Closing the Food Waste Loop
Campaign Introduction:
With your Help We Can Close the Loop and Build Healthy Soil!
- Our Story
- Contributors
- Updates
- Discussion
Campaign Story
At least 1/3 of household trash is compostable yet it ends up in the landfill!
When food scraps go to the landfill they are compacted with other trash and break down anaerobically emitting greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. Additionally, all the valuable nutrients that could be helping to regenerate soil are lost.
Composting food scraps can alleviate both of these problems!
Willow Tree Community Compost is a small food scrap hauling and composting business based in Hartford, VT.
Our mission is to:
- make composting accessible to residents by offering a curbside pickup service
- keep valuable nutrients local by sharing compost with Upper Valley farmers, gardeners, and non-profit organizations
- build connections with others working towards closing the food waste loop
I’m Jen Murphy. I’m a wilder resident, a mom of two little ones, a teacher, a gardener and lover of compost. I have been fortunate enough to be home with my daughters for almost 4 years, but this past winter started feeling anxious about getting “back to work.” Starting Willow Tree has given me the flexibility to continue being with my girls while working on something that I’m passionate about and gives back to the community.
Willow Tree Community Compost started this May with a pilot program in our neighborhood. Together with my small helpers, we built a large compost system, picked up food scraps, dumped, layered, water and mixed. Over the last five months, we have grown to 17 residential customers and one restaurant and diverted almost 3,000 lbs of food waste from going into the landfill!!
When Vermont's Universal Recycling Law food scrap ban is instituted next July, we would like to be able to compete with other businesses in the area while sticking to our mission of keeping valuable resources local.
Together with our partner, Sunrise Farm, we plan to build a model for a closed loop system that is able to;
- haul food scraps,
- process them into compost, and
- create healthier soil for farms and gardens in the community.
In order, to take on more customers and a higher volume of food scraps, we need more buckets (5 gallon and 35 gallon). We need to retrofit our trailer to be able to handle the larger containers by building a wooden frame and ramp and we need the technology a growing business requires.
We are really excited about the opportunity to share our story with the Upper Valley and with your help continue to increase our positive impact on the community!
We are offering some great REWARDS!!
- Some will help you reduce your waste,
- Some support local restaurants and businesses that are doing their part to close the loop,
- And some support local artists using their creativity to keep materials out of the landfill and connect to the natural world
We are working very closely with the SUNRISE FARM campaign to build an on-farm composting facility. http://c-fund.us/o2u
Keep your eye out for complimentary rewards between our two campaigns! If you donate to both you will be entered into a raffle for a $300 gift card to the SKINNY PANCAKE!
Thank you so much for being a part of our project and helping to make our community more sustainable and resilient!
Campaign Contributions
Name | Location | Date |
---|---|---|
Jacquie DeFreze | Greenland, NH | December 30, 2019 |
Alan Johnson | WHITE RIV JCT, VT | December 29, 2019 |
Anonymous | , | December 29, 2019 |
Deanne Bednar | Oxford, MI | December 25, 2019 |
Anonymous | , | December 25, 2019 |
Anonymous | Lebanon, NH | December 22, 2019 |
Anonymous | , | December 22, 2019 |
Joan and Rose Serra | Westerly, RI | December 20, 2019 |
Anonymous | , | December 20, 2019 |
Joan Serra | Westerly, RI | December 20, 2019 |
Anonymous | , | December 20, 2019 |
Rebecca Bates | Enfield, NH | December 20, 2019 |
Anonymous | , | December 20, 2019 |
Anonymous | White River Junction, VT | December 13, 2019 |
Anonymous | , | December 13, 2019 |
Anonymous | , NH | December 13, 2019 |
Chelsea Green Publishing | White River Junction, VT | December 12, 2019 |
Chelsea Green Publishing | White River Junction, VT | December 12, 2019 |
Chelsea Green Publishing | White River Junction, VT | December 12, 2019 |
Anonymous | , | December 12, 2019 |
Anonymous | , | December 12, 2019 |
Anonymous | , | December 12, 2019 |
Gayle Johnson | Auburn, ME | December 09, 2019 |
Anonymous | , | December 09, 2019 |
