The Composter Podcast

<p>I first heard about <strong>Grupo Puntacana’s</strong> new composting initiative while reading a BioCycle article, and I’ve been eager to dig in ever since. Their journey, led by <strong>Jake Kheel</strong>, offers a fascinating model of sustainability, scale, and innovation in the Dominican Republic.</p><p>Grupo Puntacana isn’t just a resort—it’s a whole resort ecosystem: thousands of residences, multiple hotels, restaurants, golf courses, even their international airport. The amount of waste generated is huge, and plenty of that is organics. So when Jake and his team set out to reduce landfill, cut hauling costs, and improve guest experience, they had to get serious.</p><p>They’ve had a series of trials as they scaled up from vermicomposting to small in vessel systems to the newly installed <strong>Earth Flow composting system</strong>—an enclosed, automated setup from <strong>Green Mountain Technologies</strong></p><p>Jake’s vision for Grupo Puntacana goes beyond just compost. He’s aiming for <strong>70 to 80 percent landfill diversion</strong> across the resort and its surrounding operations—and more importantly, he’s helping reshape what sustainability in tourism can actually look like.</p><p>Check out BioCylce at Grupo Puntacana (👊) at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.biocycle.net/grupo-puntacana-resort-scales-up-organics-recycling/?utm_source=BioCycle+CONNECT&amp;utm_campaign=e48755d671-CONNECT_250716&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_-6c285218e8-513844463">https://www.biocycle.net/grupo-puntacana-resort-scales-up-organics-recycling/?utm_source=BioCycle+CONNECT&amp;utm_campaign=e48755d671-CONNECT_250716&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_-6c285218e8-513844463</a></p><p></p><p><strong>Thank you to our Show sponsors:</strong></p><p>Compost Systems of Austria: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.compost-systems.com/en">https://www.compost-systems.com/en</a></p><p>And Agrilab Technologies at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://www.agrilabtech.com/podcast">www.agrilabtech.com/podcast</a></p><p></p><p><strong>Merch:</strong></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.earthcarefarm.com/store/c3/Clothing.html">https://www.earthcarefarm.com/store/c3/Clothing.html</a></p><p>Contact:</p><p>Host Jayne Merner can be reached at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a> or through instagram <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/composterpodcast/">@composterpodcast</a></p>

<p>Today, I’m thrilled to share my conversation with Nathan. He’s the <strong>Director of Soil</strong> and a long-time force behind Rust Belt Riders, a cooperative composting operation that’s grown from <strong>bicycles and buckets</strong> to launching a <strong>mid-scale compost facility</strong>. Their story is truly inspiring—not just because of the growth, but because of how intentionally they’ve done it.</p><p>We talk about the early days, what it’s been like to scale, and the importance of their <strong>unique cooperative business structure</strong>—which sets them apart in the composting world. And toward the end of the conversation, Nathan shares his <strong>beautiful vision of a compost-centric utopian future</strong>. It’s heartfelt, imaginative, and honestly, something we could all use a bit more of.</p><p></p><p>Check out Rust Belt Riders (👊) at</p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.rustbeltriders.com/">https://www.rustbeltriders.com/</a></p><p></p><p>Nathan mentioned Farmers of Forty Centuries; Or, Permanent Agriculture in China, Korea and Japan, a book by Franklin Hiram King that anyone interested in Compost should check out! </p><p></p><p><strong>Thank you to our Show sponsors:</strong></p><p>Green Mountain Technologies: visit<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://compostingtechnology.com/"> </a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://Compostingtechnology.com">Compostingtechnology.com</a> and mention The Composter podcast for a free consultation</p><p>And Agrilab Technologies at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://www.agrilabtech.com/podcast">www.agrilabtech.com/podcast</a></p><p><strong>Merch:</strong></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.earthcarefarm.com/store/c3/Clothing.html">https://www.earthcarefarm.com/store/c3/Clothing.html</a></p><p>Contact:</p><p>Composter Host, Jayne Merner can be reached at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a> or through <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/composterpodcast/">https://www.instagram.com/composterpodcast/</a></p>

