Community Education

The Compost Centre is pleased to offer a broad range of workshops on composting, organic gardening, and environmental topics every year.

On the first Saturday of every month we offer a FREE two-hour Composting Basics workshop. Individuals may also register for any pre-scheduled workshop from our Sustainable Home and Garden Series.
If you are a member of a club or community group you can schedule a workshop or tour for your group.
For non-profit organizations, community groups and housing co-ops/stratas who want to start composting we are pleased to be offer our Compost for Climate and Community program, which provides and 2 hour workshop/site consultation, and subsidized start up composting supplies.

Composting Basics

Saturdays, once per month 10am to 12pm

Please pre-register: space is limmited

Dates: Feb 2, March 1, April 5, May 3, June 7, July 12, Aug 9, Sept 6, Oct 13, Nov 15

Sustainable Home and Garden Series

Saturdays 2pm to 4pm

Compost Club Members: Receive your first 2 workshops free! (Additional workshops $13.50)

Non-members: $15

Please pre-register: space is limmited

Please note: 48 hours cancellation notice is required for all workshops. If you do not cancel within that time and do not show up for the workshop, it will be counted as one of your free membership workshops.

Feb 2:	Planning Your Year Round Veggie Garden
Feb 23:	Cane Fruit Production
March 1:	Orchard Mason Bees *please note new date
March 29:	Introduction to Permaculture Principles
April 26:	Soil Building and "No Dig" Veggie Gardening
May 3:	Organic Weed and Pest Management
May 31:	Winter Veggie Gardening
June 7:	Chickens in the City
July 26:	Saving Water in the Food Garden
Sept 6:	"Do it Yourself" Garden Solutions/Technology
Sept 20:	Seed Saving
Sept 27:	Native Plants
Oct 4:	Marvellous Mushrooms
Oct 18:	Composting Toilets and Greywater Systems
Oct 25:	Backyard Food Forests

Group Workshops

Tours

Interactive Sustainability Tour

Come to our demonstration site and learn about different conservation techniques for the home and garden and how they work together.

Composting Basics

Learn the basics about composting in this two hour workshop. We cover the history of composting, various methods and specifics such as dynamic accumulators and compost activators, do's and don'ts for backyard bins. Be the change you want to see in the world - learn how to compost!

Compost for Climate and Community

Have you been looking for an opportunity to get your group involved in composting? Are you interested in having an impact on climate change? Then this program is for you! Did you know that composting is one way to reduce climate change?

We are pleased to offer this new program to make composting more accessible for community groups! For $35, plus the cost of subsidized composting supplies, program involvement includes:

A composting and climate change workshop- This 2 hour workshop will explain basic composting techniques, outline how composting can reduce climate change, and work with your community group to develop a composting system that works for you!
Access to subsidized composting supplies- Once your community group has had the workshop and determined what composting system works best for your situation, you can purchase supplies at a subsidized cost. (for a limited time only, click here to see restrictions.
Materials for joining the Black Gold Rush Challenge- The Black Gold Rush kit includes information on composting and climate change and all you need to to monitor your greenhouse gas emission reductions from composting.
Follow-up composting support- Program participants will receive follow-up support until November 2007 (should read some date in 2008) in the form of compost troubleshooting, use of the composting supplies, use of the Black Gold Calculator, informational materials, and/or on-site visits.

To participate fill out the application form and submit it to info@compost.bc.ca. To be eligible to participate in this program, your organization must:

Be a registered charity, a non-profit, a cooperative, community centre, or community group (for e.g. a church group, boys and girls club, neighbourhood association, etc.)
Have a minimum of 5 members
Have been in existence for at least one year
Be located within the Capital Regional District (Please note: Unfortunately we are not able to visit community groups located in the Gulf Islands or West of Sooke. Groups in these areas are welcome to apply, as long as you are able to come to the Compost Education Centre for the workshop.)
Have demonstrated interest and dedication to continue composting over the long-term.

If you are interested in participating, please contact us for an application form at 386-WORM or info@compost.bc.ca

Thank you to our project sponsors for making this program possible: