GET INVOLVED

Book a Child & Youth Workshop

Book a child and youth workshop in your classroom, or come visit our teaching gardens! We offer a variety of programming for learners from preschool to grade 12. Inquire about the possibility of French composting workshops for immersion classes from kindergarten to grade 8!

Accessibility Information

Our educators aim to make our workshops accessible and enjoyable for students with diverse needs. Get in touch if you have students who may benefit from accommodations so that we can best prepare for your workshop. For information about accessibility on our site during visits, see here.

Testimonials

“It was very apparent that the kids and their parents thoroughly enjoyed the program. The day after the program I had one little guy, who attended the program, ask me to find him books on composting as his family were going to build a compost!”

“I liked how experiential the tour was for the children. The facilitator was skilled at maintaining the children’s attention and keeping them interested.”

“Elora was very interactive, engaging, and fun! She noticed when the children needed to move and was willing to respond to many questions, comments, and student inquiries!”

  • Spring Plant Sale – May 9th, 2026

    Save the Date! The Spring plant sale will be held on May 9th, 2026 from 10am-2pm. The plant sale will take place in Haegert Park (1202 Yukon St.) one block from our site on North Park street. Bring a blanket or a picnic so you can enjoy the music in the shade of the giant…

    Save the Date! The Spring plant sale will be held on May 9th, 2026 from 10am-2pm. The plant sale will take place in Haegert Park (1202 Yukon St.) one block from our site on North Park street. Bring a blanket or a picnic so you can enjoy the music in the shade of the giant Sequoia tree. Entry by donation. No one turned away from lack of funds. Dogs welcome.

    The Spring Organic Plant Sale features local farmers offering a wide variety of organically grown vegetable, flower and herb seedlings to get you off to a successful start this growing season.

    What you can look forward to:

    • The largest selection of organically grown heirloom tomato varieties all in one place for easy shopping

    • Organically grown vegetable starts from arugula to zucchini

    • Native plants for your low maintenance garden

    • Perennial edibles like berry bushes and other fruiting shrubs

    • Medicinal herbs like English lavender, chamomile and yarrow

    • Culinary herbs like Genovese basil, dill and chives

    • Companion plants like marigolds, sweet cicely and comfrey

    Accessibility Information

    The sale will be happening in Haegert park which is grassy and slightly sloped, there are curb cuts at various entrance points to get into the park.

    Visitors can park at the Vic High parking lot between Gladstone Avenue and Grant St. The parking lot is a 200m walk from Haegert Park.

    Thank you to our sponsors:

    • Hatchet & Seed
    • LADR Landscape Architects
    • Biophilia Collective
    • Country Grocer
    • Cold Comfort
    • Habit Coffee
    • Patagonia Victoria
    • The Private Network
    • Zero Waste Emporium
    • Chek News
    • West Coast Seeds

    The Compost Education Centre is located on unceded and occupied Indigenous territories, specifically the land of the Lekwungen speaking people—the Xwsepsum and Songhees Nations. These nations are two of many, made up of individuals who have lived within the porous boundaries of what is considered Coast Salish, Nuu-Chah-Nulth and Kwakwa’wakw Territory (Vancouver Island) since time immemorial. At the CEC we seek to respect, honour and continually grow our own understandings of Indigenous rights and history, and to fulfill our responsibilities as settlers, who live and work directly with the land and its complex, vital ecologies and our diverse, evolving communities.

  • Fundraiser and Dance Party on Oct 9th!

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  • We are out of green cones until August 23rd

    Compost enthusiasts: we regret to inform you that we are temporarily out of green cones. They should be back in stock by August 23rd at the latest. Thank you for your patience!

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    Compost enthusiasts: we regret to inform you that we are temporarily out of green cones. They should be back in stock by August 23rd at the latest. Thank you for your patience!

  • Compost Educator Training this September!

    The Basics: The Compost Educator Program (CEP) is a comprehensive volunteer training program that has been offered by the Centre since 1992. The CEP includes 10 hours of classroom, practical, and hands-on instruction.  It is spread over the course of two Saturdays. The next session will take place on Saturday September 20 from 10am-3pm and Saturday…

    The Basics:
    The Compost Educator Program (CEP) is a comprehensive volunteer training program that has been offered by the Centre since 1992.

    The CEP includes 10 hours of classroom, practical, and hands-on instruction.  It is spread over the course of two Saturdays.

    The next session will take place on Saturday September 20 from 10am-3pm and Saturday September 27 from 10am-3pm.

    Space is limited to 15 participants per session.

    Cost is $50.

    To reserve your space in the Compost Educator Program, please email Clare at education (a) compost.bc.ca or register online HERE.

    Features of the training:

    •  Site tour, Centre services & staff orientation
    • Composting systems & methods
    • Compost pile maintenance & troubleshooting
    • Worm-bins & indoor composting
    • Answers for the public’s Compost FAQ
    • Hot compost pile building
    • Community educational outreach skills
    • Intro to permaculture principles & application
    • Organic gardening & soil building
    • Comprehensive compost manual that is yours to keep
    • Potluck lunches!

    Following the training course, volunteers can lend their skills to the Centre as community educators and site volunteers.

    Volunteer opportunities include:

    outreach displayCommunity outreach volunteering involves staffing the Compost Education Centre mobile displays when we attend different events throughout the CRD, such as:

    • Moss St. Market

      Seedy Saturday

      Organic Islands Festival

    Community outreach is a powerful tool to spread the ‘dirt’ on composting.  It’s a great experience for all involved.

