Composting is easier said than done. When we started the new lunch program, we wanted to reduce as much kitchen waste as possible. The school already had three large Speedibin compost bins and we were ready to use them.
The lunch program “produces” about two to three kilograms or kitchen scraps and uneaten lunches a day. For a Speedibin, this is too much too fast, despite our efforts to layer the compost with leaves or straw. Instead of compost for the school garden, we ended up with a stinky muck.
Enter help from the most unexpected sources: the school’s administrative assistant. In this case, the administrative assistant subbing for the regular administrative assistant. This particular person happened to be Jennifer Vaino, PAC Chair at Highland Secondary.
She had taken an interest in the lunch program due to the aromas coming from the kitchen every time she walked by. She seemed to be walking past the kitchen quiet often. We started talking about lunch and the conversation turned to kitchen waste. Our Speedibins were filling up fast.
She knew a few people. Specifically, she knew a few people who raised pigs.
She put the community school society in contact with two farmers and the rest is history. All of the kitchen and organic waste collected in the school goes into buckets that are collected three times a week, effectively reducing the school’s organic waste to zero. The farmers receive high quality feed at no cost, and we get our compost bins back under control.
We haven’t told the kids at school about this because we don’t want them to “donate” their lunches to the pigs. And, if you’re a parent or caregiver showing your kids this article, please remind them that they should eat everything in their lunch first!
We are grateful for Jennifer’s connections and the help of local farmers! Those pigs are living their best school food lives!
