North Adams Farmers Market Launching Composting Program

The scraps of produce grown in the Northern Berkshires could soon return to the soil from whence it came.

The Berkshire Eagle  reports the North Adams Farmers Market is launching with a new twist this year — a community composting program through which customers can discard fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, grains and more.

"Market customers are welcome to bring their compostables to our new compost bins [Rubbermaid containers] and our participating market farmers will rotate turns taking the bins back to their farms for use in their composts," said Suzy Helme, the city's events coordinator.

The weekly market, in its 42nd year, launches for the season Saturday, with hours from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Composting is limited to fruit and vegetable scraps; coffee grounds, coffee filters and tea leaves; crushed eggshells and nutshells; flowers and plant clippings; and bread, pasta and grain scraps.

Square Roots Farm in Lanesborough will take compost from the market and cycle it into the farm's existing piles of compost, which consist of everything from vegetable trimmings to chicken innards that are a byproduct of the operation.

In addition to helping local farmers, composting is beneficial for the environment. When allowed to decompose in a landfill, organic waste releases the greenhouse gas methane, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.