Oklahoma Compost and Sustainability Association

Harvesting Your Compost: Sifter Demo

Crystal Walker — Fri, 22 Aug 2025 14:46:08 +0000

Join us Saturday, September 6 at the Oklahoma County Extension Office for Harvesting Your Compost: a Sifter Demonstration! Participants will learn why composting matters, how to sift and separate your worms when vermicomposting, and discover simple ways to make a sifter at home—no special tools required.

The first 15 households to register will receive a free sifter to take home! Register today for this FREE EVENT!

Let’s get sifty together.

Night of the Living Soil

Ofelia Ochoa — Sun, 13 Oct 2024 19:04:10 +0000

For a limited time, you can show your support for sustainability and composting in Oklahoma by joining or renewing your Oklahoma Compost and Sustainability Association (OCASA) membership—and receive an exclusive Compost Credit in the form of a spooky and eco-friendly “Night of the Living Soil” installation!

What Is “Night of the Living Soil”?

This seasonal campaign offers OCASA members a unique way to celebrate composting in a Halloween-themed fashion. A limited number of new or renewed members in central Oklahoma can opt in to receive a special tombstone and compost grave installation, delivered right to their home.

Here’s what’s included in the “Night of the Living Soil” package:

🪦 Customizable Tombstone: Handmade from reclaimed wood, each tombstone is placed at the head of your very own compost “grave,” bringing a spooky vibe to your yard while promoting sustainability.

🌱 Organic Compost: Fertile Ground Cooperative will deliver a “grave” of nutrient-rich, organic compost to your home—perfect for top-dressing your lawn, garden, or flowerbeds.

📲 Yard Sign with QR Code: A small yard sign (18×24 inches) will be placed next to the tombstone, linking visitors to OCASA’s website for composting tips, resources, and membership details. It’s a fun way to share composting knowledge with your neighbors while raising awareness about OCASA’s mission.

Where Is “Night of the Living Soil” Available?

This special offer is available to new or renewing 2024-25 OCASA members in central Oklahoma, including Oklahoma City, Edmond, Moore, Norman, Bethany, Mustang, Yukon, Nichols Hills, and other nearby areas.

What Can You Do After Halloween?

When the spooky season ends, you’ll have several options for your compost grave and tombstone:

Spread the Compost: Use the compost to enrich your lawn or garden as a natural, nutrient-rich top dressing.
Plant a Pollinator Garden: Request a packet of native wildflower seeds and transform the grave into a pollinator garden for bees and butterflies.
Keep the Tombstone Year-Round: Leave the tombstone up to continue spreading the word about OCASA and composting.
Recycle It: Don’t want to keep the tombstone all year? Simply return it to Fertile Ground Cooperative for reuse in next year’s “Night of the Living Soil” campaign!

How to Sign Up

Due to limited availability, we encourage you to sign up on our website (linked in bio) to claim your Compost Credit and secure your “Night of the Living Soil” installation. Don’t miss out on this fun, eco-friendly way to support composting in Oklahoma!

If you have any questions, feel free to give us a spooky shout, howl at the moon, or simply email us at info@okcompostconference.org.

Get ready to compost like never before and help spread the word—one spooky grave at a time!

Get your compost grave today!

2024 Oklahoma Compost Conference

Ofelia Ochoa — Sun, 13 Oct 2024 18:47:28 +0000

Since its inception in 2015, the Oklahoma Compost Conference has been a vital platform for exploring how composting can benefit local communities, businesses, and the environment. Organized by passionate advocates of sustainability, the conference brings together individuals and organizations who believe that composting holds the key to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future for Oklahoma.

Now in its tenth year, the 2024 Oklahoma Compost Conference, hosted by the Oklahoma Compost and Sustainability Association (OCASA), is set to deliver another insightful and impactful event. Whether you’re an experienced composter or just curious about how composting can make a difference in your home, garden, or business, this year’s conference offers something for everyone.

What to Expect at the 2024 Conference

The conference will feature a variety of talks, workshops, and demonstrations that cover a broad range of composting practices. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about:

Agricultural Composting: Discover how composting can play a crucial role in farming, from soil enrichment to waste management on a large scale.
Backyard Composting: Perfect for individuals and families who want to compost at home, this session will cover the basics and beyond, ensuring that even beginners can get started.
Urban and Business Composting: Learn how cities, municipalities, and businesses are implementing composting programs to reduce waste, cut costs, and contribute to sustainability goals.

The event will attract a diverse audience, including local governments, municipalities, construction, landscaping, and solid waste companies, consulting firms, students, and backyard gardeners. This diversity ensures a rich exchange of knowledge, experience, and innovative ideas, all centered around the positive impact of composting.

Become a Member of OCASA and Save on Your Conference Registration!

