Master Composter
   MASTER COMPOSTER PROGRAM IN VAN BUREN COUNTY
               The next Master Composter Certification Workshop is schedulde forSeptember 2007
                  CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A REGISTRATION BROCHURE PDF FORMAT OR REGISTER BY E-MAIL

Up to 24% of Michigan's total solidwaste stream consists of grassclippings, leaves, garden debris, food scraps and other organic kitchen and yard wastes.  Most yard waste is generated in the spring or the fall.   Yard waste is the second larges recoverable item in the waste stream, after paper products.  To preserve landfill space Michigan has had a ban on yard waste since 1995.  Composting has become the norm for managing these organic materials and getting an  usable organic humus product from the process.  Master Composters are citizens like you that are interested in home composting as a way to manage yard wastes.  The Master Composter Certification program combines education with practical experience and is held once a year either in the spring or the fall.  An intensive 2 day training in composting provides 12 hours of class time.  To obtain Master Composter Status and additional 10 hours internship consisting of community service and participation in various composting projects are required.  Volunteer opportunities include, but are not limited to: helping at  backyard composting demonstration sites, giving presentations to interested groups, answering homeowner calls in the office and staffing informational booths at community festivals.
	Following are the basic goals of the Master Composter program. to help participants understand the composting process to understand how we can help accelerate the composting process through a variety of techniques to assist participants to teach others to compost to teach and advocate techniques that minimize nuisances that may be caused by composting
Some composting definitions: Composting: the controlled biological degradation or breakdown of organic matter by microorganisms into a humus-like product Compost: a group of organic residues, or a mixture of organic residues and soil, that have undergone decomposition. Humus: the dark stabel organic fraction of material remaning after the decomposition of organic matter.
	The next Master Composter Certification Workshop is schedulde for October 2007 CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A REGISTRATION BROCHURE PDF FORMAT (requires acrobat reader)

    For more information regarding upcoming classes, e-mail Beth Clawson or call (269) 657-8213.

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For further information, questions or comments, e-mail:
   Beth Clawson,
Natural Resources/Resource Recovery Extension Educator

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Last modified: July, 2007