Earth 2 Earth | Chicago, IL | December 08, 2019 |
Anonymous | , | December 08, 2019 |
Ben Wardrop | Lebanon, NH | December 07, 2019 |
Anonymous | , | December 07, 2019 |
Charlie & Abby Spina | White River Junction, VT | December 03, 2019 |
Anonymous | , | December 03, 2019 |
Marilyn Albrecht | Wilder, VT | December 03, 2019 |
Anonymous | , | December 03, 2019 |
Christy Howe | Lebanon, NH | November 29, 2019 |
Carolyn Morse-Finn | Nottingham, NH | November 25, 2019 |
Sue Kirincich | White River Junction, VT | November 21, 2019 |
Upper Valley Food Coop | White River Juction, VT | November 20, 2019 |
Ann May | , MA | November 19, 2019 |
Jen Risley | Keene, NH | November 17, 2019 |
Katie Mann | White River Junction, VT | November 17, 2019 |
Sarah McKinney | WILDER, VT | November 12, 2019 |
Megan Chapman | Lebanon, NH | November 12, 2019 |
Diane & Stephen Langley | White River Junction, VT | November 11, 2019 |
Mary Bouchard | Wilder, VT | November 11, 2019 |
Pat and Wayne Ritter | Rye, NH | November 09, 2019 |
Frederick Roesch | Etna, NH | November 09, 2019 |
Sara Campbell | White River Junction , VT | November 09, 2019 |
Anonymous | White River Junction, VT | November 09, 2019 |
PAUL HYSON | White River Junction, VT | November 08, 2019 |
Kimberly Meurillon | Salem, NH | November 08, 2019 |
Vanessa Barboza | Ocoee, FL | November 07, 2019 |
Richard Giudice | Westerly , RI | November 07, 2019 |
Jane Wyman | Eliot, ME | November 07, 2019 |
Anonymous | Salisbury, MA | November 06, 2019 |
Joe Mastromonaco | White River Jct, VT | November 05, 2019 |
Sandy Gmur | Hartland, VT | November 05, 2019 |
Holly West | Enfield, NH | November 04, 2019 |
Ethan Murphy | White River Junction, VT | November 04, 2019 |
Ethan Murphy | White River Junction, VT | November 04, 2019 |
Nancy LaRowe | Norwich, VT | November 04, 2019 |
Eileen Kane | Dracut, MA | November 04, 2019 |
Nick Milburn | Chelsea, VT | November 03, 2019 |
Maureen Lan | Charlestown , RI | November 03, 2019 |
Joan and Walter Mularz | Palm Beach Gardens, FL | November 03, 2019 |
Terri Lesage | Salem, MA | November 03, 2019 |
Tessa Johnson | White River Junction, VT | November 02, 2019 |
Lynne OHara | White River Junction, VT | November 02, 2019 |
Amy Ritter | Anchorage, AK | November 02, 2019 |
Gerald Murphy | Andover, MA | November 02, 2019 |
Patricia Ritter | Rye, NH | November 02, 2019 |
Patricia Ritter | Rye, NH | November 02, 2019 |
Kathy Hodgeman | Stratham, NH | November 02, 2019 |
Kim Vincent | Laramie, WY | November 02, 2019 |
Caitlin Reardon | RYE, NH | November 01, 2019 |
Campaign Updates
-
06-11-2019
Thank You! Thank you!
Wow! I’m so amazed by the support so far. In less than a week we are %25 there!
The campaign exposure has helped with some great networking and is helping add new customers.
Thanks so much for helping us close the nutrient loop!
Jen
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29-11-2019
Thank You for Supporting our Composting Community!
THANK YOU all for for supporting, sharing and/or joining our Composting Community over the last couple weeks!!
We are just about ½ way to our fundraising goal!!
It has been a busy few weeks working on the campaign, continuing weekly food scrap pick-ups, and growing our business one bucket at a time.
Exposure from the campaign is not only helping raise money for the infrastructure to grow but has been adding new customers each week!
This week, we;
- built up the sides of our trailer so that it will be able to hold more five gallon buckets, as well as larger rolling bins
- got 30 more buckets for our residential pickup service
- ordered a new hanging scale that will help us track all the food scraps that our community it diverting from the landfill
- welcomed 6 new members to the Willow Tree community!
Thanks to your support, and my little helpers, we are geared up to take on more residential and commercial customers, close the nutrient loop and build healthy soil for our community!
PLEASE check out the SUNRRISE FARM campaign page. Their on-farm compost system will take in food waste and transform it into compost to be incorporated into the farm’s soil so they can grow more vegetables to nourish the community.
There are still lots of great rewards on both campaign pages and we will be adding some new ones over the next few weeks. Check it out!
Bonus– If you donate to both campaigns (any amount) you are entered into a raffle for a $300 gift card to the Skinny Pancake
Thank you so much for supporting us and please keep spreading the word!
