A dozen or so Gettysburg Borough residents gathered on Wednesday for a lively hands-on lesson in how rain barrels and compost bins can help protect local waterways while turning everyday waste into fertile soil.
The workshop, sponsored by the borough’s Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) program, was led by Borough MS4 Coordinator Debra English and local agricultural experts Marann Jones and Suzanne Shea. The session combined science, home-gardening advice, and environmental stewardship in a single afternoon at the borough offices.
English opened the program by explaining how stormwater runoff carries oil, fertilizer, and other pollutants into local creeks. “When rainwater runs off our roofs and streets, it doesn’t get treated,” she said. “Simple green infrastructure—rain barrels, rain gardens, and composting—can make a huge difference.”
English said that, over the past year, more than 130 residents have participated in borough rain-barrel workshops, together conserving an estimated 66,000 gallons of water annually. Each 55-gallon barrel captures rainfall that can be used for gardens and landscaping. “Even one inch of rain on a 1,000-square-foot roof can yield over 600 gallons of water,” English noted.
After a brief stormwater presentation, the focus shifted to composting. Jones demonstrated how to layer “greens” (nitrogen-containing) and “browns” (carbon-containing) materials, including vegetable scraps, leaves, and untreated grass clippings like “a lasagna,” adding water and turning the mix to allow air to circulate. “Composting is easy once you get the rhythm,” she said. “It reduces waste, improves your garden, and keeps nutrients out of landfills.”
Shea, a local agricultural and soil expert, explained the microbial life that makes compost effective. Under a microscope, she said, healthy compost teems with bacteria, fungi, nematodes, and protozoa that convert organic matter into plant-ready nutrients. “Good compost makes the soil act like a sponge,” she told the group. “It holds water, prevents runoff, and captures the pollutants that would otherwise reach our streams.”
Shea offered a scientific approach for those eager to master the process: keep compost piles between 131 and 171 degrees Fahrenheit long enough to kill weed seeds and pathogens, and perform the simple “squeeze test”— if more than a drop or two of water runs out when you squeeze the mix, it’s too wet. She cautioned against using lawn clippings treated with pesticides or herbicides, noting that “anything ending in ‘-cide’ kills the very microbes you’re trying to grow.”
Each participant took home a 43-gallon rotating compost bin, provided by MS4, capable of converting kitchen scraps and yard waste into rich soil within weeks. “Every banana peel and coffee filter you compost keeps methane-producing waste out of landfills,” Jones said. “It’s a small act that adds up.”
The meeting ended with residents comparing notes and swapping garden stories. “This is about more than compost,” English said. “It’s about neighbors helping protect Gettysburg’s environment, one rain barrel and one compost bin at a time.”
Charles (Chuck) Stangor is Gettysburg Connection's Owner, Publisher, and Editor in Chief. I would like to hear from you. Please contact me at cstangor@gettysburgconnection.org.