If you’re passionate about composting and sustainability, consider becoming a member of OCASA! As an OCASA member, you’ll be part of a community dedicated to advancing composting practices in Oklahoma. Plus, when you register for the conference, you’ll receive a $20 discount on your OCASA membership.

Individual Membership: Regularly $40 annually, now just $20 with conference registration.
Student and Retiree Memberships: Only $20 annually.

Memberships run from October to September, so you’ll enjoy a full year of benefits, including access to exclusive resources, networking opportunities, and updates on composting initiatives across the state. To learn more about OCASA memberships and to sign up, visit OCASA Membership.

Scholarships Available!

OCASA is committed to making the conference accessible to all. That’s why we’re offering scholarships to cover the cost of attendance for those in need. For more information on how to apply, please contact us at info@okcompostconference.org.

Join Us in 2024 for the Oklahoma Compost Conference!

Whether you’re a local government official looking to reduce municipal waste, a business owner exploring sustainable practices, or a gardener aiming to enrich your soil, the Oklahoma Compost Conference has something to offer. By coming together to share knowledge and strategies, we can build a more sustainable future for Oklahoma and beyond.

We look forward to seeing you there! 🌿

For more information or to register, visit Oklahoma Compost Conference or reach out to us at info@okcompostconference.org.

BUY YOUR TICKET NOW!

International Compost Awareness Week 2024

Mark — Sun, 17 Mar 2024 19:02:04 +0000

International Compost Awareness Week happens annually on the first full week of May. OCASA was proud to coordinate the week of activities, along local partners, this past May 7th – 11th, culminating in our Compost Festival!

We had a full lineup of events:

Tuesday, May 7th: Teaching Composting at The Well in Norman, sessions at 12:00pm and 5:30pm.
Wednesday, May 8th: Vermicomposting class and screening of “Kiss the Ground” (movie) at OKC Metropolitan Downtown Library from 5:00pm – 9:00pm.
Thursday, May 9th: Screening of “Common Ground” (movie) at Rodeo Cinema stockyard OKC from 7:00pm to 9:00pm. OCASA members will receive a discount code to buy tickets for just $5!
Friday, May 10th: Social Hour at Sailor & The Dock, West Village OKC, from 5:00pm to 6:30pm.
Saturday, May 11th: Compost Festival at OKC’s Scissortail Park from 9:00am to 1:00pm.

It was great to see familiar faces and meet new compost-interested folks at these events!

Cultivating Change: Highlights from the Oklahoma Compost Conference 2023

Ofelia Ochoa — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 01:23:42 +0000

Thanks to all you compost enthusiasts who made it to this year’s Oklahoma Compost Conference! Your interest, registrations, and sponsorships made this conference possible, and for that, we are grateful.

The conference delivered a day filled with inspiration, education, and networking opportunities.Our theme, “Advocating for Solutions: Activating the Power of Compost,” drew in new supporters eager to explore the transformative potential of composting and how to advocate for the industry. The speakers, workshops, and panel discussions were impressive, according to your feedback and the board’s!

Linda Waldt-Norris, from the US Composting Council, set the tone with a powerful keynote on composting’s role in regenerative agriculture and climate change mitigation. She highlighted the impact the compost industry can have on environmental sustainability, sharing insights into its current state and potential to tackle climate challenges.

One memorable session led by Sarah Pottle from Rust Belt Fibershed explored the network of regenerative fiber farmers in the Rust Belt Region. Pottle showcased the possibilities of working with local resources, emphasizing a ‘soil to soil’ fashion and textile system that goes beyond traditional composting. She explained the need for a circular textile system and the creative possibilities it opens up. She revealed our nearest fibershed in the Ozarks.

The panel discussions reflected the diverse impacts of composting. The “Compost Youth Education” panel underscored the importance of teaching composting practices to K-12 students, showing the potential for youth-driven initiatives to shape a more sustainable future.

Another excellent panel, “Composting on the Hill,” brought Linda Norris Waldt and Nabilah Rawdah together to discuss the legislative aspects of composting advocacy. This session gave insights into navigating political landscapes and highlighted the need for joint efforts to drive policy changes supporting composting initiatives.

Marcus Long from the Oklahoma County Conservation District led a hands-on demonstration on soil erosion, a critical issue mitigated through compost use. We gained practical knowledge on erosion control techniques, reinforcing the real-world applications of compost.

The 9th annual Oklahoma Compost Conference was a success. I hope you left inspired and equipped with the knowledge needed to advocate for composting solutions in your communities. As you return to your respective spheres of influence, carry with you a renewed commitment to activating the transformative potential of compost for a more sustainable and regenerative future in Oklahoma and beyond. Cheers to composting!

