From Scraps to Soil: How to Turn Your Food Waste into Usable Earth for all Your Plant Needs

Collin Kramer, Colorado State University, International Exchange Officer for National SAVMA

What is composting?

Have you ever wanted to reduce your carbon footprint while saving time and money? Well, now you can from the comfort of your own home! Turn your leftover or unusable kitchen scraps into nutritious soil for all your planting needs by setting up a composting system. Composting is the natural breakdown of organic material into smaller particles that can be further used as fertilizer for plants. Composting is nature’s very own recycling system that has been perfected over millennia and can now be harnessed for your everyday use.

 

How does composting work?

For composting to work effectively, it needs three things: water, green organic material and brown organic material. Green organic material consists of kitchen veggie and fruit scraps, lawn/landscape clippings, and used coffee grinds. Brown organic material includes dead leaves and plants, sticks, and twigs. Paper-based products such as paper towels, coffee filters, to-go containers, and napkins can also be used as brown organic material for composting; however, these paper-based products should not be contaminated with any chemicals or have plastic lining on them. Chemicals and plastic can take decades to break down and adding that to your household plants or gardens would not be ideal for the safety of you or your plants.

What does it take to compost?

To set up your own composting system, all you need are table scraps, a composter, and a small space to start your system. Ideally, a sunny to semi-shady spot outside works well as heat and pressure speed up the composting process. Depending on outside factors and the natural breakdown of the organic material you are using, the ready-to-use soil from your composter can be ready in as little as a few weeks. The hardest part about composting is getting into the habit of doing so!

 

Types of composting.

There are three types of composting systems that can be utilized, and these include: self-turn piles, vermiculture (composting with worms), or tumbler/drum turning bins. Self-turn composting requires a small space to start a pile of organic scraps that requires turning, typically with the assistance of a gardening tool, once every week. Vermiculture, or composting with worms, requires a holding bin in which organic waste is added and worms are used to naturally break down the material. Mechanical turning is not necessary for this type of composting system as the movement of the worms breaking down the waste acts as a natural turning mechanism (pretty cool, right?!). Tumbler or drum turning composting bins are set up to spin so that once food scraps are added, a quick rotation of the bin once a week is all you need to have compost in no time.

If you still need more convincing, check out the EPA’s website for guidelines on how to compost!

https://www.epa.gov/recycle/composting-home

Will COVID-19 Impact My Value in the Job Market?

Fourth year veterinary students, this one's for you!

Have you been stressed about how COVID-19 could impact your upcoming job? This webinar may be for you! Fear Free is hosting two webinars on April 14th, one at 7 pm and another following at 10 pm, regarding the current job market and recruiting strategies. Paul Diaz, founder of High Power Consulting, will be presenting on the topic.

Sign up for the 7 pm webinar here and the 10 pm here!

**Our sharing of links, images or videos provided/maintained by others does not constitute endorsement: SAVMA does not endorse products or companies. The content is being shared on this page because SAVMA feels this topic would be relevant or appealing to this community.**

Miles

So impressed by this submission from Danielle Hall, a student at Lincoln Memorial University! Danielle created this original piece of her first horse, Miles, from scratchoboard paper. Thank you for sharing, Danielle!

Getting Prepped for Clinical Year

Cassandra Hoy from Ross University speaking about her recent externship experience.

Over the semester break I had the opportunity to extern in a private practice with the help of a Professional Development Fund scholarship from the RUSVM SAVMA board. This was my second time working with them to gain hands-on experience. Overall, it was a wonderful opportunity to see the kinds of cases I would expect to see in a general practice setting. Morning appointments were covered by one veterinarian while the other veterinarian handled the surgeries of the day. Both were very welcoming and happy to explain their methods of diagnostics and patient work-ups. A typical surgical caseload included a couple of neuters, spays, mass removals and 6-7 complete dentals with or without tooth extractions. Most of the room appointments related to gastrointestinal upset, itchy skin, wound lacerations, tumors, or wellness exams. I acted as the technician by assisting in restraining pets for their physical exams and got to see how each vet established a strong rapport with their clients. 

Some of the more interesting cases involved a HBC Labrador showing neurological signs, an older dachshund who needed a canine tooth extraction, a geriatric shepherd mix with colorectal neoplasia and a rabbit neuter. Client communication was integral to ensuring everyone understood the plan going forward.  Throughout my externship, I was given the opportunity to perform blood draws, insert intravenous catheters and place endotracheal tubes. As I get closer to 7th semester, I feel much better prepared for surgeries and moving on to clinical year!

USDA Pathways Program: Saul T. Wilson, Jr., Internship

Interested in learning more about regulatory medicine but unsure about where to begin? Consider applying to the Saul T. Wilson, Jr. Internship position. More information about the internship can be found here, and information regarding how to apply can be found here and here (two separate internship descriptions). But don't wait! Applications are due on April 10!

Read below to hear a testimonial from Pallavi Oruganti, a student from Ohio State University, who recently completed this internship.

"For many students, exploring non-clinical career options in veterinary medicine can seem daunting and challenging. What options and opportunities do I have? What skills and expertise can I still contribute as a veterinarian without necessarily working hands-on with animals? What will my career trajectory look like, and I will I find like-minded individuals in these fields? I asked all these questions, and it led me to stumble upon the Saul T. Wilson Jr. Scholarship program through USDA APHIS Veterinary Services. This program is part of the USDA Pathways program providing internships for students to gain entry-level experience in federal service. The Saul T. Wilson Program is both a scholarship and internship program with Veterinary Services. You are employed as an intern for the agency during veterinary school and receive a partial scholarship for tuition expenses. After graduation, you are a guaranteed hire for the agency as a Veterinary Medical Officer (VMO) and are expected to work for the agency at least for the amount of years you received the scholarship. The duties both during the internship and when you graduate are varied, as Veterinary Services carries out several functions and are different based on location. However, you can expect to potentially work in areas such as animal health program management, import/export services, epidemiology and surveillance, and emergency preparedness. These programs all help to support the agency’s goals to provide a healthy and safe food supply, foster global trade, promote US agriculture and protect our herds from foreign animal diseases. Therefore, a background or strong interest in public health, infectious disease, policy, food animal medicine, and population medicine are encouraged and very useful for those seeking this opportunity. 

I am currently 2nd year veterinary student at the Ohio State University, and also received my MPH at OSU. Personally, I have enjoyed my time with USDA so far and have met several great mentors and colleagues. I work in the field operations office in Ohio, and specifically have been assisting with administrative support for the National Scrapie Eradication program. I look forward to further exploring the various role of veterinarians in the agency, how we can best leverage our medical knowledge to help achieve the goals of the agency, and also developing skills in management, data analysis, communications, and regulatory medicine. I recommend that those interested reach out to a current or former Saul T. Wilson student to fully understand the experience and expectations of the position, as it is important to weigh if the programs fits your lifestyle and future goals.  

If you are seeking an alternative career path focused on regulatory medicine, public health, and civil service, I would highly encourage you to explore the Saul T. Wilson Program, as well as the other veterinary student programs offered at USDA such as the Adel A. Malak Scholarship with USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service and the Chester A. Gipson Scholarship with USDA Animal Care. I am grateful to start my career in veterinary public health working for the USDA, and I hope other veterinary students feel encouraged to explore careers in government and public health. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions (oruganti.4@osu.edu)."