Backyard compost workshops offered

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Help keep Hawaii green by composting home and yard green waste. Learn the easy way to reap the benefits of improved soil in Recycle Hawaii’s ongoing compost workshops. These two-hour Saturday sessions are open to beginners with no composting experience as well as those wanting to learn more. Fee is $10 per adult, with no charge for children.

Help keep Hawaii green by composting home and yard green waste. Learn the easy way to reap the benefits of improved soil in Recycle Hawaii’s ongoing compost workshops. These two-hour Saturday sessions are open to beginners with no composting experience as well as those wanting to learn more. Fee is $10 per adult, with no charge for children.

A voucher for a free Earth Machine backyard composter is given to each household completing the workshop. Earth Machines are ready for pick-up by voucher holders at the Keaau and Waimea Recycling and Reuse Centers on first-come, first-served basis while supplies last.

The Backyard Composting Workshops are taught by master composter/recycler Ann Hassler and cover basic composting techniques, plus composting with worms. Worm bins and worms are available for purchase at the workshop. To register, contact Hassler at crazy4compost2@gmail.com or 937-1100.

Upcoming workshops are scheduled for: Aug. 23, from 10 a.m.-noon at Pahoa Feed &Fertilizer, 15-2754 Pahoa Road in Pahoa, and 2-4 p.m. at Volcano Garden Arts, 19-3834 Old Volcano Road in Volcano. You can also register for the Volcano workshop at 985-8979. Volcano Garden Arts serves organic vegetarian lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The series continues from 8-10 a.m. on Sept. 13 at SPACE Farmer’s Market, Uncle Robert’s Club in Kalapana; Sept. 20 from 10 a.m-noon at Montessori Education Center of Hawaii, 65-1297 Opelo Road in Waimea, and 2-4 p.m. at Waikoloa Village Association Community Room, 68-1792 Melia St in Waikoloa.

In addition, Waimea Compost Workshops are offered from 9-11 a.m. every other Saturday morning by Samantha Robinson and Noah Dodd at the Waimea Homestead Farmers Market. Their session covers basic aerobic composting as well as sheet, worm and Bokashi composting. The next workshops will be offered on Aug. 23, Sept. 6 and Sept. 20. To register, sign up at the farmer’s market (located on Highway 19 next to the 55-mile marker at the West Hawaii Office of the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands) or contact Robinson at 747-2737 or samillater@hotmail.com.

For more information, visit www.recyclehawaii.org. Backyard Composting programs are sponsored by Recycle Hawaii with funding from the County of Hawaii Department of Environmental Management.