Recycling, Jackson Community

Food and yard waste make up about 33% of all waste disposed of in the United States. Composting is a cheap and easy way to turn yard and food waste into a resource. Simply make a pile or put the following "recipe" in a bin. The ingredients invite guests like worms, beetles, and fungus to create rich organic matter. This organic product improves the soil without chemical fertilizers. Compost breaks up heavy soils, adds nutrient and water-holding capacity.

Recipe for Compost

• Start with a 3'x3'x3' container with air passage (old pallets tied together, garbage cans with holes, prefab composter, etc) to hold heat efficiently

• 2 parts "brown" (dried leaves, straw)

• 1 part "green" (grass clippings, weeds, fruit and vegetable waste)

Your compost should be moist like a wrung out sponge. (Water occasionally if necessary.)
Compost should look like soil when it is done.
Your compost should be "stirred" and smell earthy.
For faster composting, your pile should be "stirred" after it reaches 140 degrees F.

Composting in the winter still happens. It may be cold outside and the winter season may be in full swing but you can still compost vegetable food waste and fall leaves in your backyard compost bin or pile. Composting does slow down in the winter, but it does not completely stop. The alternate freezing and thawing is desirable for composting because it helps break down the plant cells.

Jackson Community Recycling offers a free composting workshop every spring. We sell composters at wholesale prices all year long. To learn more about composting call 733-7678 or email us at jcrecycling@onewest.net