Can you (or should you) compost packaging? Avoid chemicals or save the world?

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July 22, 2022

You may or may not know that nearly all of the stuff we use to pack your order is compostable. The only exception is the ice packs.

But, just because the packing materials are compostable and environmentally friendly doesn’t mean that they don’t contain synthetic chemicals.

For example, the compostable plastic bags are indeed compostable. However, they are definitely a highly processed product derived from corn and soy. The corn and soy are probably grown with chemicals like glyphosate. And who knows what chemicals are used to manufacture the bags.

Another example is the denim liners used for mail shipping. They are made from recycled cotton, likely from clothes. The cotton might have been bleached, sprayed with fire retardant, or who knows what else!

When you get these products at home, you have 3 options:

1- Throw them in the garbage.

You know that these products will break down (or compost) in a landfill, which is certainly not true for styrofoam or petroleum-based plastics. It’s a step in the right direction. If your trash is burned/incinerated, well, that’s simply never good for the planet.

2- Repurpose them.

I know at least one customer who uses the cotton liners as insulation in their attic. And, I know many customers who donate them to soup kitchens and food pantries, which often need to deliver meals to people in need.

I personally reuse the ice packs and keep the boxes for my kids to create and imagine with. And, since I’m in the Farm Driver Delivery zone, I return as much packaging as I can to the farm for reuse.

3- Compost them.

If you’re lucky enough to have municipal composting or subscribe to a composting service, that’s awesome and amazing!

You can also compost them at home, despite the warning that the bags should only be composted in an “industrial composting facility”. I’ve done it! For best results, the bags and liners should be chopped into small pieces, and you should maintain a healthy compost pile.

If you choose to compost the packaging, what about the chemicals? Is this safe to use the compost?

**This is a complicated question. I mean, no matter what happens to the packaging, the chemicals still exist. It’s really a question of who is exposed to them and when.**

If the products are incinerated, those chemicals go into the air. Kind of off topic, but I was horrified when I realized that, since all gasoline now contains ethanol, which is made from corn most likely grown with glyphosate, all that glyphosate goes into the air!

When these products compost in a landfill, they become part of a giant pile of junk and chemicals. Just because we can’t see it, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Over time, nature will inevitably spread it out. Rain comes down, and the chemicals will eventually make their way into the water supply and reach those who live closest first.

And who typically lives close to highways, waste incinerators, and landfills? Well, it’s sadly lower income people and people of color.

Municipal compost is typically used in municipal parks and gardens. So, any chemicals would get spread throughout your community. All of your neighbors get exposed.

Composting services either deliver the compost back to you, donate it to a local charity, and some even sell it! So, those chemicals would stay pretty local, near your community.

If you end up with the compost, either from a service or DIY at home, you have a choice to make – where do I use the compost? You could use it on vegetable gardens, but then the chemicals may contaminate your food. Or, you can use it on decorative gardens or to regenerate your lawn. No matter what, those chemicals are staying close to you.

We live in a grossly imperfect world. Chemical exposure is not an “if”. It’s a “when” and “how much” situation.

If you’re reading this, especially this far down, then I’m pretty sure you’re passionate about natural health and avoiding synthetic chemicals, too. You understand the damage it can do not only within your body but to the environment as well.

So really the question is, how do you handle your chemical burden? Do you send it far away from you to disproportionately affect lower income families and people of color? Or, do you own your chemical intake and keep it close to home?

My personal choice is to take the burden onto myself as much as I can. If I’m using products with chemicals, then I should deal with it and not push it off somewhere I can’t see it.

My husband loves compost, and we have some very healthy piles cooking in the backyard. We use it all over our teeny tiny property (along with cover crops and some chicken manure), and the results have been amazing.

When we first moved in 5 years ago, our land was about 50% dirt… hard, lifeless dirt. Now, we’re almost 95% plant covered with soil filled with worms and beetles and living microbiology!

My husband and I dream of growing mushrooms, which are supposedly amazing at breaking down chemicals quickly. So far, no success, but there’s still hope!

What do you think? What are your views on chemicals? How do you manage your exposure? Do you make or use compost?

I’d love to hear from you. Comment below (no account required, start typing to post as a guest) or contact us.

PS: I know that recyclable packaging is also an option. However, I don’t think the outcome is any brighter when compared to composting. I’ve read that a small percentage of recyclable material is actually recycled. Plus, it can only be recycled so many times. Plus, it takes a bunch of energy to recycle.

Opinion

Health and Nutrition

From farm to fork: Understanding the value of sustainable pork

Raising Pork the Old-Fashioned Way: Miller's Bio Farm's Commitment to Quality At Miller's Bio Farm, we're not trying to reinvent the wheel, we're bringing back the farming practices that sustained communities for generations. As an Amish farm, we understand that good stewardship of the land and animals isn't just about business; it's about honoring creation and providing wholesome food for families. When you buy pork from us, you're getting more than just meat. You're getting the result of careful, intentional farming that puts the well-being of our animals, our land, and your family first. Let's be honest: most grocery store pork comes wrapped in pretty words like "natural" and "humanely raised," but these labels often don't mean much. It's easy to put nice words on a package, much harder to actually do the work of raising animals properly. We'd like to show you how we do things differently here at Miller's Bio Farm. What Makes Our Pork Different Good pork starts with good practices. For us, that means healthy soil, happy animals, responsible harvesting, and thoughtful management of everything that happens on our farm. Here's what that looks like in practice: Pasture-Raised the Way Nature Intended Pigs aren't meant to spend their lives standing on concrete in windowless buildings. They're curious, intelligent animals that need fresh air, sunshine, and room to express their natural behaviors, rooting in the dirt, foraging for food, and socializing with other pigs. On our farm, hogs live outdoors on pasture in the woods where they can do exactly that. We move them regularly to fresh ground, which keeps them healthy and gives the land time to rest and regenerate. This practice, sometimes called rotational grazing is farming wisdom that's been passed down for centuries. When pigs root and forage on fresh pasture, they're naturally fertilizing the soil and helping plants grow back stronger. The land becomes more fertile season after season, storing carbon and building topsoil instead of depleting it. No chemical fertilizers needed, just pigs doing what pigs do best. This kind of farming takes more work than confining animals in one place, but it produces better results for everyone involved: healthier pigs, healthier land, and better tasting pork. Raising Animals with Respect Our approach to animal care reflects our values as an Amish farming community. We believe animals deserve to be treated with dignity and respect throughout their lives. Processing with Care When harvest time comes, we work with a small processor who shares our commitment to humane treatment. Our animals are handled calmly and respectfully, with immediate stunning to ensure they feel no distress. This isn't just the right thing to do, it also affects meat quality. Animals that are stressed at slaughter produce tougher, less flavorful meat. Properly handled animals yield tender, delicious pork that you can taste the difference in. Studies also confirm what traditional farmers have long known: animals raised on pasture produce meat with better nutritional profiles, including higher omega-3 fatty acids and more vitamins. Wholesome Feed, No Shortcuts We raise heritage breed pigs, traditional breeds known for their hardiness and flavor. These animals thrive on pasture with supplemental non-GMO grain, and they don't need antibiotics or growth hormones to stay healthy. In industrial pork production, antibiotics are mixed into feed daily to prevent disease in overcrowded conditions. This practice is creating drug-resistant bacteria that threaten public health, a problem we don't contribute to. Our pigs build strong immune systems naturally through good nutrition, clean living conditions, and low-stress environments. It's the way farming worked for centuries before shortcuts became the norm. Caring for God's Creation As stewards of the land, we take seriously our responsibility to leave it better than we found it. That's not just good farming, it's part of our calling. Building Soil, Not Destroying It Industrial agriculture depletes soil through intensive tilling, chemical dependence, and continuous monoculture cropping. This approach might boost short-term production, but it's not sustainable. We farm differently. Our rotational grazing actually improves soil health year after year. As pigs move across pasture, they naturally incorporate organic matter into the ground. Rest periods allow plants to regrow with deeper roots, which prevents erosion and captures carbon from the atmosphere. The result is living, fertile soil teeming with beneficial microorganisms soil that produces nutritious forage without synthetic inputs. Handling Waste Responsibly Large scale pig operations often store waste in enormous lagoons that leak pollutants into water supplies and release harmful gases into the air. These systems create environmental and health problems for surrounding communities. Our approach couldn't be more different. Because our pigs are spread across pasture and woodlands in manageable groups, their manure distributes naturally as valuable fertilizer rather than concentrating into a waste problem. When winter weather requires us to bring pigs into shelter, we bed them deeply with straw or wood shavings. This creates a composting effect that safely breaks down manure without environmental contamination. We also plant diverse pasture species specifically chosen to absorb nutrients and maintain ecological balance. Not all pigs like to go in the open shelter in the winter time and that's perfectly fine with us! The Real Story Behind Your Pork Chop Many people wonder which type of meat is most environmentally friendly. The truth is, it's not so much about whether you're eating pork, beef, or chicken, it's about how that animal was raised. Take beef as an example. You've probably heard that cattle are terrible for the environment. That criticism applies to feedlot operations where thousands of cattle are confined in small spaces and fed grain-heavy diets. But cattle raised properly on well managed pasture actually improve the land and sequester carbon. The animal itself isn't the problem; the farming method is. The same principle applies to pork. Factory farmed pork has serious environmental and ethical problems. Pasture raised pork from a regenerative farm like ours is a completely different product. One challenge specific to pork is that pigs need grain as part of their diet, they can't survive on grass alone like cattle can. This means sustainable pork production requires access to sustainably grown grain, ideally non-GMO corn and soybeans from farmers practicing regenerative agriculture. On our farm, we're committed to sourcing feed from responsible growers who share our values of soil health, biodiversity, and chemical free farming. What You're Really Buying When you purchase pork from Miller's Bio Farm, you're not just buying bacon or pork chops. You're supporting a way of farming that's been proven over generations, one that respects animals, regenerates land, and produces genuinely nutritious food. We're proud to raise pork the right way, even though it's more work. Because at the end of the day, that's what good stewardship looks like. And that's something worth bringing home to your table. Check out our: ✔️Corn & Soy Free ✔️ Vaccine, Drug, GMO-Free ✔️Heritage Breeds ✔️Woodland Raised PORK COLLECTION HERE: https://millersbiofarm.com/sto...

