Giving Your Scraps a Second Chance

We’re the Iffy Creek Compost Collective, and our small, family business has a big goal: to keep food waste out of the waste stream.

When we rescue uneaten foods from the trash, we help reduce methane emissions from landfills, boost soil health through carbon sequestration, and make life healthier and tastier for the animals on our farm.

It’s simple, local, and seriously good for the planet!

Food waste and other compostables, like newspaper, account for around 38% of "trash" sent to the bin. When natural materials are placed into plastic bags and buried underground, anaerobic decomposition results in your food turning into methane gas and carbon dioxide. These two gases are huge contributors to the atmospheric "greenhouse" effect as well as increasing acidity in the soil and nearby waterways.

When food waste is instead allowed to aerobically decompose, it is much more beneficial. First, visible creatures take a bite out of the available nutrients. Turkeys and beetles alike enjoy your moldy bread and strawberry tops, turning it into energy, body mass, and sometimes eggs! Next, bacteria and other microscopic life forms turn what's left into beautiful brown soil, which actually pulls carbon from the atmosphere as they use it to grow themselves. A soil full of microbes is up to 4x more carbon-dense than the average plot of dirt. This carbon-dense soil gets moved to the garden to grow superior plants and bring the cycle to a close when we devour them as seasonal produce!

Get the Dirt on Your Options

Weekly Turn

$27

Every month

+$10 Bucket Buy-In

Single bucket: fill it up and we'll trade you for a clean, empty one once a week at your chosen location

Valid until canceled

Designed for individuals, couples, or low-waste homes.

Green Boost

$32

Every month

+$20 Double Bucket Buy-In

Twice the buckets; twice the impact. Better for large family groups and anyone else producing more than 2 cubic feet of compost each week.

Valid until canceled

Extra convenience for higher-volume composters.

It's a Party!

$10

Go green with your next gathering! This is a great option to reduce waste and give back to the soil at your next birthday, shrimp boil, and corporate events.

Valid for 3 weeks

Customized fee based on attendance and timeline

Initial deposit included in the final quote

Which composting plan works best for you?

Bin There, Asked That

Why do you only have two options for weekly pickups?

Our business is small and just getting started. Each person holds multiple roles, from chicken care to desk work and everything in between. We schedule pickups twice a week to ensure there is enough time to manage all other aspects of the business with care.

As our customer base grows and we can expand our team, all current customers will be offered the option to change to a new weekday.
If your bucket is full before your scheduled pickup, you are always welcome to drop it off for free at our main collection site in Ashland, MO or call for an Emergency Exchange.

What can’t I put in the bucket?

The biggest issue for our staff? Produce stickers. Please, please check avocados, squash, bananas, and other produce skins before tossing them in.
Also, please do not include:

Large amounts of paper (occasional napkins or a newspaper liner are okay)
Coated paper products (e.g. waxed, glossy)
Fabric, even natural fibers (they’re often stitched with synthetic thread)
Glass, metal, or plastic (none of these break down into compost and should be recycled in your blue bags)

What happens if I accidentally put the wrong thing in?

Don’t worry, everyone makes mistakes. If it’s a one-time whoops (like a rogue produce sticker or a bit of plastic wrap), we’ll catch it during sorting.
However, if we notice it happening often, you will receive a friendly reminder at your next exchange to help keep things 100% compostable.
If it becomes a regular occurrence, we reserve the right to cancel your subscription with advance notice.

Do you take yard waste?

Can we say maybe? If you are doing a major yard cleanup check in first, and we may be able to offer disposal options at a minimal charge. When we can accommodate, the answer is

YES: untreated grass clippings, small branches, leaves, garden trimmings

NO: chemically treated grass, thorny branches, contact-irritant plants, or anything that could harm our birds.

The best place for unwanted yard waste is Capen Park.

What if my bucket goes missing or gets damaged?

If your bucket disappears into the great unknown, let us know and we will bring you a replacement. You will pay a new Bucket Buy-In.

Buckets that are cracked, warped, or no longer sealing properly will be swapped out; just shoot us a message or leave a note on pickup day. There is no charge if we are replacing a bucket from normal usage. We remove questionable buckets during the cleaning process to prevent you from having this issue.

If it's just the lid that blows away, everyone gets one free replacement with a reminder that they MUST be fully locked down on exchange days.

Can I get compost from Iffy Creek Compost Collective?

No. If compost becomes available, we’ll let all active customers know.

Where does my food waste go?

Your food waste first serves as supplemental feed and scratch for our flocks of fowl. After some time, any remaining material (along with all that manure) is raked up and added to worm bins alongside rabbit droppings.
Once it’s been digested and sifted it becomes rich, usable compost for garden applications.

What do I do if my bucket smells bad?

First, make sure your lid is tightly sealed between scrap additions; that’s the easiest way to keep odors in check.
Next, consider adding a layer of dry material: older grass clippings, fallen leaves, sawdust (from untreated wood), or black-ink newspaper work well. In fact, many customers like to line their buckets with a sheet or two of newspaper every week to absorb extra liquid from things like tea bags and soft berries. A small sprinkle of baking soda can be a last resort.

Alternatively, customers in good standing can request two Emergency pickups per year, if the smell becomes unmanageable. Help is just a call or text away.

What if I have too much food waste for my bucket?

Planning a big event like a neighborhood shrimp boil or clearing out your mother-in-law's pantry? You can request one extra bucket twice a year at no extra charge for the next week's scheduled exchange.

You’re also welcome to:

Upgrade your plan at any time
Drop off your compost at the farm (and say "hi" to the birds!)
Request an Emergency Pickup ( max of 2x/year for active customers)

Can I skip or pause my pickup schedule?

Of course. If you need to miss your scheduled pickup, let us know at least 2 days in advance, and we will remove you from that week’s route or make a plan to exchange buckets on a different day.
If you chose to skip 3 or more pickups in a row, please contact us to pause your payment plan.

How clean does my bucket need to be?

We handle the washing, but we appreciate it if you avoid tossing in liquids or heavily soiled items that could cause spills or leaks.

Do you accept compostable plastics or bioplastics?

We do not accept compostable or biodegradable plastics, even the ones labeled “home compostable.” Because we do not see your purchasing choices, we have no way of knowing if that clear wrap or spoon is biodegradable or not, and we do not want our birds interacting with anything that could cause them harm.