Case Study: Community Composting at Boulder Knoll Farm
Boulder Knoll Farm in Cheshire, Connecticut builds community by bringing people together to enjoy nature and delicious food. They manage a community garden, donate healthy produce, implement permaculture practices, and invite locals of all ages and backgrounds to “dig in” and experience hands-on educational opportunities. Last year, the farm ran a crowdfunding campaign on Patronicity, supported by Sustainable CT’s Community Match Fund, to further this vision through a new Community Composting facility.
The farm is managed by the Friends of Boulder Knoll (FOBK), a small nonprofit dedicated to sustainable agriculture and sustainable communities. Through the community farm, FOBK emphasizes the links between people, plants, and the earth to develop interdisciplinary learning and to promote environmental responsibility. Focusing especially on youth, Boulder Knoll Farm fosters future stewards of the environment by creating awareness of the wonder and value of agriculture, conservation, and outdoor recreation.
Marjorie Chapman, President of the Friends of Boulder Knoll, recognized a problem at the farm and in Cheshire: the farm’s reliance on purchased compost and amendments to ensure soil health, and the town’s solid waste crisis, where food waste was being transported over state lines for disposal at the expense of both the taxpayer and the environment. Her solution? Building a Community Composting system at Boulder Knoll!
Through the localized composting system, composting is incorporated into opportunities for neighborhood gardening. Utilizing food scraps from community gardeners, local businesses, and other neighbors, waste is turned into a valuable soil amendment: compost. The compost is then used on-site to improve soil fertility for growing, and excess compost is given away or donated to other locations where it can be used.
The Community Composting facility also acts as a “living laboratory” where FOBK can educate the community about composting's benefits. Sponsoring workshops for students, families, and adults to see and understand nature's interconnected web of growth, decomposition and regrowth, Boulder Knoll Farm is building awareness and initiating behavioral change around organic waste disposal and nurturing environmental health.
Community Composting at Boulder Knoll Farm supports the FOBK’s commitment to sustainable agriculture and sustainable communities, as well as Sustainable CT’s mission to recognize the natural environment as the foundation for the health and well-being of all people by building a more resilient and sustainable community. The scalable composting project engages community members in support and partnerships, diverts food scraps from the solid waste disposal stream, and produces a natural, nutrient-filled soil amendment that can be shared and returned to the earth to build healthy soils and produce nutritious produce. Most importantly, it educates and informs the community about food-system thinking, stewardship, and togetherness.
Marj has previously raised funds through Patronicity and Sustainable CT for her Contain&Sustain initiative, a zero-waste movement to reduce plastic use and food waste by providing a more sustainable alternative for the community. She returned last year for the Community Composting campaign, raising $3,602 and earning a $3,500 grant from Sustainable CT’s Community Match Fund, to implement their four-bin solar-powered aerobic composting facility.
Get Involved!
Are you a Cheshire local? You can get involved with Boulder Knoll Farm’s Community Composting system! Visit the Boulder Knoll Farm website for more information on how you can turn your kitchen scraps into compost for the garden.
Not local? You can still contribute to building a more sustainable society. Contact your city and local community farms to ask about composting initiatives, and how you can use your scraps to make a difference.
Have an idea to make your Connecticut community more equitable, sustainable, and vibrant? Contact Sustainable CT at funding@sustainablect.org to share your great idea and start crowdfunding your vision. Whether you’re dreaming of more green spaces, solar for public spaces, greenways for biking and walking, murals and other public art, green jobs programs, or community gardens, Sustainable CT’s Community Match Fund can help make your great idea a reality by providing fast, flexible funding and support for sustainability projects that engage your Connecticut community. Learn more at www.patronicity.com/sustainablect.
