Community Composting Program for Montrose & Surrounding Areas (Colorado)

Your Composting Subscription

To offer the Community Composting Program, the following fees are associated with the program for residential composters:

*Your pickup fee is based on how many miles you are from Main St. & Townsend Ave. in Montrose, Colorado. Plus how many others in your area are signed up for. Get your neighbors involved and you have the potential to drop it down to zero!

The registration fee includes a composting bucket, detailed instructions, and a month’s supply of Kashi Blend (compost accelerator). And, of course, we are always just a phone call away to help you out!

Your credit card will be charged each month. You can exchange your bucket as many times as needed throughout the month at one of the below drop-off locations. When you need more Kashi Blend, you will need to go to Build-A-Soil during business hours or meet us at one of the local farmer markets to replenish your supply.

Drop-Off Locations

You have several options for exchanging your composting bucket for a fresh one, which includes:

• Behind Yoga House on Main Street behind the studio at the compost exchange (code provided upon registration)
• At Build-A-Soil on Townsend Avenue during regular business hours
• At Montrose Farmer’s Market (Summer & Winter Market ONLY)
• At Ridgway Farmer’s Market (Summer ONLY)

Additional Tips to Compost Successfully with Bokashi:

• You can never add too much Kashi Blend, but you really shouldn’t need to use more than one pound when filling a 5-gallon bucket.
• The more liquids and oils you add to your composting bucket, the more often you will need to use the spigot to drain it. The microorganisms cannot do their job submerged in liquids. This liquid can be poured safely down your drains, including those with septic. It actually works as a natural drain cleaner.
• You can also drain the liquid from your bokashi bucket, commonly called leachate, and use it as a fertilizer in the garden. Please note: It needs to be diluted in water at a ratio of 1:500 (1 ounce per gallon) due to the high acidity of the liquid.
• You will want to avoid placing completely rotten or moldy (blue or green) food in the bucket as well. When you add too much of these types of foods, it can cause the bokashi bucket to go bad and you definitely don’t want that!
• If you notice black or green mold forming in your bucket, add more Kashi Blend to the bucket to try and mitigate the issue.
• If you notice white mold in your bucket, it’s okay. The microorganisms are hard at work fermenting your food scraps for you. Please note: It is not necessary for “white mold” to form for the food scraps to ferment and if you’re opening the bucket continuously “white mold” will not form until the 7 to 10 day incubation period when there are truly anaerobic conditions.
• To learn more about composting with bokashi, visit our educational hub here.