Kids learn to how yard clippings make for fresh soil

In a special presentation to 2nd graders at Bridgeport Elementary, Newhall Land demonstrated how old yard trimmings are given new life, as mulch, useful in planting new crops.

Newhall land has launched the program to help keep green waste from filling up landfills when it can be used for sustaining new growth. In it, they have partnered with Agromin, who actually transforms the waste.

“If we don’t recycle the greens from our backyards, schools and businesses, our landfills will become overloaded,” said Bill Camarillo, President of Agromin.

The mulch is then used by Newhall Land in their agricultural fields, which grow a variety of crops. In fact, carrots grown using this very same mulch were brought to the students to munch on.

They also will continue to watch the cycle further as several kits were given to the classroom. The kits included a bag of the mulch, as well as carrot seeds to plant.

“It’s a whole sustainability program, the whole full cycle of your yard going back into the ground and coming up with food you can eat,” said Marlee Lauffer, spokeswoman for Newhall Land.

The program is called “Clippings for Carrots” and it will be taught all year long to 2nd graders in the Saugus Union School District.