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.
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Our next workshop is on Saturday, October 19th, 2024 at Ijams Visitor Center. It will be taught by Dr. Chad Hellwinckel from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM. Registration will open on October 4th at 10:00 AM on our Eventbrite page. Please set a reminder as tickets sell out fast. We hope to see you there!
Free Compost Bins for Community Gardens
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 partners with Nourish Knoxville to host a food scrap drop-off bin at their Summer Saturday Farmers' Market (open 9 AM to 1 PM) from May to November & their Winter Saturday Farmers' Market (10 AM to 2 PM) from December to March. The food scrap bin is located at the Compost Info Table on the Market Square Stage during the summer market, and at the Market Info Booth during the winter market. A map with the location of these booths can be found here.