Eggnog's Medieval Magic

Well now, friends, let me tell you about eggnog - it's no yolk, this drink has been around forever! While history scholars are still whisking through different stories, most agree it sprouted from a Medieval drink called posset. Posset was hot milk curdled with wine or beer, served in a two-handled pot when folks caught the sniffles. Yup, that's right, I said sniffles. The warmth would settle your bones, the milk kept your strength up better than a day of plowing, and the alcohol and spices worked like nature's own medicine chest. Posset recipes were as varied as quilting patterns, every homestead had their own way to make it, and from this patchwork of kitchen wisdom grew a whole crop of milk based treasures, including... eggnog itself. Eggnog is a rich, chilled, sweet dairy drink that'll make you smile like you just finished morning milking. It's made with milk, cream, sugar, egg yolks, and spices, simple as that! Most folks only raise a glass during a short spell around Christmas. It was those fancy British folks in the 1700s who turned eggnog into a holiday tradition. They'd add expensive spirits and spices to milk to preserve it through winter (yep, aged eggnog, just like preserving pickles in the cellar). Eventually, eggnog crossed the ocean to the Thirteen Colonies. As times changed and food became easier to come by, common folk adopted it as a cherished holiday drink. Today, food is everywhere you look, but finding the right kind is harder than finding a needle in a haystack. Store-bought eggnog is stacked in every store, but I won't hitch my wagon to it. Store-bought eggnog is cooked up in factories to taste good and stay the same every time. But it's packed with additives, loaded with more sugar than a honey wagon, and has less than 2% egg yolks. Might as well call it milknog! And don't get me started on all that pasteurization business. If you've got the time, eggnog is easier than feeding chickens. Here's what you need: 4 egg yolks (fresh from the henhouse) ⅓ cup maple syrup (the real stuff, tapped honest) 2 cups raw milk (straight from Bessie, if you're blessed) 1 cup raw cream 1 tsp nutmeg (or whatever spices suit your fancy) 3 oz bourbon or rum (if you're of a mind to) You can mix these ingredients raw (like we do on the farm) or you can warm it up. Your barn, your rules. For a fuller eggnog, beat those yolks until they lighten like sunrise. Then fold in the rest. For a frothy eggnog that'll make you grin like a cat in the creamery, beat 4 egg whites until soft peaks form, then stir them into your finished batch. I highly recommend doing this whether you bought it from a farm stand or made it yourself. It's wonderful. So please, enjoy your eggnog this winter season. When you raise your glass, think on what you're celebrating. Toast to home remedies, good health, the wisdom of those who came before us, and honest food that comes from the land.

From Grass To Glow: Tallow Skin Care

Tallow might sound old-school, but this grass-fed goodness is pure skin food. Packed with vitamins A, D, E & K plus CLA, it mimics your skin’s natural fats for maximum absorption. The result? Happy, nourished, glowing skin, without the chemicals