What if your leftover festival meal could help grow tomorrow’s food? Well, just outside Canberra, that’s exactly what’s happening and it’s the kind of feel good story we can’t get enough of.

At a time when landfills are overflowing and soil health is declining, one Australian farm is flipping the script and proving that waste isn’t waste at all. It’s a resource. And honestly, it’s about time we started treating it that way.

A festival with a second life

Every year, on Ngunnawal Land (Canberra), the National Folk Festival brings together thousands of people to celebrate music, culture and community. But like most large events, it also produces tonnes of waste, from food scraps to compostable plates, cups and cutlery.

This year alone, around seven tonnes of organic waste from the five day festival is being redirected away from landfill and onto a farm in Braidwood. For nearly six decades, this waste came at a cost, both financially and environmentally, ending up buried and producing methane. Now, it’s part of something far more meaningful.

From Plate to Paddock

At Jillamatong Farm, farmer Martin Royds is transforming festival leftovers into nutrient rich compost. His approach is simple but powerful. Combine organic waste with nitrogen rich insect byproducts, add beneficial microbes, and let nature do its thing.

The result? In just 12 months, what once looked like a pile of rubbish becomes rich, fertile soil. Aside from the occasional plastic fruit sticker, everything breaks down completely. It’s a perfect example of a circular economy in action. Waste is not discarded but returned to the earth, helping to grow the next generation of food.

Farming That Gives Back

Here’s where things get real. Around 60 to 70 per cent of the average waste stream is organic material, including food, paper and cardboard. Yet much of it still ends up in landfill. At the same time, 75 per cent of Australian agricultural soil contains less than 1 per cent organic matter. That’s a serious problem for soil health, food quality and long-term sustainability.

By composting organic waste instead, we can reduce methane emissions, improve soil biology and even decrease reliance on synthetic fertilisers. It’s a win for the planet, farmers and future food systems.What makes this story even better is the ripple effect. The compost created at Jillamatong Farm is used to nourish pastures, which then support livestock and ultimately produce food that goes back to local communities.

Research has shown that this soil-first approach can reduce farming costs while increasing production. In other words, sustainability isn’t just good for the planet, it makes sense economically too.For Martin, the shift has been more than practical. It’s been a mindset change. Instead of focusing on what needs to be removed or controlled, he looks at what can be nurtured and improved.

The Bigger Picture

With the right systems, education and support, composting could become second nature. Imagine if every household, event and business treated organic waste as a valuable resource rather than rubbish.

And if a music festival can help grow healthier soil, stronger farms and better food, then maybe the future isn’t looking so wasteful after all.

If you loved this story you’ll love our other blog here about how France is leading the change and banning PFAS chemicals ...it’s a goodie!

Happy Friday, 
Ellie xx