-
12-12-2019
Guest Letter from Farm to Plate Network VT
Hi everyone,
Sarah here from the Vermont Farm to Plate Network, a statewide initiative to strengthen Vermont’s food system, increase access to local food, and help farms and other food system businesses provide environmental benefit to the state. I want to thank you all for your amazing support so far and let you know what it means to us on a statewide level.
Vermont needs more local composting options! Our state is a trailblazer in keeping food out of the landfill. Even better, we’re fundamentally shifting the way we view food scraps, from treating them as “waste” that needs to be managed to recognizing them as a valuable resource. But fulfilling this vision requires increasing composting capacity with innovative models. We’re particularly excited about on-farm composting because it returns these valuable nutrients to our soil to grow more local food, and local collection services are a key piece of the puzzle to make this possible.
The Farm to Plate Network is so excited to support Willow Tree Community Composting and Sunrise Farm as they “close the loop” locally. Not only will your contributions allow them to serve more households directly, but their partnership and the systems they create will be a model for other small businesses. The F2P Network is committed to sharing their story, and the story of the community support that makes it possible, to spark similar solutions in communities around the state.
At this time of year when Americans generate three times more food waste than normal, and as 2020’s landfill ban rapidly approaches, please consider donating to these campaigns. If you can’t donate, or already have, please help us spread the word!
Thanks again, to Jen, Chuck, and everyone working to support them, and we’re so excited to see what grows in Hartford.
- Sarah Danly, Farm to Plate Network Manager
-
28-12-2019
Almost done!
Hello Community!
Thanks again for your support! Willow Tree Community Compost is growing and reaching more families and business in our community diverting more food scraps from heading to the landfill.
Since purchasing a hanging scale three weeks ago, we have been able to weigh our haul each week. In just 3 weeks we have composted 576lbs of food scraps, to add to our estimated 4,000lbs since May!
We have one more day of our campaign and would love to reach %75 percent funded!! There are still lots of hats, earring and bags, along with many other to rewards to be earned.
Please keep sharing or grab a reward if you missed them the first time around. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!
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23-01-2020
THank you all! Campaign wrap-up!
Hello ALL!!!
THANK YOU all so much for donating to the Willow Tree crowdfunding campaign. It means so much to have your support while working toward growing this business. I appreciate you!!
Combined with the Sunrise Farm campaign we had 98 individual supporters from 10 different states. Our friends and family, Willow Tree members, community composters, Sunrise Farm CSA members and upper valley residents donated a total of $8,635 to support closing the food waste loop in our community!!
Since the campaign began, Willow Tree Community Compost has nearly doubled its residential customers and added 2 more restaurants. With the funds raised, we have built a frame on the trailer, updated our website to accept payment (check it out- www.willowtreecompost.com), sent out two neighborhood mailings, purchased 60 five gallon buckets, a hanging scale, and lots more stickers!
The next few months will be an exciting time of growth and learning. We will keep you posted on our progress!!
Campaign Discussion
Rewards
$12
Admission to the Whaleback Opening Day Chili Kick-off (Individual ticket)
Check out the new energy efficient renovations to the Whaleback Base Lodge, enjoy the mountain, eat some chili and visit the Willow Tree Community Compost table at the event. We will be helping make the event Zero Waste!
$25
Admission to the Whaleback Opening Day Chili Kick-off (Family ticket)
Check out the new energy efficient renovations to the Whaleback Base Lodge, enjoy the mountain, eat some chili and visit the Willow Tree Community Compost table at the event. We will be helping make the event Zero Waste!
$25
Counter top compost pail with Willow Tree Sticker
A great way to collect your food scraps in your kitchen.
*Decorate it with the sticker bundle from the Sunrise Farm campaign http://c-fund.us/o2u
If you donate to both campaigns (any amount) you'll be entered into a raffle for a $300 Skinny Pancake gift card

$40
Upcycled Grocery Bag with Willow Tree Logo
Enjoy shopping with a unique locally- sewn and upcycled shopping bag. Help keep plastic bags from the landfill!
* pairs nicely with a CSA share from Sunrise Farm campaign http://c-fund.us/o2u
If you donate to both campaigns you are entered into a raffle for a $300 gift card to the Skinny Pancake!

$45
Upcycled Sweater Mittens from Long River Gallery, WRJ
Super warm mittens that are keeping materials out of the landfill!
Art and the creative process connects us to each other and our natural world. Long River Gallery shows the best of regional fine art and craft, including the work of more than 100 local artists. Our mission is to provide a showcase for established and emerging artists to display and sell their artwork, while building community among artists, members, and patrons. We seek out sustainable products including art made from upcycled materials.

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