Flying Change Farms CASE STUDY

Flying Change Farms is a new equestrian facility in Loomis, CA that is committed to environmental stewardship as part of its core mission. The boarding and training facility has two barns with 39 stalls and 10 paddocks with shelters. They wanted a manure management process that would improve the local environment and reduce costs compared to typical disposal methods.

After learning about the Earth Flow in vessel composting system they concluded that on-site composting is the best solution. They realized that composting is the perfect match to pair with the innovative pre-consumer cardboard product that they use for bedding, Airlite, which reduces waste. They also wanted a solution that could serve as an educational and inspirational model for the local community and the wider equestrian community, promoting sustainable practices that also make economic sense.

Excellence as compost material is Airlite’s second sustainability selling point. The pieces of pre-consumer cardboard maintain their structural stability in the stall for a long time. When they’ve served that purpose, they get a second life as soil sustaining compost.

GMT provided a Site Built Earth Flow in-vessel composting system for Flying Change Farms, which serves as a sustainable waste management solution for the horse manure and bedding produced at their equestrian facility. The Earth Flow system automatically mixes and aerates compostable materials producing “ready to cure” compost in two weeks.

The facility owner is excited about the combination one-two punch of Airlite pre-consumer cardboard bedding and the Earth Flow composting system. This will to capture carbon and return it to the soil while preserving the local watershed. Airlite bedding is an ideal compost bulking agent to be processed with the horse manure, due to its super absorbency – up to 5X more than wood shavings. Airlite also has a positive effect to neutralize ammonia odors that can be harmful to the respiratory health of horses and their people.

Flying Change Farms expects to use the compost throughout the property and sell it through local landscaping companies and garden centers.

The customization of the in-vessel composting system was tailored to match the aesthetics of Flying Change Farms' new state-of-the-art facility, providing both functionality and visual appeal. GMT also provided expert engineering guidance and planning to ensure excellence in on-site installation, training, and ongoing support to optimize the use of the system.

The implementation of GMT’s composting solution will result in significant cost savings by eliminating the expenses associated with manure hauling and disposal, while protecting the local watershed and providing a more sustainable and economically viable waste management method.