Category Archives: Uncategorized

Happy Belated Halloween!

October is always a scary month for composting facilities. Calm weather conditions, temperature inversions and the beginning of fall rains can lead to an increase in spooky odors and odor related complaints. Fortunately, our state-of-the-art, Aerated Composting System (ASP) is helping to ward off the odor goblins. Our ASP system went online in February 2019, and we’ve been running the system ever since.

While it is impossible to operate a composting facility without producing some odors, the ASP system allows us to control the key composting parameters (Oxygen, Moisture, Temperature) thus allowing for better process control. Microscopic organisms and fungi all help break down the organic matter in the compost pile and turn yard debris into high-quality compost. Warm, well aerated bugs are happy bugs and happy bugs produce less odors.

Facility Tours

If you would like to take a tour of our state-of-the-art compost factory and watch our happy bugs in action, please call our office and make an appointment. You can also see the transformation of our facility by watching these short Garden Time segments:
Segment 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kf5U-FSu2CU

Segment 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tG6eeJ8WXOA

Fall Has Arrived

Although it is kind of hard to tell with all this nice weather. But that is about to change. The weatherman is predicting the return of rain in the coming days as a series of storms approach our area. It is time to clean those gutters and street drains to prevent local flooding.

Free Yard Debris Disposal Day for Tualatin Residents
Saturday November 12, 2022, from 9:00am to 3:00pm.

REMEMBER! Please bring:

  • Proof of Tualatin residency
  • Non-perishable items for the Tualatin School House Pantry.
  • Currently, the Pantry’s most urgent needs include: canned fruits (no applesauce please), canned vegetables, canned meals (ex: SpaghettiOs, ravioli, chili, etc), boxed macaroni and cheese, peanut butter, cereal, dried beans, bags of rice, bulk cooking/baking items (ex: flour, salt, sugar, spices), and hygiene items such as toilet paper, shampoo/conditioner, bar soap, toothpaste, feminine products, and powdered laundry soap (bulk is fine!)
  • The Pantry is always in need of paper grocery bags and small/medium empty boxes
  • Please do not bring expired items!

Dry, Seasoned Firewood

This year, the high cost of heating oil and natural gas is going to put a strain on the heating budget and burning wood is an excellent home heating option. Our premium firewood is going fast so stock up now while supplies last.

HELPFUL HINTS:

  1. Burn seasoned firewood-Improves efficiency and reduces creosote buildup.
  2. Clean your chimney- Keeping your chimney clean helps prevent home fires.
  3. Stack in a sheltered, well-ventilated place-Cover the top but leave the sides open.
  4. Get it now! Finding dry, well-seasoned firewood in the middle of winter is impossible.

Rain, rain go away…

Come Again Some Other Day!

With all this wet weather, it is hard to believe that it is already the middle of May. Here at Grimm’s, we are looking forward to some sunshine and warmer days. It is past time to get out there and start working in the flower beds. Remember, yard debris disposal is free for our Pony Ridge / Angel Haven neighbors. Soil and compost are also free, so it is time to get out there and start working in the yard!

Free Yard Debris Disposal Day.

May 14, 2022, is free dump day for all Tualatin area residents. The hours are 9:00am – 2:00pm. If you don’t get around to it this time, there will be another free dump day in October. Don’t forget to bring a small donation of food for the Tualatin Food Pantry. Currently, the Pantry’s most urgent needs include: canned fruits (no applesauce please), canned vegetables, canned meals (spaghettios, ravioli, chili, etc), boxed macaroni and cheese, peanut butter, cereal, dried beans, bags of rice, bulk cooking/baking items (ex: flour, salt, sugar, spices), and hygiene items such as toilet paper, shampoo/conditioner, bar soap, toothpaste, feminine products, and powdered laundry soap (bulk is fine!)

Hemlock Shortage.

The shortage of hemlock barkdust continues so anyone who wants this premium ground cover needs to act soon. We still have some in stock, but it is going fast!

Composting.

Our state-of-the-art composting facility continues to meet and exceed all design parameters and is producing fantastic compost! Using compost enhances soil quality, helps save water, and supports our community’s efforts to recycle yard debris. All of this helps to conserve our natural resources, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and reduces the amount of material sent to the landfill.

Happy Gardening!

Tualatin Residents Free Yard Debris Drop Off Day

Saturday, November 13, 2021 – 9:00am to 1:00pm

Support the Tualatin Food Pantry!

Yard debris consists of leaves, weeds, grass clippings, branches and prunings no larger than 4 inches in diameter or 8 feet in length.

