Full Circle Composting

The composting program at Forman School in Connecticut does more than divert kitchen waste to use as fertilizer at a local farm. In exchange for supplying the compost, Forman and their dining services provider, CulinArt partner with Chanticleer Acres, a nearby provider of garden kits and compost, to educate students via tours of the farm, lectures, and pop-up tastings on campus.

Chanticleer Acres provides bins where students and kitchen workers deposit compostable scraps and leftovers. The containers are picked up once a week after the compost has spent some time being ‘processed’ by chickens. “The chickens are the first to receive the waste,” explains Denee Danner, Director of Dining Services for CulinArt. “They help to break down and mix the nitrogen-rich green matter. Simultaneously they add their manure to the compost and get their meal in the process.”

Deliveries from Forman School to the farm began in late April. “I estimate that we will deliver 50 to 100 pounds per week of kitchen scraps in alignment with the Waste Not program,” says Danner. “To make it engaging, Chef Darby Fitzgerald hosts tastings with whatever fruit or vegetable is in season while guest speakers from the farm educate students on the composting process and provide tours when possible.”

A student who leads a school sustainability group was the catalyst for the program after approaching Danner with the idea to begin composting kitchen and tray scraps. Today, support for the program is widespread. Max Exstein, a staff member with special needs, is the lead on the composting program. “I wanted to empower Max to have his own program here,” says Danner. “He does all recycling on campus and gets compost ready for our facilities program to pick up.”