Thanks to your support, this year, nine gardeners learned the art of making organic compost. In a time of rising temperatures and significant soil loss around the world, your support has made a real difference in building healthy soil right here in Pittsburgh through our Community Composter School.

Urban gardening often comes with challenges, particularly when it comes to unhealthy soil that may be contaminated or compacted. Our Community Composter School training series was designed to address this, teaching growers how to make soils healthier and richer in nutrients. Diverting food waste from landfills and transforming it into organic compost also happens to be one of the most effective proven solutions to reversing climate change. Thank you for supporting this local approach to tackling a global problem.

From April to July, participants engaged in an intensive training program, covering topics from soil microbiology to community outreach. They visited sites like the Hamnett Place and Duquesne Community Victory gardens, Garfield Community Farm, and Environmental Charter School, gaining hands-on experience in various composting systems. 

“Getting to meet other gardeners was really valuable,” said Eastfield Community Gardener Nik Pfauth, who participated in the program. “Seeing others’ approaches gives you some interesting perspectives. I really appreciate the field trips to other gardens to see how they involve their communities.” Holly Adams, a teacher at St. Edmund’s Academy, agreed that the benefits of the Community Composter School extend beyond the technical knowledge that is helping her establish a vermiculture “worm bin” in her classroom. “I got a  lot out of going to so many gardens to see how different neighborhood groups were making compost. Grow Pittsburgh  provides so many valuable offerings and different kinds of learning experiences; it’s a real gift. I’ve signed up for several free classes for educators and a medicinal herbs class. These are really valuable offerings. ”  

These newly trained composting experts are eager to spread the word and educate others.  The program concludes this fall with participants establishing or improving community composting sites in their neighborhoods and workplaces, including the Hill District, Garfield, East Liberty, North Point Breeze, and West View, as well as at St. Edmund’s Academy and the Children’s Museum. These sites are designed for easy neighborhood-scale composting, allowing local residents and community gardeners to drop off food scraps and yard waste, helping to rejuvenate our urban soils.

A special thanks to Organic Remedies for sponsoring the 2024 Community Composter program!