Siblings start compost business in Medina, keeping 3-generation farm in family

Amy Dennis Wood and her brother Scot Dennis are shown with one of the buckets they provide residents who sign up for their new composting business. Wood’s dog Luci, a Bernese Mountain dog, is being trained to pull carts of compost as the new composting business grows.

MEDINA – Amy Dennis Wood and her brother Scot Dennis want to make a positive environmental impact with the new business they started in the spring.

Curbside Organic Recycling was launched in June by the siblings on the 1860s farm left to them by their parents at 3031 Culvert Rd. They took over as co-owners in 2013.

The farm has been in the Dennis family since 1940, first owned by Amy and Scot’s grandparents, and then their parents. The last two generations spent their last years there caring for loved ones.

Amy and Scot both have full time jobs, Scot as a senior reimbursement analyst for Rochester Regional Health and Amy an archeologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Scot lives in Rochester, but spends a day a month on the farm, or more often when needed. Scot manages the finances and bookwork, while Amy does the actual farm work.

“We each play to our individual strengths,” Amy said.

The farm has 70 acres, including 10 acres of woods. They rent a large portion to a local farmer, but have plans for the rest. One thing they both wanted to do was grow rare and lesser known fruits, and they have already planted elderberries, saskatoons (similar to Juneberries) and quince trees.

Amy said she found a copy of a 1900s newspaper which had an article on Ransom Hoag, the farmer and original owner, who grew quinces.

“We wanted to bring back things into the market that haven’t been available locally,” Amy said.

Scot Dennis empties a bucket onto the composting pile at the farm he and his sister Amy Dennis Wood own on Culvert Road.

The siblings hope the composting business will grow to the point they will have enough to use on the farm and have some left to sell. Amy said at first most of it will go on their farm, as the land there is clay.

They said composting is not a new thing.

“I’ve spent time in Europe and they have compostable bins there,” Scot said. “All the big cities, including Buffalo and Rochester have it.”

Amy has lived in Brattleboro, Mass., and they require composting, she said.

“Composting is about diverting material from the landfills,” Amy said. “At least 40 percent of what we throw away can be composted. This is something we can offer the community and help the environment.”

The business was relatively inexpensive to start, the siblings said. All they needed was a supply of buckets with lids. The only work involved is collecting the buckets, emptying them and then washing out the buckets. They are looking into compostable bags, which will eliminate the cleaning process.

The government requires they keep track of the amount of compost they collect, to assure they don’t get too big. They have already collected 500 pounds of compost.

They are promoting their business on Facebook and at the Canal Village Farmers’ Market, where they’ve been warmly received. They are currently serving customers in Medina, Albion, Knowlesville and Lyndonville, and want to include Middleport.

A customer who signs up pays a start-up fee, and then $10 a month for one pick-up or $15 for two pick-ups a month. A customer can cancel any time.

Each bucket has instructions on the lid, listing what the best items to compost are (grass clippings, egg shells, vegetables, fruit, newspaper (nothing glossy) and coffee grounds. Among the things not to include are meat and bones.

To sign up, residents just call or text Amy at (585) 560-0711 or e-mail dennisfamilyfarmsllc@proton.me.  As she works during the day, Amy said customers can leave a message and she will return their call.