Roof top composting started for me at Quincy High School in 2001. We were working at the old high school building and I wanted to teach biology, math and technology through horticulture.
The roof leaked and we knew that we had to be cautious in what we did on the roof. Students put down tarps, we collected water from an upper roof in rain barrels and the organic soil mix use to collect much of the rain water. Each time it rained, I would go to the custodians and ask if there were any leaks in the auditorium. “No leaks”.
Composting was the key to our success growing early season vegetables. Looking back we talked about food security but that was just a term. Today with the coronavirus, food security is more than just a term.
The composter in the photograph was a model that we could open the door at the bottom and aerate the compost by moving partially composted materials from the bottom to the top. I think the three original compost bins are still being used in the horticulture classes at Quincy High School but in a new building and greenhouse space. By the way, that program has expanded to two sections. I am excited to see the way this program has evolved.
1 Square Foot at a Time 