Come visit Interlochen’s composting program and teaching gardens. We have both small-scale and large, industrial-scale composting facilities on-site. In our small-scale composting, we are using a small 3-bay system, vermicomposting, and also have a couple Johnson Su bioreactor-style compost bins. At our industrial compost facility, we utilize a front-end loader tractor and a bay system that allows us to turn the piles daily while adding food waste from our three on-campus cafeterias. Food waste serves as our primary nitrogen source while leaf litter and wood chips serve primarily as our carbon stock. We turn out over 170 tons of finished compost each year that is utilized on our gardens and flowerbeds across campus. Excess compost is often donated to other non-profit garden projects in the region.

NOTES: When arriving, turn on to Lyons Rd next to Interlochen Public Radio; we will meet at the RB Annis Botanical Lab and Community Garden before being escorted out to the Compost Facility. Please wear closed-toed shoes and dress for the weather. We will offer an industrial compost-turning demonstration and members may wish to wear a mask, though it’s not required.

This event is part of the Michigan Organics Council’s Great Michigan Compost Tour. Composters across the state are hosting tours so that you can learn more about how your yard waste and food waste are transformed into valuable soil amendments. The other tours in our Northern Michigan region are featured in this event series.