Join us at the lovely San Elijo Lagoon Nature Center for an unforgettable experience where you'll get up close and personal with our resident worms. Learn how these tiny yet mighty creatures can make a difference, and how you can care for them at home. This workshop is suitable for children of all ages! Please note that minors must be accompanied by an adult.

Cost: FREE

During this hands-on workshop, you will:

• Work together to meet and care for Solana Center’s own red wiggler worms

• Explore how the tiny-but-mighty red wiggler worms can transform our food scraps into something new

• Learn about what these worms need to thrive and what food scraps they like to eat

• Learn the benefits of composting with worms

• Discuss the importance of keeping food scraps out of the landfill

• Learn about harvesting and using finished castings

Composting benefits for your garden and living a greener life include:

• Save money on purchased worm castings and soil amendments

• Lower your contribution to landfills

• Increase soil health & soil microbiome

• Increase water retention in soil

Parking note: this venue is very popular on weekends and Nature Center parking is limited. As you are able, we recommend carpooling, riding your bike, or arriving early to enjoy the local trails before the workshop. A small number of public parking spots are available across Manchester Ave at the San Elijo Water Campus, and additional parallel parking is available a few blocks east and west from the Nature Center. 

Thanks to our event sponsor

Farmers, ranchers, and livestock owners may be able to reduce their waste-hauling expenses by composting their own organic wastes and manures, thanks to the updated San Diego County zoning ordinance. This update offers increased flexibility and simplifies onsite composting. Join us at Fallbrook Riders, Inc. to learn about what is possible for your property/operation and tour their manure composting system. This workshop focuses on the zoning and regulatory requirements for small to medium-sized farm/ranching operations in unincorporated San Diego County. If you’d like to learn  how to begin or manage manure composting, join us at the Valley Center Library on June 13 for our Manure Composting For Backyard Farmers Workshop, visit Programs — Solana Center for Environmental Innovation or reach out for additional assistance.  

This workshop will cover:

• The details of the County’s updated zoning and permitting process

  • What types of composting are permitted on your property 

  • How much can you compost before needing a permit 

  • Your first steps for participation (forms, facts, and figures you’ll need to know)

• The benefits of composting with manure

• Cost reductions 

• A tour of Fallbrook Riders Inc.’s manure compost pile

If you reside in unincorporated San Diego county and are wondering how to get started, have a large amount of organic materials you’d like to compost or have neighbors interested in establishing a community composting program, this workshop is for you. 

Made possible through generous funding by:

Thanks to our host, Fallbrook Riders Inc.

Composting with worms, also known as vermicomposting, has benefits for everyone!

Whether you want to divert kitchen scraps from the landfill, compost in small spaces, or create a natural fertilizer for your plants, vermicomposting is for you. Join us at the Rancho San Diego Library to learn how to start and maintain a happy home for red wiggler worms, and about their mighty impact on the planet.

All pre-registered attendees who are residents of unincorporated San Diego County can receive a free kitchen scraps container.

In this workshop, we will cover:

• Benefits of composting with worms

• Tools, materials, and steps to start a worm bin

• How to feed your worms and which foods are suitable

• Troubleshooting and maintaining all worm bin styles

• Harvesting and using finished castings

Made possible through generous funding by:

Thanks to our host:

5/2 - Water Conservation Garden Bee and Butterfly Festival - 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

5/2 - Campo Days 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

5/16 - East SD County Jr. Fair - Lakeside - 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Join Solana Center for this FREE 2-hour workshop where you will get an introduction to using the bokashi method (the word "bokashi" is a Japanese term meaning fermented organic matter,) as well as the basics of traditional backyard composting. The bokashi method involves using a particular group of bacteria that preserves your food scraps until you’re ready to compost them. Using trial-tested advice and demonstrations, our experienced educators will teach you all you need to know about incorporating bokashi into your backyard compost pile. 

All pre-registered attendees who are residents of unincorporated San Diego County can receive a free kitchen scraps container.

In this workshop, we will cover:

• What is bokashi and how does it work?

• The benefits of using the bokashi method

• What is composting and why it is so important

• How to get started on your own backyard compost bin

• How to incorporate bokashi into your compost bin and your garden

Composting benefits for your garden and living a greener life include:

• Knowing where your food scraps are going and keeping them out of the landfill

• Knowing exactly what went into your compost

• Using compost in your garden to increase soil water retention, and as a result, saving money

• Increasing soil microbiome & overall soil health for happy plants

  
  

Made possible through generous funding by:

Thanks to our host:

Are you a backyard farmer with a flock of chickens or a small herd of goats, horses, llamas, or maybe a cow?

Learn how to properly dispose of your feathered or furry friends’ manure. Join us to learn how composting manure can benefit your garden, our waterways, your budget, and the planet.

In this presentation, you will learn how to protect your local watershed and safely compost herbivore (plant eaters) manure. Close the food chain cycle in your own backyard! By putting the waste of your farm animals to use in your garden, you will take advantage of nutrient-rich amendments that are created on your own property. Composting is easy and inexpensive, and will help your plants thrive while conserving water.

We will cover the following topics:

• The basics and benefits of composting

• The importance of proper manure management

• How to reduce pests, health hazards, and water contamination

• How to compost manure safely 

• How to get started at home

This course is made possible through generous funding by:

Thanks to our host: