Today I began the research related to an on-site cafeteria waste management system at Brookside Elementary school in Willits, California. The plan is to incorporate the food scraps generated inside the school cafeteria and kitchen into a composting system located on the Energy Farm site. The specific style of composting that I’m considering is vermicomposting. This compost method uses red worms to both process and digest the food scraps. When the worms are finished with the scraps the end result are worm castings. These castings are rich in nitrogen and phosphorous and are intended for use as a soil amendment or as a ready formula for compost tea. There are a number of considerations to tackle related to the project including:

Amount of waste generated per day vs. the worms ability to process it

Available room on the farm for this style of waste management

Possible California regulations related to composting

The type of food scraps that are generated

The separation and collection of food scraps

Securing this process throughout the winter months

Daily time and labor requirements for farmer or laborer