REMEMBER! Please bring proof of Tualatin residency

·  Currently, the Pantry’s most urgent needs include: canned fruits (no applesauce please), canned vegetables, canned meals (spaghettios, ravioli, chili, etc), boxed macaroni and cheese, peanut butter, cereal, dried beans, bags of rice, bulk cooking/baking items (ex: flour, salt, sugar, spices), and hygiene items such as toilet paper, shampoo/conditioner, bar soap, toothpaste, feminine products, and powdered laundry soap (bulk is fine!)

·  The Pantry is always in need of paper grocery bags and small/medium empty boxes 

·  Please do not bring expired items!

What’s up at Grimm’s?

The biofilters have been running since the end of April helping regulate temperature in the composting zones. 

Make sure and wave if you’ve see our new truck on the road.  It’s a 2021 Kenworth T880, with clean diesel technology.  The cab is quiet, A/C works great and it drives like a pickup – but don’t tell the boss! 

WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE!   Who knew the supply of hemlock bark would be so limited this year?  The amount of hemlock bark available from the mills is greatly reduced.  They tell us it’s because of a change in logging practices.  Greater use of “feller bunchers”, mechanical tree limb removal in the forest, has reduced the amount of bark on the trees that are delivered to the mills.  Hemlock bark has fewer slivers than fir but they both look the same on the ground.

Here’s a link to our most recent “Virtual Tour” with Garden Time:

Spring has sprung!

Its Time to Garden!

Now that spring is here, it is time to get out there and get to gardening! Remember, yard debris disposal is free for our Pony Ridge / Angel Haven neighbors, so bring in that ice storm debris you have laying around. Compost and soil are also free so there is no reason to put off that spring cleanup and garden renewal.

A year ago, our world was turned upside down as the Covid-19 pandemic took control of our lives and we are slowly, yet finally, returning to normal. We’re moving out of the darkness and returning to something more normal as more people are eligible for vaccines and getting vaccinated. The vaccines have proven to be the light at the end of the tunnel. 

Facility Update

Phase I of our facility modernization has been in operation for over a year and we remain extremely pleased with the performance. This aeration floor continues to exceed design standards and is producing some excellent compost!

Phase II of the modernization was completed in September – just in time for the busy fall leaf season.  The “sparger floor” design is slightly different than the Phase I floor and has proven to be even more effective at keeping the compost piles well aerated.

The final task to the facility upgrade is the completion of the bio-filters. These filters have been constructed but need to be filled with filter media. We had planned to install the media during our slow time in February, but the ice storm forced us to change our plans. We’re nearly done working through the surge of storm debris and will get back on task to process the filter media. Once completed, these filters will allow us even better temperature control in the compost piles.

Stay warm!

It’s cold outside but composting is a continuous process. We thought it fun to share a bit of “ASP art”. They look like lumieres, formed from the air passing through the holes in the top of the ASP spargers.

A Change for the Better!

  • Phase I
  • Phase II

After many years of hard work and an almost $3 million dollars in capital improvements, our yard debris composting facility has undergone a complete makeover. At the end of September, the final Phase of this state-of-the-art composting facility was completed, and we are again, fully operational. Our two main aerated static pile composting pads have the capacity to process 100,000 tons per year while doing so on a very small footprint.

Special Thanks

We would like to thank all of our neighbors for their patience during this conversion process. It has been a long process, but we could not have accomplished this herculean task without the help and input of the neighborhood groups like CASE, Oregon Air and all of the residents of the Pony Ridge subdivision.

We would also like to thank the City of Tualatin and the DEQ for their help and understanding. Metro has been instrumental in making this transition possible. Their willingness to step up and hire a contractor to help lay out a plan forward was the key to keeping our recycling center open and viable for decades to come. The Metro Investment & Innovation Grant program provided a much needed financial boost.

Finally, we would like to thank the hundreds of customers who have continued to utilize the facility daily. Without your continued loyalty and patronage, none of this would have been possible!

Phase I Update

Phase I has been operational since December 2019 and has produced over 100,000 cubic yards (40,000 tons) of compost. The ability to control moisture, temperature and oxygen has been instrumental in our abilities to minimize odors. While it is impossible to operate a composting facility without producing some odors, the ability to control these variables has virtually eliminated all offensive offsite odors.

Phase II Update

The second slab is a mirror image of the first slab and is capable of converting 50,000 tons of green waste into high quality compost. 45,000 square feet of asphalt was installed on September 22nd to allow maneuvering access and the aerated slab was placed into service shortly after that.

Facility Tours

Due to the Coronavirus, our previously scheduled open house is still on hold. However, if you would like to take an individual tour, please call our office and make an appointment – limit 2 per tour. You can also see the progress by watching this short Garden Time segment: https://youtu.be/Kf5U-FSu2CU

Garden Time Phase2: https://youtu.be/tG6eeJ8WXOA