The Composting Queen of Maplewood

Virginia Lamb Falconer could do for composting what Rachel Ray has done for 30-minute meals.

Spend a few minutes with Falconer in her backyard talking compost and you will want to run home and start your own project pronto quickie (I know I've already discussed it with my husband). Falconer brings a joy, intelligence and humor to the endeavor that is contagious.

"They're so happy!" Falconer exclaims about her bin of composting red worms. The worms break down kitchen waste quickly and are also great for aerating your garden.

Falconer also showed off her three large composting bins behind her garage. These bins are more traditional composting endeavors where "green" waste—grass cuttings and kitchen garbage that does not include animal product—mingle with "brown" waste—mostly leaves—to break down into soil over the course of weeks and months. The 2-to-1 brown to green ratio is needed to balance nitrogen and carbon and keep the composting progress moving along properly.

The end product is a rich soil that is a natural and appropriate enhancement for your garden. "Instead of a shot of MiracleGro, you are building a healthier soil and reducing your reliance on chemicals."

"It also goes to issues of water quality," said Falconer. "The nutrient quantities are lower and also stay in the soil longer."

Falconer explained how composting, along with recycling, is key to cutting down on the amount of waste that is hauled to landfills. Besides cutting down on the cost of hauling and the loss of space to landfills, you can help cut down on global warming: "Garbage creates methane which is 20 times more potent than carbon. It's shorter-lived but potent." Unfortunately, composting can't lower the amount of methane created by those "burping bovines," said Falconer.

In the Falconer household, all this composting and recycling has reduced the amount of trash that goes out to just a half-full tall kitchen garbage bag per week. No kidding. (For the record, there are four people in the house—Falconer, her husband and her 4th grade and 2nd grade children—plus a fish and a reptile.) The Falconers don't even put out leaves for pickup in the fall since they are used for composting.

Falconer's deep knowledge of composting is informed by her degree in environmental science and her years working as, first, a municipal recycling coordinator and then a county recycling coordinator in Freehold, NJ. Many locals know Falconer as a former manager of the Maplewood Village Alliance where she helped to spearhead a number of beautification projects including the Spring Cleanup (happening today!).

Falconer will be teaching a class on how to start your own compost pile this Saturday, April 24, 2010, at 10:00 a.m. at the Maplewood Department of Public Works, 359 Boyden Avenue. There is a $10 fee for the class. You may purchase your own enclosed compost bin and kitchen scrap bucket for an additional $50 from Public Works. Call DPW director Eric Burbank at 973-762-1175 to register and bring cash or checks payable to the Township of Maplewood. Registration deadline is Friday, April 23, 2010.