The Compost Caravan
In-person gatherings to promote composting for the benefit of communities.
The Compost Caravan bridges the gap between people who eat and the soil that feeds us.
Gather with community members, farmers, teachers, city representatives, corporate partners, landscapers, educators, and media to catalyze local circular organics economies.
The series of in-person events takes us all across California, talking to practitioners on the ground who plan for, create, advocate, or use compost in their roles with the shared goal of improving soil health and creating resilient, circular economies.
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Problem: The Gap Between Composters & Communities
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Participation: Not knowing what can be composted leads to contamination in the green bin
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Knowledge: Using compost to build healthy soils grows healthy food and supports healthy communities. Knowing how to appropriately use compost is essential to reaping the full benefits of the compost lifecycle.
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Trust: People don't realize they're a part of the compost system until they see their food scraps transformed into healthy soils. Seeing this process happen close to home builds trust and a sense of reciprocity.
Solution: Demystifying Compost through The Compost Caravan
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Call to Action: A series of in person activations to empower community members to participate in their local compost systems.
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Audience: City staff, local legislators, educators, content creators, farmers, landscapers, and community stakeholders
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Reach: Develop content at each gathering to stimulate discourse/visibility
Compost Caravan Grows Coalitions for Healthy Soils!
Compost touches everybody who eats (whether you know it or not) and the Compost Caravan strives to make this connection clearer and more accessible to healthy soil stakeholders across California. Watch the video above to get a sense of the kinds of interactions, experiences, and relationships that emerge from the Caravans.
Join the Caravan!
The Compost Caravan highlights our members and supports their work in growing healthy soils in California through composting. The Association of Compost Producers brings a series of in-person gatherings across California aimed at improving public appreciation and adoption of compost.
This co-branded series of in-person activations across California aims to bridge the gap between composters and communities to increase understanding of the importance of diverting organics and the benefits of using compost.
Fill out this form to help organize a stop on the Compost Caravan!
Compost Caravan Stops Include One or More of the Following:
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Compost Facility Tours
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Community Composting/Garden Gatherings
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Workshops and Screenings/Cultural Events
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Compost Application Demonstrations/Compost Use Workshops
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Legislative/Advocacy Days
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Customized Events to fit Regional Needs
Stops so far
Fowler
The Compost Caravan brought us to Fowler Family Farms, where agriculturalists, healthy soil experts, non-profit partners, and government officials came together to talk dirt. F3 Local trained farmers on site to use their compost spreader as part of their equipment-share program, while Sierra Resource Conservation District provided resources and information on the benefits of compost and potential funding pathways.
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Fresno
This event was all about seeing the connection between compost and healthy, thriving communities. Attendees toured the food forest and experimental farms of Yo’Ville Community Gardens, where a small composting business maintains the site as a closed-loop system. Later, we toured Mid Valley Disposal, where 300 tons of municipal material go to get processed into compost for local farming operations. Our last stop brought us to Keaney Park, where the County of Fresno led a compost application demonstration for water conservation, stormwater management, and tree maintenance.
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Irvine
Compost Caravan Irvine highlighted the urban uses of compost and strengthened the connection between the green bin and our soils. We toured the UCANR South Coast Research & Extension Center to see their hot compost piles, urban demonstration farm and latest irrigation trials, OCWR’s greenery that is diverting organics and extending the lifespan of the landfill, and participated in a compost blowing demonstration.
Support the Caravan!
Compost is the solution to a shocking number of problems, from food security to fire remediation and prevention, resilience to flooding and droughts, erosion control, carbon sequestration, community building, reducing urban heat island effect. Support from philanthropy, corporate donors, interested stakeholders, and industry partners helps facilitate events that demonstrate the wide range of benefits of compost and composting.
ACP has partnered with the People, Food and Land Foundation to accept tax deductible donations to support the Compost Caravan programming. The chart below provides an overview of the approximate cost of different types of events. If you'd like to make a donation, click the button below, or reach out to info@healthysoil.org with any questions or concerns you may have!
Corporate sponsorships also available for organizations interested in promotional partnerships!
Huge Thank You to Our Past Sponsors!