2023 Compost Conference

Mark Walvoord — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 21:19:14 +0000

We hope you’ll join us for the upcoming Oklahoma Compost Conference on October 26, 2024 at the Eastern Oklahoma Technology Center in Choctaw. For our 9^th annual conference themed “Advocating for Solutions: Activating the Power of Compost,” attendees will not only learn about advocating for compost at home, in their communities, and in their cities, but will have opportunities for hands-on sessions and networking.

Our keynote speaker, Linda Norris Waldt, is the Advocacy and Chapters Director of the US Composting Council. She has been in the recycling industry for 29 years, and is part of the Frederick Compost Workgroup, a citizens advocacy group for composting and food waste in Frederick County, MD.

Other sessions include a look at regional fiber systems, a soil erosion demonstration, a backyard composting workshop, a look at food waste recovery at the institutional level, and a closing panel. Networking opportunities occur during sessions, at sponsor tables, and over the provided coffee, pastries, and lunch. As you might expect, this is a low-waste event, where attendees are encouraged to bring their own cup, mug, and/or silverware.

Visit our conference website to see the full conference schedule, our sponsors, and register information.

Conference Website

Getting Creative with Food Waste

Kasey Meek — Fri, 19 May 2023 16:22:17 +0000

Interested in alternative ways to utilize your food waste while boosting your garden?

Join us for our Getting Creative with Food Waste demonstration with board member Travis Andrews. Travis will explore ways to turn common household waste such as coffee grounds, fruit scraps and egg shells into natural fertilizers to help activate your garden!

This event is hosted at Scissortail Park’s Mid-Week Farmer’s Market.

May 31st, 5:00 – 6:00 PM. 1423 S. Robinson Ave, Oklahoma City

This event is FREE and open to the public. Register below!

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Compost Festival 2023

Mark — Mon, 01 May 2023 02:50:17 +0000

We hope you will join us to celebrate compost at this year’s Oklahoma Compost Festival on Saturday, May 13, as the culminating event of International Compost Awareness Week (May 7-13). This year’s festival, the 3rd annual for Oklahoma, will be located at OKC’s Scissortail Park (415 S. Robinson Ave., Love’s Travel Stop Great Stage and lawn) and will include:

9:00am-1:00pm, Compost Vendor and Activity Tabling
9:00-9:50am, Friends of the Earth Yoga
10:00-10:50am, Composting with Worms live demonstration and giveaway (free REGISTRATION below)
11:00-11:50am, How to Activate your Compost Pile (free REGISTRATION below)
12:00-12:50pm, Building a Community-Based Statewide Composting Effort: Interactive Panel Discussion (free REGISTRATION below)

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Backyard Composting – DIY Bin

Madison Bolton — Mon, 17 Oct 2022 02:16:37 +0000

Attendees came to learn about the basics of composting their food and organic waste in their own backyard. This demonstration, led by OCASA board members Keima Borsuah and Amanda Scofield, included information to get started composting, handouts for later reference, and demonstrations of building two different kinds of do-it-yourself (DIY) backyard bin options. At the end of the session, three attendees were randomly drawn to take home the bins we built during the workshop!

We asked participants to register using a form below (now removed), bring their questions, and get ready to compost all those fall leaves!

This event took place Saturday, October 29, 2022 at Scissortail Farmers Market in OKC from 10-11 a.m. on the Love’s Travel Stops Stage.

2022 Oklahoma Compost Conference

Madison Bolton — Thu, 13 Oct 2022 01:59:31 +0000

We hosted our 8^th Oklahoma Compost Conference on October 6, 2022, at Will Rogers Gardens in Oklahoma City! This year’s theme was Regener8, to convey the power of compost to regenerate soils, waters, and our lives. We had roughly 79 registrants and 20 sponsors and partners that donated their time and resources.

Sessions included a keynote by Brenda Platt, of the Institute for Local Self Reliance, special guest speaker Darren Midlane of Harvest Quest, local knowledge on biochar from Dr. Doug Hamilton (OSU), and a closing panel that included both of them plus OKC Sustainability Director, T.O. Bowman to wrap up the day. Other interactive sessions showed us the impacts of compost-amended soils on soil moisture retention, how to compost with worms or in your backyard, and a tour of the Will Rogers Gardens and compost functionalities. The details on composting permits with two state agencies were also so informative (ODAFF and ODEQ).

This year attendees had the opportunity to register and sign up to be a member of OCASA to receive special benefits all year long:

OCASA T-shirt
Discounted registration rate for our annual Oklahoma Compost Conference
Pre-Notification of upcoming workshops, Compost Festival (Spring), and Compost Conference (Fall) to register for limited seats
Priority responses from our OCASA board for compost troubleshooting and questions