Want to Become a Master Composter?

Here is a great opportunity to learn about composting from the pros and become certified.  You can also volunteer with local organizations on local composting outreach projects.

Members of the Greenwich Community Garden and the Garden Education Center of Greenwich are going to be completing a series of workshops to become “master composters” and will be working on composting outreach projects on Bible Street.  They’ll be seeking volunteers who want to learn about composting food scraps, to keep them out of the waste stream, and to enrich our gardens.  The opportunity to become certified is open to everyone and we hope you’ll take advantage of it!

The Master Composter Certification is offered annually by UConn.  Here is the synopsis of the program and attached is the program brochure and info on how to sign up. Some of the classes are local and the others will provide carpooling opportunities. The instructors are all top-notch in their fields.

Program: Five consecutive Saturdays, starting with October 4, 2014. Classes will be approximately from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm. The program covers a variety of composting systems, including commercial, farm and worm composting, but has an emphasis on residential composting; classes will cover in detail the science of composting. Master Gardener certification or prior composting experience is not necessary.

Locations: The first and fourth classes will be held in the Silver Education Center at the Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens, 151 Brookdale Road, Stamford CT 06903 (203-322-6971). Class/workshop on Saturday, October 11 will be held in the Middlesex County Extension Center 1066 Saybrook Road, Haddam CT 06438 (860-345-4511). The third Saturday class will be held at the recycling and transfer station in Fairfield, CT. The field trip on the last Saturday will be in East Canaan in Northwest Connecticut. (Directions will be given ahead of time in class.)

Program Requirements: Each master composter intern will be required to complete a minimum of 20 hours of approved community outreach projects in order to qualify for graduation. The projects must be in Connecticut and must include work on at least two separate projects. In addition, interns must attend all four of the classes in order to qualify for graduation. Attendance at the fifth week field trip is optional but strongly recommended. Those who miss a class may make it up in a following year, though that will not be in Fairfield County.

To Register for certification: The program is limited to 24 interns and will be filled on a first come basis, based on receipt of a completed registration form mailed to the Home & Garden Center at UConn Storrs, accompanied by a check for $100. If you wish to obtain a syllabus that details the lectures, dates and locations, and a registration brochure, please contact Greg Moonie, State Coordinator, UConn Master Composter Program at [email protected]. He will be happy to answer any questions about the program.