Compostable Plastics are Tricky
Have you ever found yourself confused when you’re standing at a garbage can with recycling, trash, and compost compartments? We don’t blame you. Some green film plastic bags are compostable, and some are green but no more compostable than your water bottle. And to make matters even more complicated, some of those “compostable” bags are only compostable in some facilities. And some are “biodegradable” but not “compostable.” All of this is caught up in a convoluted web of regulation, environmental concerns, and practicality. For a look at the tip of the iceberg, read this article from Civil Eats. And until all of this gets sorted out, we’re all going to continue scratching our heads when we get to the green, grey, and blue carts.
Black Gold for Farmboy Organics
We always love hearing from happy customers who see the value in our compost. For a little look into what one customer thinks, take a look at Farmboy Organics. This is what we’re all about: making quality food from quality compost.
CARB Regulations and Compost
Any press is good press? Not always. Cold Creek Compost is happy to make the news in AgAlert’s latest publication, but the article points out a tricky subject in our industry. California is well-known for its stringent environmental regulation, and Cold Creek Compost has long felt the strain of those regulations. While our primary function – composting waste – is good for the planet, there are many steps in the process that have environmental impacts. AgAlert’s article points out that diesel, which is the primary fuel for shipping and processing organics, is subject to strict environmental regulations that are becoming increasingly costly to meet. Our industry, and the trucking industry on which we rely, has no choice but to increase our rates to be able to afford to comply with regulations. Next time you wonder why our delicious compost costs so much, know that a large part of that cost goes to making our processes cleaner, albeit more expensive.
Photo credit: AgAlert/Caleb Hampton
Sway the Future with Seaweed
How do we make the world a better place? We Sway the Future. Specifically, we reduce our dependence on petroleum plastics by switching to better alternatives, like seaweed-based plastics. It’s no secret that the occasional plastic bag ends up in the compost bin. Imagine if that plastic simply composted like a piece of paper or a leaf of seaweed… Our job would certainly be easier. We were happy to work with Sway to do some pilot tests on the viability of their bio-based plastic products in our compost. Spoiler Alert: it composts great!
Sway was recently featured in this Business Insider piece, and they gave Cold Creek Compost a shout-out.
Peace & Plenty Farm – Saffron
One of our favorite customers is Peace & Plenty Farm. Among other tasty treats, they produce saffron by the bushel. Anyone concerned about low cannabis prices might look to saffron as an alternative; it goes for $5,000 per pound! Read a little about their farm here. Photo by Thomas J. Story.
Understanding Compost and Fertilizer
If you want healthy fields and big yields, you need fertilizer, right? Yes, you do, but it’s not as simple as that. Pouring a bag of blue powder on your fields gives the plants the N-P-K they need, but there’s a lot more to happy plants than those three letters. Compost gives your soil structure, sequesters carbon, improves water retention, provides microbial activity, and improves your fields in countless other ways. What makes Cold Creek Compost’s Agrow-Blend compost special is it acts as a fertilizer and a compost at the same time. Our unique manure/compost blend provides fertilizer at less cost than a chemical fertilizer, while boosting your soil in all the ways that compost does. For more, read this article from Kiss The Ground.
Cost-Effective Cannabis
Cannabis market got you down? We’re here to help! Using Cold Creek Compost, you can get high-quality product for a fraction of the cost. If you don’t have the budget to replace your planter mix with new soil every year, you can amend your existing soil with our compost. Agrow-Blend Compost rejuvenates old soil by providing new fertilizer content, enhancing soil structure, and reinvigorating the soil’s microbiology. Just till in some compost and you’re good to go! To hear how it’s worked for others, read this story from MendoFever.
Spend Less, Grow More
We’ve talked about it before, but it’s worth repeating: farming with compost saves you money. And if you use our chicken manure compost, you’ll save even more money. This article explains a case study finding that applying compost to almond orchards increases annual returns per acre by $1,170. See the full article here.
Sonoma County Compost Rebates Available
If you’re applying Cold Creek Compost’s Agrow-Blend compost in Sonoma County, you’re eligible to receive a 10% rebate from Zero Waste Sonoma! It’s easy to sign up, just head over to the application website.
Fertilizer Prices Skyrocketing
In these volatile times, we’re seeing radical changes in every industry. When it comes to agriculture, prices are going through the roof, whether it’s fuel, fertilizer, or farm tools. To get a sense of how this is impacting the industry, take a look at this Modern Farmer article. While there’s nothing we can do to lower the price of diesel, we can help reduce your fertilizer cost. Compost is cheaper, more effective, and better than chemical fertilizer in more ways than we can list, and lots of farmers are catching on. On top of that, it’s better for the environment. Here’s a breakdown of the value of the nutrients in our compost. You won’t find a chemical fertilizer that can beat our value.
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Cold Creek Compost is proud to be featured in the children's book Composting Abbie, a tale of how a whale can be composted, and how a tragedy can be turned into an opportunity.
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