CUBA, NY - You are invited to the Cuba Community Compost meeting brought to you by students in Cuba-Rushford Central School and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Allegany County. The Cuba Cultural Center is hosting this event on June 12, from 12-2pm, and all restaurants, businesses, institutions, and local residents are welcome to join. Come to increase your awareness of the benefits of composting, learn what is required to begin composting food waste, and discuss the barriers to successful composting with possible solutions.
The idea for this compost training came from students of Cuba-Rushford CSD Agriculture teacher, Carly Santangelo. Santangelo started her position at Cuba-Rushford in September 2018 and very quickly became a champion for sustainability within the district. The high school started composting in the Fall of 2018, and as of this spring, the Elementary school will join in this initiative. "Everyone I work with has been so supportive of our project" says Santangelo, "there have been some learning curves, but we feel that composting is one way we can all do our part to reduce pollution, and create healthy soil, and keep food waste out of our landfills".
The composting program at Cuba-Rushford Central School District was started by the Cuba-Rushford FFA Chapter with support from a Living to Serve Grant funded by the National FFA Organization. The Cuba-Rushford FFA’s goal is to divert 2,000 pounds of food waste from the landfill to be properly composted and then applied to their school gardens. This compost serves as a source of nutrients for vegetable crops that are served in the cafeteria and donated to the Cuba Cultural Center. "I'm very excited that more districts are interested in composting their food waste" states Cassandra Bull, Farm to School Coordinator at the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Allegany County. "It is important to actively plan and orchestrate a program that addresses both how we procure food sustainably but also how we treat our food waste once it leaves our students’ plates in the cafeteria".
Anyone interested in composting in their home or office is encouraged to attend. For more information, call Cassandra Bull at 585-268-7644 ext. 25 or email her at cb775@cornell.edu. The Farm to School & Ag in the Classroom Program is one of many programs offered by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Allegany County. They put knowledge to work in pursuit of economic vitality, ecological sustainability and social well-being. Cornell Cooperative Extension offices bring local experience and research-based solutions together, helping New York State families and communities thrive in our rapidly changing world. Cornell University Cooperative Extension provides equal program and employment opportunities.
