City Folks Got Trash, Farmers Got Dirt: Let’s Build a Bridge Together

Turning food scraps into fertilizer—and partnerships into power.
By Erica Plants, Gardening Under Influence 🌱

Y'all, I read this article out of India and whew—my brain lit up.

City officials started teaming up with farmers on the outskirts to compost their food waste. No million-dollar trucks. No fancy machines. Just sorted scraps, cow dung, a little moisture, and community rhythm. That’s it. In a few months, that waste turned into rich, living compost—and more importantly, it never hit the landfill.

They kept over 3,000 tons of food waste out the trash system and gave it straight to farmers who turned it into something useful. Their yield? 30% of the original weight turned into compost. That’s better than most U.S. city programs using high-cost facilities. All from decentralized, grassroots partnerships.

And I thought: We could do this right here, right now. In the South. In the city. On our porches. In our church gardens. Matter fact, some of us already are.

🥚 Local Inspiration: Epic Compost in Florida

My good friend James Weston who is know by Farmer Boy James is doing this already with his program, Epic Compost in North Florida. He collects food scraps from folks who care, composts them with care, and turns them into rich black soil. And as a bonus? He’s out here delivering eggs along the way. Full-circle food justice.

James has been a beloved example of how compost isn’t just for the country—it’s for any community with scraps, spirit, and some know-how.

✊🏽 Black Composters Been Doing the Work

James is one example—but I also want to shine a light on the many Black-led composting programs doing this work across the U.S. These aren’t just “green” programs. They’re healing, they’re job-creating, they’re community-centered.

🛠️ Soilful City – Washington, DC

Founded by Xavier Brown, this program connects Black communities with ancestral practices of land stewardship, composting, and food justice.

🚲 BK ROT – Brooklyn, NY

Youth-led. Bike-powered. Brown and Black excellence. BK ROT turns neighborhood food waste into compost and trains young folks while doing it.

🌍 Compost Power – Oakland, CA

Helping Black and Brown folks set up compost hubs in churches, yards, and mutual aid gardens—especially in neighborhoods that’ve been systemically under-resourced.

These programs are proof: Composting is not some luxury. It’s a legacy.

🐔 Got Chickens or Rabbits? You Already Got Compost Power

If you’ve got chickens, rabbits, or even just kitchen scraps—you’re halfway there. Rabbit manure is cold compost—it can be used directly or mixed with browns to jump-start a compost pile. Chicken manure is hot—it needs to be composted first, but it’s gold when managed right.

Add shredded paper, dried leaves, sawdust, and food scraps. Keep it moist like a wrung-out sponge. Let it heat. Turn it every couple of weeks. Boom—compost in 60–90 days.

This doesn’t take acres. You can do it with a tote bin, a pallet pile, or a 4x4 backyard square.

🏙️ Don’t Have Land? Link With Someone Who Does

If you’re not ready to compost yourself, see who’s doing it nearby.
Here’s what to ask:

• Does your city or county offer compost drop-off?

• Any local farms or community gardens collecting scraps?

• Any churches, schools, or homesteads doing it quietly already?

• Are there youth programs needing composting projects?

This is where we start building bridges. One bag of food scraps at a time. One relationship at a time.

💭 E's Takeaway

India built a decentralized system that works. Farmers get compost. Cities reduce waste. Nobody’s waiting on a million-dollar contract.

Here in the U.S., folks like James, Xavier, and the youth at BK ROT are already leading by example.
It’s time for more of us to follow their lead—or better yet, join hands and build new ones.

Let’s stop treating food waste like trash. It’s a resource. A tool. A gift to the land.

So whether you’re composting on a fire escape, a church plot, or a full-out farm—just know:
You’re part of something bigger. You’re part of the regeneration.

🌱 Need seeds that thrive in compost-rich soil?
Shop food security bundles, soil-healing herbs, and edible plants at https://plantandheal.com

@GardeningUnderInfluence – Grow with what you got.