First Com-post of 2015

Last May (2014), volunteers from Prairie Street Mennonite Church helped salvage and rescue the antique tile roof from a structure scheduled to be torn down for the Prairie Street Railroad Over-Pass off downtown Elkhart, Indiana.

In addition to clay tiles, vintage window and doors were also removed for recycling into new buildings elsewhere.

 

The roof tiles were reinstalled at a private residence in the Downtown-West neighborhood, positively contributing to the retention of an important historical styling to Elkhart, and finding the ways and means to recycle re-usable building components rather than landfilling them.

The owners of the home did not stop with restoring an historic home and with the recycling of key building components.  Establishing healthy practices for the future, the owners have continued to restore the lot by replanting and maintaining responsible landscaping.  A dedication to recycling continues with the use of natural mulches made available by the counties of Michiana from the wood debris collected from yards and residents last summer.

Composting is an important step in preparing spring flower beds and landscaping for the new growing season.  Natural composts, free of dyes and preservatives, break down naturally, adding nutrients to the soil while discouraging the growth of weeds, preserving moisture and mitigating soil erosion.  Most spring bulbs and perennials have sufficient vigor to push through a 4-inch layer of fresh mulch, and it can be spread evenly over the entire bed.

T4781 contributed to this project by supplying volunteers to load and unload the mulch and by providing the equipment and transportation of the mulch to the residents' lot.