FieldNotes: Composting

Composting food scraps at home is an excellent way to reduce waste and create nutrient-rich soil for your garden. Here are some easy methods to get you started:

1. Choose a Composting Method

   1. Compost Bin

      1. Purchase or Build a Bin: You can buy a compost bin or make one from wood pallets or plastic containers. Make sure it has a lid to keep pests out and air holes for ventilation.

      2. Location: Place the bin in a sunny spot in your yard to speed up the decomposition process.

   2. Compost Pile

      1. Open Pile: If you have space, you can create an open compost pile in your backyard. Simply pile your compostable materials in a heap.

      2. Covered Pile: Cover with a tarp to retain moisture and heat, which helps with decomposition.

   3. Vermicomposting

      1. Worm Bin: Use red worms to compost food scraps indoors or outdoors in a worm bin.

      2. Ideal for Small Spaces: This method is great for apartments or homes with limited outdoor space.

   4. Bokashi Composting

      1. Fermentation Process: Bokashi uses beneficial microbes to ferment food scraps in a sealed container.

      2. Minimal Space Required: This is another excellent option for indoor composting.

2. Collect Food Scraps

• What to Compost:

  • Vegetable and fruit scraps: peels, cores, and rinds.

  • Coffee grounds and filters.

  • Tea bags: Ensure they're compostable (no plastic).

  • Eggshells: Crushed to help them break down faster.

  • Grains and bread: Avoid too much, as they can attract pests.

• Avoid Composting:

  • Meat, fish, and dairy: They can attract pests and create odors.

  • Greasy or oily foods.

  • Diseased plants or weeds that have gone to seed.

  • Pet waste: Contains harmful pathogens.

• Collection Container: Use a kitchen caddy or container with a lid to collect scraps for disposal. Empty it regularly into your compost system.

3. Layering Your Compost

• Brown Materials (Carbon-Rich):

  • Dried leaves, straw, or hay.

  • Shredded newspaper and cardboard.

  • Wood chips and sawdust (untreated).

• Green Materials (Nitrogen-Rich):

  • Fresh grass clippings.

  • Garden waste: Prunings, dead plants.

• Kitchen scraps: As mentioned above.

• Layering Technique:

  • Start with a layer of brown materials to help with drainage and aeration.

  • Add a layer of green materials.

  • Continue layering, alternating between brown and green materials.

  • Ensure the pile stays moist but not soggy.

4. Maintaining Your Compost

• Turning: Use a pitchfork or compost aerator to turn your compost every 1-2 weeks. This introduces oxygen and speeds up decomposition.

• Moisture: The compost should feel like a damp sponge. Add water if it's too dry or add more brown materials if it's too wet.

• Temperature: A healthy compost pile will heat up. If it’s not warm, it may need more green materials or turning to introduce oxygen.

5. Harvesting the Compost

• Ready Compost: It’s dark, crumbly, and earthy-smelling, usually ready in 2-6 months, depending on conditions.

• Use: Mix it into your garden soil, use it as mulch, or make compost tea for plants.

Tips for Success

• Chop Large Items: Smaller pieces decompose faster.

• Keep a Balance: Aim for about 2/3 brown materials and 1/3 green materials.

• Watch for Pests: Ensure your compost system is secure to prevent attracting rodents.

Composting at home is not only environmentally friendly but also beneficial for your garden. By choosing a method that fits your lifestyle and space, you can easily turn food scraps into valuable compost. Choosing to begin composting not only creates a further sustainable food system, it minimizes food waste and can be a great community project to educate others!

Our compost program has collected over 6,000 pounds of food waste since the beginning of the year! With the contributions of community member drop-offs and our local business partnerships such as the Eppson Center and Sunshine Coffee, our program has been able to expand exponentially! For the first time this year, we started collecting compost at the Downtown Laramie Farmers Market on Fridays!

All of the food waste we have collected is used for our compost system to make compost! The compost is then used at our production farms and gardens to help us grow food to distribute back to the Laramie community! This helps create a closed loop of our food system and keeps food waste out of our landfill.

Want to be a part of closing the loop? Consider donating any 5 gallon buckets with lids or 5 gallon kitty litter to our compost program! With the help of your donation, our growing compost program will be able to meet the need for collecting more compost!

Want to compost with us? Drop off your compost for free Thursdays from 12-7 pm at the back of the FLV building in LaBonte Park or drop it off at the Downtown Laramie Farmers Market Fridays from 3-7 pm!