Volunteering Opportunities

Dear Neighbors,

Since we have initiated our donation based system this fall there has been great response and support. The fee for service is helping fund supplies, such as garbage bags, truck rentals and over all making Fort Greene Compost Project a more sustainable operation. We are glad for everyone involved.

As of the past few months, organic waste collected each week at the Fort Greene Greenmarket has been going to a number of places routinely. Red Hook's Added Value Farm receives a load each Saturday while every other week one of four participating community gardens takes a turn, turning the compost.

Prospect Heights (St. Marks Ave. and Vanderbilt Ave.)

Greene Acres (Franklin Ave. and Greene Ave.)

Brooklyn Bears (Carlton Ave. and Greene Ave.)

Woodbine (Woodbine St. and Central Ave.)

Some of the gardens originally involved in the project have dropped out due to capacity issues and desire to pursue other interests. Our existing recipients have had to cut down to once every other month and have asked that we find other destinations for the now 1500 pounds of collected weekly compost. A vacant site in the neighborhood? Fort Greene Park?

Recently, we have provided bins for farmers Ted King of Rexcroft Farm and Hector Tejada of Conuco Farm to truck a few bags back upstate. They are compensated with some of the donation funds and greatly appreciated for making room in their delicate food transport space. Processing it, too.

Keeping this system in motion requires people in the gardens with shovels and wheelbarrows. It needs folks to be at the donation jar for some of their morning. A few hours of a Saturday afternoon down in Red Hook with Charlie, one of the lead movers of this project, layering wood chips and having some watermelon; maybe apple cider now. Volunteering to learn more about composting is not only welcomed, but encouraged as a necessary part for our being up and running. Please, take a look at our Volunteer Schedule.

Also, for efficiency and well-being: if the organic matter is bigger than a hand, please cut it down into smaller pieces before composting. Stickers and rubber bands can make a nice collection on the refrigerator door or inside of a glass jar.

Salubrity,

Fort Greene Compost Project