Composting

Thurston County Master Composters provide training and workshops and also support  composting activities at the Master Gardener Demonstration Gardens. The classes leading to Master Composter certification are available to the public. Go here for information about the classes and how to sign up.

Composting workshops for the public are listed below.  Composting information is also available from Master Composters working at the Demonstration Gardens, and there will be multiple workshops at the MGTFC Plant Sale at Dirt Works Garden on May 15^th.  In addition, composting questions can be directed to the Master Gardener Clinic.

Can’t wait for a workshop to get started?  The following will tell you everything you always wanted to know about composting your yard and kitchen waste:

http://gardening.wsu.edu/stewardship/compost/compost.htm

Need a recipe?  Composting DOs and DON’Ts?  Compost troubleshooting help? These web sites have recipes and problem diagnosis and treatment info:

http://www.co.whatcom.wa.us/publicworks/pdf/solidwaste/easycomposting.pdf http://your.kingcounty.gov/solidwaste/naturalyardcare/recipe.asp

The following web site includes Thurston County-specific information and lots of other useful composting tips:

http://www.co.thurston.wa.us/wwm/Recycling_and_Disposal/Recycle/Composting/Compost_home.htm.

Need a Compost Bin?  Composting bins are sold by the Master Gardener Foundation of Thurston County at a reduced rate for Thurston County residents.  Click here for more information.  Bins will also be available at some of the workshops shown below.

Workshops

Workshops are offered from May through October, every second Saturday at Closed Loop Park and every third Saturday at Dirt Works.  Workshops alternate between Yard Waste and Worms / Kitchen Waste.  The Olympia Farmer’s Market features two composting workshops on Thursdays in 2010,  Worms in June and Yard Waste in August. See calendar below for details.  All workshops start at 10:00 AM.

Yard Waste Workshop

Master Composters will teach you how to make rich compost for your garden in a demonstration clinic.  Free public workshop. Question and Answer atmosphere.  No pre-registration is necessary.

Worm Bin (Food Waste) Workshop

A how-to workshop on worm bin composting.  Free.  Open to the public.  Question and Answer atmosphere.  No pre-registration is necessary.

 Workshop Schedule

Presented by Thurston County Master Composters

Date	Garden	Topic	Time
5/8	Closed Loop Park	Yard waste	10 am
5/15	Master Gardener Foundation of Thurston County Plant Sale at Dirt Works Garden Compost Bins and Supplies Onsite for Sale	Worms & Yard Waste	Composting info available throughout the sale  Workshop Schedule: 10am Worms 11am  Yard Waste Noon  Worms 1pm    Yard Waste
6/3	Olympia Farmer's Market  Garden	Worms	10 am
6/12	Closed Loop Park Compost Bins and Supplies Onsite for Sale	Yard waste	10 am
6/19	Dirt Works Garden	Worms	10 am
7/10	Closed Loop Park Compost Bins and Supplies Onsite for Sale	Yard waste	10 am
7/17	Dirt Works Garden	Worms	10 am
8/5	Olympia Farmer's Market  Garden	Yard Waste	10 am
8/14	Closed Loop Park	Worms	10 am
8/21	Dirt Works Garden Compost Bins and Supplies Onsite for Sale	Yard Waste	10 am
9/11	Closed Loop Park	Worms	10 am
9/18	Dirt Works Garden	Yard Waste	10 am
10/9	Closed Loop Park	Worms	10 am
10/16	Dirt Works Garden Compost Bins and Supplies Onsite for Sale	Yard Waste	10 am