CORNWALL — Cornwall students and teachers recently “cut the ribbon” on their new compost bin. The Cornwall School community has been composting offsite for a year, sending their snack and lunch scraps to a staff member’s hot compost in Addison.
Last spring staff members Judy Larson and Linda Brown secured a grant to pay for materials to build a compost structure at the school. Larson visited several schools with compost facilities and researched compost plans on the Internet, and Steve Brown (Linda Brown’s husband) designed a hot compost facility to meet the needs of Cornwall School. Volunteer builders stepped up. Steve Brown, Judy and Dave Larson, and parent Jeff Taylor were the leading planners and builders. Lorri and Brian Sperry cleared the land with their backhoe.
The school will compost kitchen waste, as well as all leftover food from snacks and lunches. Because it is a “hot compost,” all food waste, including meats and dairy products, can be combined.
After each “feeding” of the compost pile, students will add a layer of brown material — leaves, sawdust, or hay — to make the right mix for “compost stew.”
Several other students and parents contributed labor to this exciting project: Monique Bonner and sons CJ and Linc; Karen and Jed Bartlett and Julia and Kellan; and Silas and Addie Taylor.
The ultimate payoff? Feeding the Cornwall School Garden, where teachers and students grow vegetables for the cook, Susan Pratt, to use in making their lunches.