Hands-On Composting Workshop

Photo credit: Lori Eanes

With both the cost of food and concerns about global warming rising, it is easy to feel powerless and unable to contribute to the solution. But there are things you can do to make a difference and making compost is a great one. Compost is easy to make, using your own kitchen scraps, fall leaves and garden debris. Home composting keeps materials out of the waste stream, improves soil for healthier crops, conserves soil moisture and can save a considerable amount of money every year.

In this workshop, you will learn the fundamental principals of making compost, including its benefits and uses, the different composting systems available, what materials to use (and what to leave out) and how to troubleshoot problems. Then you will get to see a farm-scale composting system in action and, finally, you will help build a compost pile. By the end of the class, we hope that you will feel confident enough to start your own composting system at home.

This class is being co-hosted by Alameda Backyard Growers (ABG) and StopWaste and is being taught by three graduates of the StopWaste Environmental Educator Training (SWEET) on Soil Health and Compost Science.

Sarah Miller is an ABG board member, Alameda County Master Gardener and the Assistant Manager: Operation Specialist at Alameda Point Collaborative’s Farm2Market farm.

Oliver Stouffer is the Compost Site Supervisor at Alameda Point Collaborative’s Farm2Market and produces most of the compost used on the farm.

Birgitt Evans is an ABG board member, Alameda County Master Gardener and environmental educator.

All three are passionate about composting and the difference it can make in creating healthy soil, growing healthy vegetables and reducing carbon emissions.