Compost Site Operators Workshop in Kerhonkson, NY

CET, with support from NYS DEC, is hosting a free compost site operators’ workshop in Kerhonkson, New York.

Join us for an engaging and informative full-day event focused on best practices for composting food scraps. The workshop will be led by James McSweeney of Compost Technical Services and The 131° School of Composting. 

The workshop will be divided into two parts: a morning classroom session and an afternoon field session. Approved registrants will receive the address for the classroom location. The hands-on field session will take place at Community Compost Company. 

This workshop is ideal for:

• Operators of agricultural, municipal, and private composting operations that accept food scraps.
• Operators of small-scale/community composting sites that accept food scraps, such as community gardens, local parks, etc.
• Other interested parties considering starting a commercial composting operation to compost food scraps.

Training Agenda

• 7:45 – 8:15 am · Registration
• 8:15 – 8:35 am · Welcome & Intros
• 8:35 – 8:50 am · New York DEC overview
• 8:50 – 9:35 am · Unit 1: Intro to Composting
• 9:35 – 10:35 am · Unit 2: Recipe Development
• 10:35 – 10:50 am · Break
• 10:50 – 11:40 am · Unit 3: Pile Monitoring, Management, & Maturity
• 11:40 – 12:10 am · Lunch
• 12:10 – 12:55 am · Unit 4: Troubleshooting & Neighbor Relations
• 12:55 – 1:40 pm · Unit 5: Site Design & Management Principles
• 1:40 – 2:00 pm · Break: Drive to Compost Site
• 2:00 – 3:15 pm · Site Tour: Meet at Compost Facility
• 3:15 – 4:15 pm · Pile Monitoring & Management Exercise
• 4:15 – 4:30 pm · Q&A
• 4:30 – 4:45 pm · Evaluations

Click here to register for the workshop! 

Priority registration will be given to New York-based composters. Out-of-state registrants will be placed on a waitlist and notified if spots become available. 

For more information about the workshop, please see the WorkShop Agenda and our Frequently Asked Questions Sheet

Learn more about Community Compost Company! 

Located on a 300-acre former dairy farm, Community Compost Company operates a compost facility in the heart of Hudson Valley, New York. Founded by Eileen Banyra in 2013, the company is committed to leading the change on food waste, climate change, and soil health through regional composting, community-based action, and educational outreach. Through an established network of residential and commercial pick-ups, community drop-off sites, and tipping services across New York and New Jersey, Community Compost Company diverts 3,000-4,000 cubic yards of food waste from landfills per year.  

After combining the collected food scraps with other organic materials, the company utilizes an aerated static pile (ASP) system at their facility. The resulting product is a regenerative, nutrient-rich compost that improves soil health and supports community resilience. Their finished products are approved for organic use and sold under the brand Hudson Soil Company to farmers, home gardeners and land-use projects throughout the region. Hudson Soil’s product line currently includes compost, worm castings, Plant Jolt (a compost and worm casting blend), and liquid extracts. 

This workshop is part of a series of three workshops that CET is hosting in Fall 2024 under our Rethink Food Waste NY program. The other two workshops will be hosted in Ithaca, NY on September 25, 2024, and Winthrop, NY on October 28, 2024. We kindly request that you register for only one of the three workshops. 

For more information, please reach out to CET at RethinkFoodWasteNY@cetonline.org or 866-306-0911.