Garfield Community Farms has generously agreed to allow us to take our kitchen scraps and yard clippings and more to a specific bin on their property. They have given us a list of “What you can put into your compost” and “What you should not put into your compost.” See below.
The drop off will be at the bins that are alongside Cornwall Rd., right outside the gate that leads to the caterpillar tunnel. There will be a sign posted that says “Add Material Here,” so that folks know where to put the new stuff.
What You Can Put Into Your Compost
- Garden prunings (if not treated with nonorganic chemicals)
- Lawn clippings (if not treated with nonorganic chemicals)
- Garden waste (if not treated with nonorganic chemicals)
- Mulched woody branches
- Straw mulch materials such as hay, lucerne, pea straw, sugarcane mulch, etc.
- Leaves (break down faster if mulched or mowed over with lawnmower first)
- Pine needles (small amounts)
- Cut flowers (if not treated with nonorganic chemicals)
- Kitchen scraps (fruits and vegetables)
- Breads, cereals, rice, flour
- Coffee grounds and tea bags (not the plastic tea bags)
- Egg shells (partially crushed)
- Bamboo skewers, wooden chopsticks, toothpicks (chopped/broken into smaller pieces)
- Vegetarian animal manures (chicken, sheep, cow, rabbit manure, etc)
- Pet hair and feathers
- Newspaper
- Cardboard and egg cartons
- Brown paper bags
- Unbleached non-glossy paper
- Saw dust and wood shavings (small amounts)
- Wood ashes (small amounts)
What You Should Not Put Into Your Compost
- Diseased plants (can cause diseases to spread in the garden)
- Noxious weeds which regrow from cuttings, seeds or roots, like Knotweed
- Pet poo from non-vegetarian animals (contain many pathogens which are a health hazard and can cause diseases)
- Fish and meat scraps, fats, or foods containing these (will rot, smell unpleasant and attract pests such as rodents)
- Dairy products (will rot, smell unpleasant and attract pests such as rodents)
- Cooking oil
- Glossy or coated paper, eg. magazines (contain toxic chemicals)
- Bleached paper, eg. office paper (contain toxic chlorine-based chemicals which shouldn’t be composted)
- Sales receipts and thermal paper (contain a mix of toxic chemicals which shouldn’t be composted)
- Sticky labels, such as the ones on produce and packaging (are made of plastic and/or contain toxic chemicals in the glue)
- Vacuum cleaner dust and dryer lint (once recommended, but now contain too many synthetic fibres which don’t break down)
- Ashes from coal/ barbecue briquettes (contain toxic chemicals)
- Treated wood pieces or sawdust (contain highly toxic copper, chromium and arsenic which will contaminate soil)
- Personal hygiene products, such as tissues, tampons (unhygienic, health hazard)
- Plants treated with toxic pesticides and herbicides (will contaminate compost, soil and food with toxic chemicals)
- Large branches (unless they are mulched first)