So, you left your compost bucket outside and picked up your new one. What happens next? Where does the bucket that just left your home go? The Urban Canopy, was nice enough to give myself and Dani a behind the scenes look at where the buckets go and how they reuse our waste.
Upon arrival to ‘the farm,’ aka where our compost waste gets dropped off, our bucket, along with all the buckets picked up that day are added to two large compost piles. These piles are then covered and left to rest where the waste eventually breaks down into nutrient dense finished compost. The the buckets are then power washed, left to dry and prepped for their next home. Pretty simple right!?
While the distribution and pickup process is awesome, by far the coolest thing about visiting ‘the farm’ is what our compost waste eventually becomes. The Urban Canopy has planted a beautiful plot of land with everything from squash and peppers, to tomatoes, kale, beets and more. Colorful and delicious produce grown in soil supplemented with the finished compost created by our compost waste. So cool right!? The produce is grown with love and distributed via CSA or farmer’s markets around the city. Needless to say, Dani and I spent quite some time wandering the rows of plants, taking pictures and sneaking tastes straight from the vine.
After leaving the farm I felt inspired, encouraged, motivated to one day have my own vegetable garden and even more excited about composting. Knowing that my food waste eventually becomes the very produce I eat, brings everything brilliantly full circle. While the average compost customer only bears witness to the filling of their bucket, there is so much work that goes on behind the scenes. I hope the photos below give you a small peak into the art of composting and motivate you to start your own composting journey. Wether you are a Chicago local or not, do some digging, I am sure you’ll find a composting option that is just right for you.
To all of my Chicagoians, you can find The Urban Canopy at any one of their farmer’s market stands or become a CSA member by clicking here.
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