Did you know … that composting fruit and vegetable scraps along with other matter can create new soil in as little as 20 days?
The Friends of the Market volunteers invite Saratoga Farmers Market shoppers who do not have an easy way to compost such materials to bring them to our compost bin at the Saturday market. We will accept produce scraps, egg shells, and coffee grounds. Local farmers will add them to their compost heaps throughout the fall.
How long does composting take? As a market volunteer and dedicated composter, that question has long puzzled me. I live a few miles northwest of Saratoga Springs, and raise animals and vegetables with my husband on three acres of land. The remains of nearly every food item that comes through my kitchen ends up as compost on the farm. I fill a bucket, and dump it on the heap every other day or so. But what happens next?
A web based article on green living provided some helpful guidance. For the article, click here:
What was most useful for me to understand was the difference between methods of turning. The “hot turn” method produces the fastest results, but it also requires a lot of work. One must be prepared to turn a 3-by-3 foot pile on an almost daily basis and to keep a proper ratio of carbon to nitrogen of 30:1. According to the article, you’ll get new soil in about 20 days.
The more common “no turn” method produces soil in about three to 12 months. In this system, all you need to do is dump yard waste and food scraps into a pile together. An occasional turn or two can help the materials break down faster. The process takes more time but requires a lot less maintenance.
Small backyard gardens in the city might also benefit from worm bins, in which worms devour food scraps quickly. For more details, visit the site. But also do consider bringing your compostable scraps to us.
On another note, the Friends of the Market also are working with the Saratoga Farmers Market to initiate a recycling effort. Look for our recycle bins on Wednesdays and Saturdays near the Something’s Brewing coffee stand. On Saturdays, we’ll also have a second bin set up in the food tent near Clarity Juice. We’ll accept clean paper coffee cups, empty plastic cups, glass and plastic bottles, and unsoiled paper products such as minimally used napkins and newspapers. Help us make our market even greener than before and put the clean recyclable items that you use while visiting the market in our bins!
