Compost is key to soil health. Good compost unlocks soil nutrients, helps fight soil-borne pests and plant diseases and enhances water conservation — and it diverts organic material from our landfills. If you want to learn more about how to compost at your home or community garden, don’t miss this great workshop offered at the Daniel Boone Regional Library.
The Science of Compost Wednesday, March 18 6-7:30 p.m. Columbia Public Library, 100 W. Broadway Presented by master naturalist Brenda Peculis and cosponsored by the Boone’s Lick Master Naturalists and the City of Columbia Volunteer Programs.
Compostables make up 34% of the materials that go into landfills. Learn the why, what and how of home composting. Attend a free workshop and start diverting kitchen scraps and yard waste while producing a nutrient rich soil amendment. Composting can greatly reduce a household’s waste and is a fun and rewarding step towards a more sustainable lifestyle. City of Columbia residents receive a Geobin composter at the workshop as supplies last.
The next workshop, Home Composting 101, is at the Britt-Hall Community Garden this Tuesday, August 14 at 6 p.m.! Register with this link. (Walk-ins also welcome)
Other upcoming workshops:
Wednesday, September 4, 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the Capen Compost Demonstration Site **NEW** Worms at Work: Vermicomposting 101
Wednesday, September 11, 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the Capen Compost Demonstration Site Bokashi Anaerobic Composting
As of our mission to help community gardeners, this year we’ve been focusing on educational opportunities. We’ve offered several workshops with other partners as part of our 40th anniversary celebrations. We also want to let you know about the following free or low-cost classes offered by University Extension presenters to help you deal with drought in your garden, learn how to store your harvest and improve your compost pile.
Check out the following offerings and follow the links to register. Another composting workshop is being planned in early August at our Unite4Health garden, so stay tuned for more information!
Workshop on Drought Management in Garden Plants
Wednesday, July 12, 6-8 p.m. 1012 N. Highway UU, Columbia, MO 65203 Cost: FREE Register at this link.
In this workshop, horticulture producers and gardeners will learn about the effect of drought and heat on garden plants. They will also learn about how to minimize the drought effect in the garden plants in the workshop.
Home Food Preservation – Harvesting and Storing Fresh Produce
Friday, July 21, 12-1:30 p.m. 2nd floor, 105 E Ash Street, Columbia, MO 65203 OR Live via Zoom Cost: $20 Register at this link. (Registration closes Tuesday, July 18 at 11 p.m.)
This course will look at current standards for harvesting and storing fresh produce as well as hands-on preparation of a seasonal recipe. Participants may either attend in-person or online via Zoom. Participants who attend online must be able to pick-up a grocery bag of food to be prepared from the MU Family Impact Center in Columbia, MO.
Composting Workshop
Monday, July 24, 6-8 p.m. 1012 N. Highway UU, Columbia, MO 65203 Cost: FREE Register at this link.
Participants will learn about benefits of compost in the soil, source of composting materials, good materials, and materials to avoid during composting. The speaker will talk about the greens and browns materials used during composting. Participants will learn about methods of composting, site selection for compost pile and compost testing in this program.
Community Garden Coalition 