Our 2023 Backyard Compost Challenge has come to a close. We’re still waiting for a few data inputs, but so far the final aggregate total for pounds of food waste kept out of the Rockbridge landfill over the course of these ten weeks is 3,810 pounds: almost two tons.
Thanks to your post-project surveys we learned other interesting things that make us equally happy. Your responses told us the 2023 cohort is now confident in how and why to compost and understands the benefits of keeping food waste out of the landfill. We also know that you shared your composting experiences and expertise with others outside your home, and not a single person reported being dissatisfied with their Earth Machine’s performance (see the P.S. for some pro tips). Most significantly, an amazing 78 of the 79 households reporting so far plan to continue composting as an ongoing earth care practice. (Unfortunately for that one household, their Earth Machine got mauled by a bear.)
It has also has been great to read your comments about what you valued about this project. The top three things: beautiful finished compost (eventually) for your gardens; the ability to involve the whole family and teach kids about food waste; and the community created by participating in this special project. One member mentioned they showed pictures of their compost to their whole kindergarten class as a way to teach about food waste, while many others reported that the promise of compost-to-be inspired them to start, re-start, or ramp up their gardening efforts.
For some folks, composting also became “a gateway drug” for thinking about other ways to live more lightly on and for the Earth. Participants told us of closely monitoring their water usage and saving water for other uses, of adjusting their grocery shopping habits to actively avoid food waste, of beginning to recycle, planting flowers specifically for pollinators, removing invasive species from their land, or undertaking other Earth-care actions.
The Backyard Compost Challenge (BCC) changes all of us. It also changes how Boxerwood thinks about community programming (we’re totally into it!). To that end we really appreciate the suggestions you gave for future iterations of the Backyard Compost Challenge. These included optional BCC yard signs (spread the word!), providing laminated guides about greens vs. browns, or inviting participants from previous years to mentor compost beginners. The main thing we heard, though, was to keep running the annual program..
Compost champs, you have literally enriched your community, your world, and – of course – your soil because of your participation in this citizen science project. All of us at Boxerwood offer a fond, proud farewell. Thank you, good luck, and happy composting!
P.S. A couple of pro tips for the summer months:
- Questions? You can always consult our website or the Rockbridge Master Gardener hotline (540-463-47340).
- Have patience. The Earth Machine is a slow composter but eventually you’ll get the soil you are waiting for. If turning is difficult, don’t bother: just layer things up and wait. Nature knows what to do.
- Aerate. If you want to speed things up consider purchasing a compost aerator “wingdinger” tool: some of our returning 2022 champs received these as 2nd year gifts (you had to act fast) and word is they were easy to use and gamechangers. They are about $20 from Lowes.
- Fruitflies in your green pail: empty daily and/or try DIY cider vinegar fruit fly traps (google).