     

     

    garden volunteersGarden volunteering is a great opportunity to learn new skills and help out in the gardens at the Compost Ed Centre!  Work bees are held on the first Saturday of every month from 12:30-3:30.  Each one is focused on a relevant task in the garden for that month of the growing season.  We begin with a short theory lesson to give some background on the task and then get dirty applying the new knowledge in the garden.

  • Fall organic plant sale on Aug 16th!

    Here at the Compost Education Centre, we always enjoy watching beautiful starts leave the sale to find their new homes in gardens around town.  We’ll be hosting our second plant sale of the year on Saturday August 16th from 10am-1pm.  This is a great opportunity to pick up some great veggie starts such as broccoli,…

    Here at the Compost Education Centre, we always enjoy watching beautiful starts leave the sale to find their new homes in gardens around town.  We’ll be hosting our second plant sale of the year on Saturday August 16th from 10am-1pm.  This is a great opportunity to pick up some great veggie starts such as broccoli, kale and chard varieties for healthy winter eating!

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  • August is ‘bring a friend for free’ month!

    We are excited to offer a 2-for-1 special on our August workshops!  For the month of August, all Compost Club members who take a workshop can bring a friend along for free.  When registering online, simply purchase your workshop ticket as you usually do, then choose the option to bring along a friend at no…

    We are excited to offer a 2-for-1 special on our August workshops!  For the month of August, all Compost Club members who take a workshop can bring a friend along for free.  When registering online, simply purchase your workshop ticket as you usually do, then choose the option to bring along a friend at no cost.  Looking forward to seeing you and your pals at these fantastic events!

    You can choose from two awesome August workshops for the promotion:

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    Natural Beekeeping
    1:00pm-4:00pm
    August 9th

    Are you curious about how to get started with natural backyard beekeeping? Join Tara Beninger, local beekeeper extraordinaire, to learn all about effective and natural beekeeping. Topics will include advantages of different hive designs, how to build an effective hive for our specific climate, natural approaches to bee health, bee-friendly hive management, and more!  To register, click here.
    Aquaponics
    1:00pm-4:00pm
    August 23rd

    Aquaponics is an efficient, sustainable system that produces both fish and hydroponic vegetables! We will examine the development of aquaponics, techniques, new innovations and home-scale projects for the sustainable urban gardener. A range of potential crops and fish will be discussed, and we will also cover different materials and where to source them. The main focus will be on freshwater home  systems, with the Compost Centre’s demonstration garden providing a practical example. We will also take a tour of the large-scale aquaponics system at Mason Street City Farm just a few blocks away from the Compost Education Centre!  To register, click here. 

     

  • Miss Mullein’s Herbals are here!

    We are SO excited to announce the arrival of Ravenhill Herb Farm’s line of herbal healing products:  Miss Mullein’s Herbals.  We will be carrying a selection of their locally made, all-organic, herbal-infused honeys, tinctures and salves. Perfect gifts, treats for the self and additions to the medicine cabinet! Salves   Tinctures Herbal Infused Honeys  *…

    We are SO excited to announce the arrival of Ravenhill Herb Farm’s line of herbal healing products:  Miss Mullein’s Herbals.  We will be carrying a selection of their locally made, all-organic, herbal-infused honeys, tinctures and salves. Perfect gifts, treats for the self and additions to the medicine cabinet!

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    Salves

    • Baby’s Bum – Calendula (C. officinalis), self-heal (P. vulgaris), lavender (L. angustifolia), balsam poplar (P. balsamifera), extra virgin olive oil, castor oil, cocoa butter, beeswax, vitamin E. 

    • Cuts & Scrapes – Mahonia (M. aquifolium), usnea (U. longissima), yarrow (A. millifolium), western red cedar (T. plicata), calendula (C. officinalis), balsam poplar (P. balsamifera), extra virgin olive oil, castor oil, coca butter, beeswax, vitamin E. 

    • Aches & Pains – Sword fern (P. munitum), arnica (A. montana & A. chamissonis), balsam poplar (P. balsamifera), comfrey (S. officinalis), cayenne (C. annuum), extra virgin olive oil, castor oil, cocoa butter, beeswax, vitamin E. 

     

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    Tinctures

    • Immune Booster – Echinacea (E. purpurea & E. angustifolia), reshi (Ganoderma Lucidum), american ginseng (Panax quinquefolius), siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus), tumeric (Curcuma longa), pure vegetable glycerine, cane alcohol.
    • Allergy Easer – Nettle (Urtica dioica), ambrosia (A. chamissonis), goldenrod (Solidego canadensis), anaphalis (A. margaritacea), alcohol, pure vegetable glyerine.
    • Tummy Calmer – Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla), hops (Humulus lupulus), pure vegetable glycerine, cane alcohol.
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    Herbal Infused Honeys 

    • Herbs de Provence – Unpasteurized Cowichan BC honey, wildcrafted Grindelia flowers (Grindelia integrifolia), organically grown Lemon balm herb (Melissa officinalis), and organically grown Sage herb (Salvia officinalis).

    • Wild Rose – Unpasteurized Cowichan BC honey, fresh wildcrafted Wild Rose petals (Rosa nutkana).

    • Sore Throat & Cough – Unpasteurized Cowichan BC honey, organically grown Lemon Thyme (Thymus citriodorus), Rosemary herb (Rosmarinus officinalis), Lavender flowers (Lavendula angustifolia), Fennel Seed (Foeniculum vulgare), Sweet Basil herb (Ocimum basilicum).

    * All images from Miss Mullein’s Herbals website

  • DIY rain barrel kits now in stock!

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  • Buy your Compost Club Membership online!

    Membership cards
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