Stirring (Aeration) = Healthy Compost!

Get Persistent Herbicides Out of Our Compost!

Guest blogger Ali Drew

We all need to work together to get persistent herbicides (PH) out of our compost. Clopyralid Herbicide is a persistent herbicide that is entering our composting facilities from different sources beyond our control. This poses a significant risk to our composting industry.

The US Composting Council (USCC) put together this short video explaining the issue, and outlining steps we each can take.

How can you help?

Please educate yourself on this issue and act to inform the EPA to make changes in this product’s registration!

On July 6th the US EPA will close its comment period for Pesticide Registration Review.

This is our opportunity to flood the US EPA with comments in favor of the following action items:

1. Limit the use of these herbicides to non-harvested crops.

2. Change the registration process to include standards for use and restrictions before it can be re registered for use.

3. Develop affordable testing methods in compost

4. Assign liability to all members of the supply chain that distribute and apply these products

5. Prohibit all retail sales. 

This cannot come just from the USCC. We need the EPA to receive hundreds of comments to make sure the compost industry is heard. 

Click the link below to personalize your comments to the EPA, including the above proposed action items.

Pandemic sees growth in compost sales

Crews work at the compost site at Windham Solid Waste on Monday, May 4, 2020

Chris Mays of the Brattleboro Reformer reported on the increase in compost sales on May 4, 2020.

BRATTLEBORO — In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, compost sales are growing at Windham Solid Waste Management District.

"We are selling more compost than ever," said Bob Spencer, the district's executive director. "There's a really increased demand right now."

Brattlegrow Compost, the district's product made of local food scraps, is sold to retailers buying 10 cubic yards or more. Spencer said a typical load is 15 to 20 cubic yards.

Looking at the last four months of revenue versus the same period last year, the district is up by more than $10,000. Spencer attributes most of the increase to compost sales in the last two months.

A virtual celebration International Compost Awareness Week (May 3-9, 2020)

April 30, 2020, Hinesburg, VT… Environmental and recycling businesses, organizations, community groups and individuals around the U.S. are making plans to celebrate International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW) the week of May 3 - 9. The theme for this year is “Soil Loves Compost”.

This year, the Composting Association of Vermont (CAV) is offering several online events via Zoom, including learning the basics of backyard composting, how to grow your own food at home—a primer from raised beds to lawn conversion, and a discussion about compost as a climate solution. See a full list and register for these free events at: CompostingVermont.org/ICAW-2020.

Traditionally, ICAW is promoted at in-person activities and events. While these types of activities will not be held due to Covid-19, the goal is still the same – to build awareness of the benefits of using compost and recycling organics and to promote safe composting and positive, outdoor community action that supports community resilience.  “Regardless of how ICAW is celebrated this year, the “Soil Loves Compost” message is strong and clear — there are undeniable benefits of compost and composting in completing the food cycle and building healthy soil.” said Teri Sorg McManamon, ICAW Committee Chair. “Compost is a quality product that enhances our soils. We appreciate whatever efforts communities, companies, and organizations make in celebrating this valuable resource.”

International Compost Awareness Week, a program run in the US by the Composting Council Research & Education Foundation, is celebrated nationwide and in other countries each year during the first full week of May. Celebrating its 25th Anniversary, ICAW was started in Canada in 1995. Since then, ICAW has continued to grow as more people, businesses, municipalities, schools, and organizations are recognizing the importance of composting and the long-term benefits of recycling organics. More information on ICAW can be found at www.compostfoundation.org

The Composting Association of Vermont is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that advances the vital soil health practices of producing and using compost in ways that contribute to water quality, plant vigor, and environmental resilience. CAV demonstrates the value of compost through education, policy, outreach, and partnerships to reduce waste, capture energy, and create jobs. We believe that increasing the use of compost in our communities will increase our resilience to climate change.

Contact: Natasha Duarte, Director, Composting Association of Vermont at Natasha@CompostingVermont.org or 802-373-6499

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Climate and Community Resilience: Lessons from the Soil

Find more information and register at: vermonthealthysoilscoalition.org/climate-and-community-resilience

The webinar during International Compost Awareness Week is: Revolutionary Resilience: Creating a Different Future Monday, May 4, 5:30-8 PM

Resources for Organics Management during the COVID-19 pandemic

CAV has compiled guidance for Rural Community Composting sites and Home composting systems

Here are some additional links to organizations with COVID-19 guidance pages:

• US Composting Council Resources & recordings from the Composting in the Time of COVID-19 Webinar series

• Institute for Local Self-Reliance

• Vt ANR has issued guidance for for facility managers and for the public.

• VT Department of Health

• Vermont Community Gardens Network

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:

• Daryl Braithwaite, Public Works Director for the City of Takoma Park, Maryland

• Dan Matsch, Eco-Cycle, Bouder, Colorado

• Eileen Banyra, founder, Community Compost Co., New Paltz, New York

• Ceci Pineda, Executive Director, BK ROT, Brooklyn, New York

• Jeremy Brosowsky, Founder/CEO, Compost Cab, Washington, DC

• Natasha Duarte, Director of the Composting Association of Vermont

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!