Did You Know

In the autumn afternoon photo above, steam comes off our compost pile as it is turned. The ideal internal temperature of Stemilt's compost is 140° F.

Farm with us!

Composting

In 2005, Kyle Mathison, Tom's son and fourth generation cherry grower, started a compost farm atop Stemilt Hill. Kyle dreamed of feeding his beloved trees with a high-quality, organic compost that was made by regenerating green waste from Stemilt orchards and packing facilities.

Today, 18 acres are dedicated to composting at Stemilt. Kyle collects 100% of the green waste produced at Stemilt (such as leaves, culled fruit, wood chips, etc.) and churns it into a nutrient-rich fertilizer that fuels over 1,000 acres of orchard.

The impact of composting is substantial - preventing more than 500 truckloads of waste from filling up area landfills each year. Additionally, using compost as fertilizer boosts the nutritional balance of the soil and strengthens the trees' natural defense system. For Kyle, making World Famous Compost brings together two of his deepest passions - the environment and growing fruit with dessert flavors.