OUR STORY
Loving Earth Compost began when Whitney Davis, former owner, became involved with a local not-for-profit with a goal to educate people on how to home compost. Quickly she noticed there were many people interested in composting but were unable due to a variety of barriers. She realized if composting was more accessible, more people would do it. Loving Earth Compost was created.
In 2022, Whitney passed the torch to fellow passionate environmentalist and friend Hope LaBonty. Hope is excited to continue providing services as the new owner of Loving Earth Compost.
The mission remains to provide high-quality, convenient composting services to Saratoga Springs and the surrounding areas. We believe whole heartedly that protecting our environment is a community-endeavor, and we need to work together to help combat the climate crisis.
The Composting Process
Your food scraps are collected, weighted and processed to remove any non-compostable material. The scraps are then mixed with the proper amount of carbon to nitrogen ratio and processed into a variety of composting piles, including aerated static compost piles and windrows. The pile is turned and monitored daily to ensure that it has reached the perfect environment for microbes to flourish and food waste to break down. The pile reaches an optimal temperature of 140-160 degrees to kill any diseased pathogens and allow for healthy bacteria and microbes to grow. Once the pile has reached its prime at around 4 weeks, it is then moved to another static pile to cure for about 3 months. We then, test our compost using Dr. Elaine Ingham's Soil Food Web Lab method, for the proper balance of microbes. The compost is then sifted and ready to use!
Composting is one of the easiest and greenest ways we can protect and restore the resources our planet has to offer. Learn more about service plans and become part of the solution.
MEET HOPE LABONTY
she/her
Hope is a passionate environmentalist who lives in Saratoga Springs, with her family. She is very excited to carry-on Loving Earth, and be a part of the mission to help the Saratoga region become more sustainable.
The seeds of Hope’s care for the earth were sown at a very early age, between her grandfather’s garden, where she was allowed to have her ‘own’ garden, and being raised in a family with Indigenous (Aquinnah Wampanoag) heritage- where caring for the earth is a way of life. As a young kid she loved planting cucumbers, climbing in the trees, and was always so intrigued and excited that food could be grown in our own yards. That excitement carried on through high school, where she was a member of the recycling club and 'envirothon' team, all the way through university where she studied Ecology & Environmental Sciences, and Sustainable Horticulture.
After college, Hope has worked in a number of jobs including working in a soil science laboratory, as a sustainable landscaper, and an environmental educator at various schools.
Hope also holds a Permaculture Design Certificate, and a Soil Food Web Lab Technician Certificate.