There is a new and important addition to SWIMGA’s Display Garden. It’s a composting toilet facility, and it’s located near the log cabin.

Kay Haller and Linda Stocks are co-chairpersons of the Display Garden. Kay explains happened to get to this point: “I had to get approval from the Health Department, and they referred me to the Environmental Public Health Division in Indianapolis.  After several emails, they decided we could build the composting toilet since no running water would be available.

“I contacted Better Built Barns and asked if they could build it if I sent a design. It was built May 16 and finished on the 17. It contains one tub for waste and one for sawdust. 

“Each time the toilet is used, one scoop of sawdust is spread over the contents in the tub. There will be a hand sanitizer station in the toilet but everyone should wash with hot water and soap before using one’s hands to eat. The contents have to be incorporated into the soil  for a year before it can be used as compost for everything but edibles.  The composting toilet will be used for workdays and special events held at the Master Gardener Display Garden.”

The facility is made of “wood and regular shingles, and it has a metal strip in front of the toilet seat to protect the legs from being scratched by the plywood seat. It will be caulked and painted gray to match the cabin chinking and will have a red door.”

Photo and information courtesy Mary Ann Hughes