Maine Compost School 2026 Schedule
MONDAY
8:00 a.m. Registration
8:30 a.m. Welcome, Introduction of Participants, Introduction to the Course, Mark King, Organics Management Specialist, Maine DEP—Director of Maine Compost School
9:00 a.m. Biology of Composting, Mark Hedrich, Nutrient Management Program Manager, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
9:45 a.m. Composting Methods & Systems, Mark King
10:30 a.m. Break
10:45 a.m. Compost Feedstocks – Characteristics, Types, Potential Problems, Complementary and C:N, Mark Hedrich
11:45 a.m. Lunch on-site
12:30 p.m. Compost Feedstocks (Cont.)– Laboratory Exercise, Maine Compost Team
2:00 p.m. Compost Math 101, Nick Rowley, Extension Educator, University of Maine Cooperative Extension
2:30 p.m. Break
2:45 p.m. Innovative Uses of Compost, Mark King
3:30 p.m. Maine Compost Team—Team Exercises
4:00 p.m. Wrap-up
TUESDAY
8:00 a.m. Pile Management, Mark King
9:00 a.m. Break
9:15 a.m. Pile Management – Field Exercise, Mark King 10:30 a.m.
10:45 a.m. Compost Equipment – Functions, Types, and Safe Use of Equipment (onsite), Nick Rowley
11:30 a.m. Lunch onsite
12:15 p.m. Trouble-shooting the compost piles (Part 1), Mark King
1:15 p.m. Trouble-shooting the compost piles (Part 2) outdoor activity, Mark King and Maine Compost Team
2:30 p.m. Break
2:45 p.m. The Economics of Composting, Nick Rowley
3:45 p.m. Field Trip Preview, Team
4:00 p.m. Wrap-up
WEDNESDAY – FIELD TRIPS
7:45 am Students arrive at school
8:00 am Depart Highmoor Farm – Monmouth—8:00 am Sharp!
Travel to Rainbow Valley Farm
8:45 am ETA Rainbow Valley Farm
9:15 am Depart Rainbow Valley Farm
10:00 am ETA Farmington Recycling Center
10:45 am Depart Farmington Falls Recycling Center
11:00 am ETA Living Acres – New Sharon
12:30 pm Depart Living Acres- New Sharon
12:35 pm ETA 438 Farmington Falls – New Sharon
1:00 pm Depart 438 Farmington Falls- New Sharon
2:30 pm ETA 56 Trapp Rd. Auburn ME
3:00 pm Depart 56 Trapp Rd. Auburn ME
3:45 pm ETA Little River Compost
4:45 pm Depart Little River Compost
5:30 pm ETA Highmoor Farm (End day)
THURSDAY
8:00 a.m. Start Solvita Test
8:30 a.m. Recipe Development (classroom) – Reading Feedstock Analysis –Hands-On Inside Activity, Mark Hedrich
9:30 a.m. Recipe Development (classroom) – Hands-On Outside Activity, Maine Compost Team
10:30 a.m. Break
10:45 a.m. Recipe Development—Doing the Math, Mark Hedrich
11:15 a.m. Quality, Maturity and End Uses, Mark King
12:15 p.m. Read Solvita
12:30 p.m. Lunch onsite
1:15 p.m. Composting Site Selection and Management-Michael Parker, OHMS II, Maine Department of Environmental Protection
2:15 p.m. Break
2:30 p.m. Sizing your compost pad—Doing the math, Mike Parker
3:00 p.m. Site Development Outdoor Exercise—Designing your site, Maine Compost Team
4:00 p.m. Wrap-up
FRIDAY
8:00 a.m. Compost Utilization in Agriculture, Dr. Peyton Ginakes: University of Maine Research Assistant,
9:00 a.m. Compost Application Rates, Nick Rowley
10:00 a.m. Break
10:15 a.m. Composting in Your Community, Mark King
11:00 a.m. Compost Tea, What You Need to Know, Nick Rowley
11:45 a.m. Compost Tea, What You Need to Know, Nick Rowley
12:30 p.m. Test Review
1:00 p.m. Certification Exam, Course Evaluation
2:15 p.m. Wrap-up and Depart for Home!
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