Maine Compost School

Field Trip Schedule

On Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons, students will be visiting different commercial, community and farm composting sites.

Monday Afternoon

·         Gene Dube (Pat Jackson/Tri-city Septic), Belgrade

This site in Belgrade, Maine has a containerized (invessel) compost system designed and built by Green Mountain Technologies. As of June, 2003, it is the only system of this type in Maine. The site also includes a dewatering facility for the septage and a windrow compost operation. The Green Mountain Technologies containers are used as the first stage of the compost process in which the requirements for pathogen and vector attraction reduction are met. The partially composted material is then placed in turned windrows to complete the composting process.

Tuesday Afternoon

·         Wilton Sludge Compost Facility, Wilton (photo)
The Wilton Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) Compost Facility is located in the rural community of Wilton, Maine.  The treatment plant annually produces 500 to 700 cubic yards of sludge (18% to 20% solids content) which is composted in an adjacent shed using an aerated static pile composting method.  The sludge is pre-mixed with woodshavings on a concrete mixing pad.  The mixture is then mixed in a ‘Reel Augie’ mixer. The piles are formed over single pieces of 8 to 12 inch diameter PVC pipe.  A portable, gas-powered blower is periodically hooked up to the pipes to provide supplemental aeration throughout the composting process.  Finished compost is distributed back to the community at no cost.  While at this facility, participants will observe the “inner workings” of a successful low-tech approach to solving a small municipality’s compost needs.
 

·         Living Acres, New Sharon (photo)

Living Acres produces agricultural compost products at its site in New Sharon.  Tony Ramsey has made many interesting uses and modifications of farm equipment in this enterprise. Adapting and modifying equipment is a real specialty that helps cut their overhead costs.
 

  • Sandy River Recycling Association, Farmington

Sandy River Recycling composts food from the University of Farmington and Franklin Memorial Hospital with leaves from the Town of Farmington, shredded cardboard and horse bedding from the Farmington Fairgrounds.  Located at Sandy River Recycling, it uses a turned windrow system.  The facility was built with a $20,000 grant from the State Planning Office.

Wednesday Afternoon

  • Hawk Ridge Compost Facility, Unity Plantation

    This is the largest sludge compost facility in the state.  The ingredients used include bedding from laboratory animals, wood shavings/sawdust and sludge.  An invessel system, known as the Dutch Tunnel system is used.  The facility uses a large pugmill mixer to premix the ingredients which are then loaded into the tunnels.  Aeration is provided by blowing air up through slots in the floor. The facility also has a large outside curing area and a biofilter for treating exhaust gasses from the tunnels.  The product is primarily sold in bulk for large construction jobs.
     
  • Kinney Compost, Thorndike

    This operation is based on an organic livestock and crop farm in Thorndike, Maine.   The inputs include animal bedding, sawdust/shavings and fish processing by-products.  A simple windrow process is used in which the material is turned with available farm equipment.  In the past most of the product was sold in bulk, but recently, a bagging operation has been added.  The product is selling under the name ‘Kinney Compost’.

Thursday Afternoon

  • Lewiston/Auburn Water Pollution Control Authority, Lewiston (photo)
    The Lewiston/Auburn Water Pollution Control Authority (LAWPCA) serves a population of 90,000 residents and has been successfully re-using its sewage sludge since the early 1980’s.  The facility utilizes an agitated bin, in-vessel system engineered by Longwood Manufacturing Corporation.  The system consists of six, 210 foot long by 9 foot wide by 7 foot high composting bins.  Each bin floor is porous and supplemental aeration is provided along its entire length, to enhance active, aerobic composting.  Compost mixtures are also turned by overhead mixers, which travel on rails located on top of each compost bin sidewall.  The LAWPCA facility operates from October through June of each year.
     
  • Highmoor Farm, Monmouth

Highmoor Farm is the fruit and vegetable research farm owned and operated by the University of Maine.  Beginning in 2001, Highmoor has provided the site, labor and equipment for several groundbreaking compost trials conducted by the Maine Compost Team.  These trials have researched the feasibility of several approaches to composting large animal carcasses and wastes from slaughterhouses.  They have also included trials of grinding equipment for reducing bones associated with these wasters.  Results from these trials were the inspiration for putting together a national symposium on composting these problematic wastes in May 2005.

Since 2002, Highmoor Farm has been host to the Maine Compost School.

At each site operators freely share their information and answer questions that students may have.  

On Friday, the optional Certificate Exam will be given. Students will also have the opportunity to complete their course evaluation form. 

Home