+ Where do you serve?
We offer composting service to the St. Louis Metro area. Complete the first page of sign up to make sure we serve your particular area.
+ What does it cost?
Every other week pick up is $21/month.
Weekly pick up is $31/month.
Drop off service is $12/month.
Office, commercial and event options are custom quoted.
+ Can I share with a friend?
Of course! Fill that bucket up however you can with a neighbor or a friend. You'll have to have one person on file for location and payment though.
+ What can go in my compost?
Anything from the food spectrum--plant based, meats, dairy, etc. Common things that we see that do not belong: liquids, staples, objects with plastic coating, paper that is shiny, Q-tips, fruit stickers, pet waste, products labeled "compostable" (these require a commercial processing facility). See here for more details.
+ Where should I leave my compost bucket?
When you sign up, you'll be prompted to tell us the most convenient and safe place to leave your bucket. Many folks leave their buckets on their front steps or near the entrance to their building, but depending on your situation, such as a back entrance apartment, you can specify a back patio, etc.
+ Should I keep my compost bucket inside?
We ask that you keep your bucket somewhere inside in between pick ups to avoid problems with pests. The lids seal tight, so there is no smell! The four gallon bucket is a bit large to sit on your counter, so we do suggest a ceramic (or similar) countertop bucket with a filter; you can keep your green bucket in a pantry, kitchen cabinet, or other out-of-the-way spot, then, just dump your countertop container into your bucket every few days as needed!
+ What if I lose or break my compost bucket?
You will be charged a $15 replacement cost.
+ Do I get compost back?
We offer compost back after 3 months of subscription for our residential pickup service, each fall & spring.
+ Where do you do your composting and farming?
We compost some of the food scraps on our own property here in Old North. We work closely with our neighbors, Old North St. Louis Restoration Group, Missouri Coalition for the Environment, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, and city officals to make sure we are in line with all applicable laws and regulations and that we are being good neighbors. When we reach capacity we take our food scraps to local industrial composting facilities that we have partnerships with.
Our farming takes place on formerly vacant lots here in Old North. We have brought in clean dirt, added compost, and tested the soil to make sure it's safe for growing produce as once upon a time there were 100+ year old houses on this land.
+ How do you compost?
We use a method called aerated static composting. It's ideal for city composting because the piles are contained in bins, covered in mulch and often have lids on the top to prevent smells and other issues. The pile also does not have to be turned with a pitchfork because a PVC pipe is buried under the pile and hooked up to a blower that cycles on and off. Our piles get up to 160F+ easily, which cooks out the bad bacteria, pests, and weed seeds. Intrigued? You can read more about aerated static composting systems in general with our expert consultant Peter Moon. (Note we don't compost manures.)
+ Why compost?
There is something magical and glorious about this ancient art. Mounds of scraps sporadically heat up. Tiny life takes over and releases nutrients. Carbon is captured and returned to the earth. Trash mountains (landfills) could be reduced by up to 30% (!) if all food waste was diverted and composted! What was once considered waste is now rich earth. We love it!
+ Where all does your service area include?
Our service area for our residential services includes most of the St. Louis metro area east of I-270. Our commercial services may extend beyond I-270.
The following neighborhoods and cities are included in our home composting service area.
Academy Neighborhood, Affton, Bella Villa, Benton Park Neighborhood, Benton Park West Neighborhood, Bevo Mill Neighborhood, Botanical Heights Neighborhood, Boulevard Heights Neighborhood, Brentwood, Broadway, Carondelet, Carr Square, Central West End, Cheltenham, Clayton, Clayton-Tamm, Clifton Heights, College Hill, Columbus Square, Compton Heights, Covenant Blu Grand Center, Crestwood, Crystal Lake Park, DeBaliviere Place, Des Peres, Downtown, Downtown West, Dutchtown, Ellendale, Fairground, Forest Park Southeast, Fountain Park, Fox Park, Franz Park, Frontenac, Glendale, Grantwood, Grantwood Village, Gratiot, Gravois Park, Hamilton Heights, Hi Pointe, Holly Hills, Huntleigh, Hyde Park, Jeff-Vander-Lou, Kings Oak, Kingsway East, Kingsway West, Kirkwood, Kosciusko, Ladue, Lafayette Square, Lake Junction, LaSalle Park, Lewis Place, Lindenwood Park, Mackenzie, Maplewood, Marine Villa, Mark Twain, Mark Twain I-70 Industrial, McKinley Heights, Meacham Park, Midtown, Mount Pleasant, Near North Riverfront, North Hampton, O'Fallon Neighborhood, Oakland, Old North St. Louis Neighborhood, Olivette, Patch Neighborhood, Peabody Darst Webbe Neighborhood, Penrose Neighborhood, Princeton Heights Neighborhood, Richmond Heights, Rock Hill, Saint Louis, Sappington, Shaw Neighborhood, Shrewsbury, Skinker DeBaliviere Neighborhood, Soulard Neighborhood, Southampton Neighborhood, Southwest Garden Neighborhood, St. Louis Hills Neighborhood, St. Louis Place Neighborhood, Sunset Hills, The Gate District Neighborhood, The Greater Ville Neighborhood, The Hill Neighborhood, The Ville Neighborhood, Tiffany Neighborhood, Tower Grove East Neighborhood, Tower Grove South Neighborhood, University City, Vandeventer Neighborhood, Visitation Park Neighborhood, Walnut Park East Neighborhood, Walnut Park West Neighborhood, Warson Woods, Webster Groves, Wells Goodfellow Neighborhood, Wellston, West End Neighborhood, Westwood, Wilbur Park, Windsor Springs, Woodhine Heights, Wydown Skinker Neighborhood
+ Where can I compost if outside of service area?
Feel free to email us with your name and address and we will do our best to refer you to another area community composter.
john@newearth.farm
