654: Alyssa Brodsky on Composting for Profit.
Building a Network of Neighborhood Compost Hubs.
Editor’s Note: We also interviewed Sarah from Food2Soil. Listen to podcast episode 416: Sarah Boltwala-Mesina on Community Composting
In This Podcast:
Do good and earn a profit? Sign us up! Alyssa Brodsky explains Food2Soil, a program in San Diego that creates soil farmers, people who get paid for turning food scraps from homes and restaurants into rich compost. She passionately describes how the program works, how she got involved, and the many ways the program has positively impacted both the environment and the participants. Alyssa also provides some tips for anyone considering a similar program in their own community.
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Our Guest:
Alyssa Brodsky is a Soil Farmer at Food2Soil, as well as their “Web Builder”, meaning she is working to expand the Food2Soil web of decentralized community composting hubs throughout the city of San Diego, including policy work and participant outreach. She served in the Peace Corps working in agriculture for 3 years in Madagascar and with her partner is starting her own market garden farm. Alyssa is fueled by outrage that food scraps are considered “waste”, and by awe in the beauty of the composting process.
Photo credit: Matingas Photography
Listen in and learn about:
-
- Alyssa’s early exposure to composting
- Wooofing in France
- Beginning with animal sciences
- Trash Tour USA 2019 – 3 weeks with her father
- “Wooofing”- Worldwide Opportunities On Organic Farms
- The job of a soil farmer
- Details of the Food2Soil program
- Profit…There always has to be profit.
- Greens for nitrogen, browns for carbon
- How Food2Soil began
- Sources of food waste
- The power of just 6 buckets a week
- Things to consider before starting something similar in your neighborhood
- Impact on the soil farmers (beyond profit)
- Environmental impact
- 357 tons of food waste diverted since Food2Soil started in 2015
As well as:
Her failure – “Rather than seeing something as a failure, we think “OK, that didn’t work”.”
Her success – “There’s nothing that I would personally take credit for” however “I do see a success in taking advantage of this opportunity.”
Her drive – “I want to feed people.”
Her advice – “Don’t waste your time.”
Alyssa’s Farmer Friday episode:
645: Composting for Your Neighbors
Alyssa’s Book recommendation:
Teaming with Microbes; The Organic Gardener’s Guide to the Soil Food Web by Jeff Lowenfels
How to reach Alyssa:
Website: www.food2soil.net
Email: info@food2soil.net
Editor’s Note:
You can learn more about Food2Soil in podcast episode 416: Sarah Boltwala-Mesina on Community CompostingUrbanFarm.org/food2soil
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