Compost Happens…at EHF!

Throughout the years guests have spoken to us with curiosity about the food they see going back into the kitchen after a meal. You might wonder what we do with food waste at the Farm. Here is a summary of how we deal with leftover food.

Left over food that has not been placed on your table is either used for the next meal in a creative and delicious way or packaged and donated to Helping Hand in Troy, our free food pantry. Food, except meat, that has been on the tables is fed to our pigs.

When preparing food for meals, fruit and vegetable scraps are put in the compost bin. Compostable items also include egg shells, coffee grounds, filters, and tea bags. As you can see, we try to recycle our food waste as much as possible.

Once the compostable items are in the bright orange buckets in the kitchen, Dennis takes over. It is his job to tend to the compost bins behind the kitchen. Currently we have four active bins.

The bins are turned daily and when they are ready, the rich soil is used in the flower gardens throughout the property.

Dennis adds new items from the kitchen along with grass clippings, plant trimmings, and sawdust/manure from animal stalls as needed to help cook and break down materials to get the mix just right.

You may see an egg shell or two in the flower beds if you look closely.

If you are interested in more information on how you can compost at home, take a look at this Compost Flier  produced by the NH Department of Environmental Services.

Do you have a creative way to deal with food waste at your home or business?