<p>Today’s episode comes from a walk-and-talk at Green Mountain Compost in Vermont with Dan Goossen. Dan was super generous with his time—he gave us a full tour of the site and shared insights from over 20 years in the composting world.</p><p>There’s a lot to take away from this conversation, The first half of the interview is about site process and new techniques Green Mountain has adopted for quality and efficincy. The second half is about Dan’s experience being the first compost operator in the country to publicly deal with persistent herbicide contamination. Back in 2012, before anyone really knew about these chemicals, Green Mountain Compost made national news when they discovered 10,000 cubic yards of compost had been affected.</p><p>It all started with one customer calling about a garden that wasn’t growing right... then came 500 more. You can imagine the heartbreak—putting your heart into making great compost, only to find out that an unknown herbicide in manure can ruin your whole batch.</p><p>Dan’s openness in sharing what happened has helped the whole industry move forward. It’s a powerful story. Dan also shares awesome tips and enhancements on their site: there’s a lot to learn here.</p><p>Check out Green Mountain Compost at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://cswd.net/waste-recycling-help/organics/green-mountain-compost/">https://cswd.net/waste-recycling-help/organics/green-mountain-compost/</a></p><p></p><p><strong>Thank you to our Show sponsors:</strong></p><p>AgriLab Technologies: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://www.agrilabtech.com/podcast">www.agrilabtech.com/podcast</a></p><p>Compost Systems of Austria: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.compost-systems.com/en">https://www.compost-systems.com/en</a></p><p></p><p><strong>Merch:</strong></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.earthcarefarm.com/store/c3/Clothing.html">https://www.earthcarefarm.com/store/c3/Clothing.html</a></p><p></p><p>Contact:</p><p>Host Jayne Merner can be reached at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a> or through instagram <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/composterpodcast/">@composterpodcast</a></p>

<p>Today’s episode is a special one. We’re talking with the very knowledgeable and very lovable <strong>Farmer Jesse Frost</strong> from <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.notillgrowers.com/daily"><strong>No-Till Growers and his The Growers Daily Podcast</strong></a><strong> </strong>. Some of you may know that The Composter actually started as part of the No-Till Growers family, and I was originally hired by them to host the show. </p><p>Jesse’s going to talk us through how the Composter Podcast came to be, how it’s grown, and what he’s up to now. And of course, we’ll dig into how he’s using compost on his farm these days. If you haven’t already, definitely check out<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/@notillgrowers"> <strong>The Growers Daily Podcast</strong>,</a> hosted by Jesse—I love catching it on YouTube for great growing tips.</p><p>Support Jesse's work (👊) at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.notillgrowers.com/support">https://www.notillgrowers.com/support</a> or <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" class="yt-core-attributed-string__link yt-core-attributed-string__link--call-to-action-color" href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&amp;redir_token=QUFFLUhqbENZN2FHSzlJcFJzR0ZFdG5sLWNuSFhBY005Z3xBQ3Jtc0trUmxfLUlMZENmXzVsRWdWU2s4SXRWem5uYi13RTNmRXp6b0F6UFVXYklINFlSalphcVE5M0E2ZGNGOTBRWVpEU1ZlaW5vdXpDSEtpT2EyUHFFNC1fRGRONzliZkpiSUZwOGQwNUt5cjBkem5BbmR0RQ&amp;q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.Patreon.com%2Fnotillgrowers&amp;v=m0f4s6w02IE">/ notillgrowers</a></p><p></p><p><strong>Show sponsors:</strong></p><p>Green Mountain Technologies: visit <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://Compostingtechnology.com">Compostingtechnology.com</a> and mention The Composter podcast for a free consultation</p><p>AgriLab Technologies: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://www.agrilabtech.com/podcast">www.agrilabtech.com/podcast</a></p><p></p><p><strong>Merch:</strong></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.earthcarefarm.com/store/c3/Clothing.html">https://www.earthcarefarm.com/store/c3/Clothing.html</a></p><p></p><p></p>

<p><strong>Wow, we’ve made it to Season 4 of the Composter Podcast — and I couldn’t be more excited to share this journey with you. Our first episode drops Wednesday, November 5, and we’ll be coming to you every other week through March, with a total of 12 inspiring episodes.</strong></p><p><strong>Thank you for all the love you’ve given this show over the past three seasons. Composting is evolving fast — new challenges, new solutions, and more people than ever getting involved. This podcast is here to help you stay informed, inspired, and connected to the wider composting community.</strong></p><p><strong>There’s also some exciting personal updates. Many of you know that I run my family’s 48 year old farm, Earth Care Farm and we are expanding our compost operation, across the state line into Sterling, Connecticu. We are nearing the finish line — I’m on the last of seven permits (yes, seven!). It’s been a journey, but the finish line is in sight.</strong></p><p><strong>And one more fun thing — we’ve launched brand new Composter Podcast merchandise over on our Earth Care Farm website. If you want to show your compost pride, go check it out!</strong></p><p><strong>So listen up for another season packed with diverse voices, hard-won wisdom, and new ideas. Composting is more than a method — it’s a movement. And the momentum? It’s real. I can feel it.</strong></p><p><strong>Let’s dig in.</strong></p><p></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://www.earthcarefarm.com"><strong>www.earthcarefarm.com</strong></a></p><p><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/composterpodcast/">https://www.instagram.com/composterpodcast/</a></p>