Selling compost...how to bag it?

16 years ago

hi

I have a small "garden coaching" business and am starting to sell our homemade compost to some of my clients (we live on a farm so we have plenty of the stuff!).

I am trying to figure out a good way to bag the compost without too much effort - does anybody else here sell compost on a small scale and is willing to share some tips on how to get compost into bags without spilling too much of it everywhere? What size bags do you use? Thanks in advance!

Comments (7)

calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
16 years ago
I would sell it by the yard, or a percentage of a yard. Let your customers bring their own containers. Landscape supply companies sell it that way. Al
dottyinduncan
16 years ago
We bought chicken manure from a Rotary club project that had been put into feed bags. Is there a farm nearby that you can get their empty bags for recycling?
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patty4150
16 years ago
I would recommend recycled bags since these would complement the composting philosophy (walk gently.)

I transport sifted compost (to the community garden) in the starbucks bags that I get coffee grounds in.
bean_counter_z4
16 years ago
This reminds me a little of a story I saw a couple years ago on one of the television news magazines like 20-20. A group of small town kids ages approx 6-12 started a little business. First they mucked out stalls and got paid. Then they sold the manure and got paid. Somehow the IRS got wind of this and really came down hard on them. They were making quite a large amount of money. Anyway, I remember the kids hauling manure in feed sacks (probably from the stable) in wagons to deliver it to their customers.

Back on topic, many feed sacks are double walled so they would be good for dry compost. Ditto lawn and leaf bags but pricey.
Lloyd
16 years ago
Hi Ellen

I also sell some of my compost. I sell it by the 5 gallon/20 liter pail so I measure into into a pail and pour into something else for transport. For the most part, I encourage people to bring something to put the compost into. I remind them that if they use a decent, strong garbage bag, it can still be used for regular garbage after the compost.

For some of the locals that I know, I put it into rubber maid containers or 5 gallon pails and they bring them back next time they are driving by. You gotta love small towns!

Good luck

Lloyd
juttz
16 years ago
I agree with Lloyd...When Ive been traveling I see compost being sold to people in 5 gallon pickle pails..the customer brings the pail and shovels the compost themselves...to tell you what price for that amount, I wouldnt know, but most of the places around here sell it by the yard so you could figure out how much a pail is to a yard..good luck in what you do..I wish you lived close since I cant find a good compost around here..Judy
bpgreen
16 years ago
"you could figure out how much a pail is to a yard.."

According to the Google calculator:

5 US gallons = 0.0247556585 cubic yards