Compost Events & Updates

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Compost Events

BACKYARD COMPOSTING WORKSHOPS

Our Backyard Composting Workshops allow those who attend to get an understanding of how to get started composting in their own backyards. Each workshop lasts for about 1.5 hours and attendees receive one free backyard compost tumbler and one free food scrap collection bin. These workshops are hosted in conjunction with our Compost Project partners.

More information about upcoming workshops will be posted here when it becomes available. If you'd like to be the first to know when tickets for our events go on sale, follow our Eventbrite to be notified.

May 4, 2024 Composting Workshop at CAC Beardsley Farm


Another Backyard Composting Workshop is here! This workshop will be held May 4th, 2024 from 10 AM to 11:30AM at CAC Beardsley Community Farm (1741 Reynolds St). Dr. Chad Hellwinckel of the University of Tennessee and City Possum Farm will speak during the workshop. Attendees will receive 1 free backyard compost tumbler & 1 countertop food scrap collection bin per household! Tickets go live April 19th, 2024 at 10AM. We look forward to seeing you there!

Stay tuned for updates!



Compost Updates


Free Compost Bins for Community Gardens

Free compost bin for community gardens flyer

Interested in producing and using your own compost? The City of Knoxville, CAC Beardsley Farm, and the Knox County Community Gardens and Growers Alliance are seeking applications from established community gardens interested in a FREE three-bin, lidded composting system. Fill out our Google form here to apply for your community garden!

USDA Grant Award: Community Compost and Food Waste Reduction (CCFWR)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released news of a funding opportunity for local governments across America to host a Community Compost and Food Waste Reduction pilot project in 2020. The CCFWR program aimed to encourage and promote urban, indoor, and other emerging agricultural practices to reduce food waste and expand community composting efforts. The grant was made possible through funds from the American Rescue Plan Act. The City of Knoxville applied for the grant in 2022 and was awarded funding in March 2023. 

Today, those funds are being used to expand the scope of The Knoxville Compost Project. There are now multiple food scrap drop-off sites, free backyard composting workshops, and other opportunities for residents to get involved!


Nourish Knoxville: Saturday Farmers' Market

Nourish Knoxville is a non-profit organization that supports healthy communities by shortening the distance between local farmers, producers, and the public. Their Saturday Market Square Farmers' Market hosts a multitude of vendors within a 150-mile radius of the Knoxville area.

With the expansion of The Knoxville Compost Project, the City of Knoxville Waste and Resources Management Office is partnering with Nourish Knoxville to host a food scrap drop-off bin at their Saturday Farmers' Market (open 9 AM to 1 PM) from May 6 to November 18. The food scrap bin will be located at our Compost Info Table on the Market Square Stage, facing out toward Wall Ave. A map with the location of the booth can be found here.