Fertile Ground

What Fertile Ground does

Fertile Ground Cooperative is a worker-owned composting and recycling company founded in 2011 by Terry Craghead in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The company provides residential and commercial composting and recycling collection services, zero-waste event services, erosion control products, and a community food scrap drop-off program. It serves homeowners, businesses, event organizers, and government and educational institutions across the Oklahoma City metropolitan area, including Norman, Moore, Nichols Hills, Edmond, Newcastle, and surrounding Central Oklahoma communities. The company operates as a limited cooperative association with 8 worker-owners and 4 worker-owner candidates, governed by democratic one-worker, one-vote principles, and is the sole operational entity with no parent company or external controlling investor.

The company's core technology centers on physical compost and resource recovery operations that transform organic waste—including food scraps, yard waste, and landscape refuse—into soil amendments and erosion control products. It produces a range of compost products (Resource Recovery Compost, Zoo Poo Compost made from Oklahoma City Zoo herbivore manure, Worm Compost from vermiculture, Fine Compost, Raised Bed Mix, and Mulch), compostable consumer goods (BioBags, BPI-certified serving ware), and engineered erosion control products (Compost Filter Socks made from durable woven fabric filled with composted mulch). All processing occurs at its main facility at 2228 S. Santa Fe Ave., Oklahoma City. In 2025, the company processed over 500 tons of landscape materials into compost and diverted 311,351 pounds of food scraps, 348,450 pounds of recycling, and 89,500 pounds of glass from landfills.

Fertile Ground generates revenue through multiple subscription and transactional streams. Residential composting subscriptions are priced at $29/month, mixed recycling at $34/month, and community drop-off access at $10/month across more than 20 drop-off sites. Commercial services use custom quotes with weekly or biweekly collection, with enrolled customers receiving a 10% discount on bulk compost purchases. Additional revenue comes from product sales (compost at $45-$70 per cubic yard, bulk delivery $90-$250 depending on distance), zero-waste event services (39 events served in 2025), and green waste drop-off fees scaled to load size. Distribution is primarily direct-to-consumer via an online customer portal for residential customers and field sales for commercial accounts, supplemented by an e-commerce storefront for products and a Street Team referral program offering $10 credits at signup and milestone rewards. The company filed an SEC exempt securities offering in December 2021 with a $2.5 million target, of which $20,000 had been sold at the time of filing.

Name

Fertile Ground

Legal name

Fertile Ground Cooperative

Website

https://fertilegroundok.coop

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fertile Ground Cooperative is a worker-owned composting and recycling company serving residential, commercial, and event customers across Central Oklahoma through subscription-based food scrap and recyclables collection, community drop-off sites, and compost and erosion control products.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Composting and Recycling Services

NAICS

Compost Manufacturing (325315), Waste Collection (56211), Fertilizer and Compost Manufacturing (32531)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953), Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Organics Collection & Processing (Composting/Anaerobic Digestion) (IMAIAFAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Composting Facility Operations (Windrow, ASP, In-Vessel) (BPALAEAB), Compost Product Distribution, Retail & Landscape Supply (Bulk/Bagged) (BPALAEAI), Organics & Composting Programs (Food Waste, Green Waste) (BPABALAC), Compost & Compost Blends (AFABADAE)

Keywords

• Composting services
• Recycling collection services
• Sustainable waste management
• Organic waste diversion
• Zero-waste event services

Headquarters

HQ city

Oklahoma City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Residential Composting Subscription: Monthly subscription service for residential food scrap collection. Provides bucket, weekly swap service, and annual compost bucket return. Customers receive 10% discount on bulk purchases and free compost bucket annually.
2. Residential Recycling Subscription: Monthly subscription for mixed recycling and glass collection services. Weekly or biweekly pickup of 96-gallon polycart for mixed recyclables and 18-gallon blue bin for glass.
3. Community Drop-Off Program: Monthly subscription for community food scrap drop-off sites. $10/month fee for access to multiple drop-off locations across Oklahoma City, Edmond, and Norman.
4. Product Sales: Sale of composting products including compost (Resource Recovery, Zoo Poo, Fine, Worm), garden soil, mulch, BioBags, and BPI-certified compostable serving ware (plates, cups, utensils).
5. Zero-Waste Event Services: Custom quoting for event composting and recycling services. Includes bin provision, signage, setup, waste hauling, and optional supply sales.
6. Commercial Composting and Recycling: Weekly or biweekly commercial collection services for food waste and recyclables in 64-gallon or 96-gallon containers. Commercial customers receive 10% discount on bulk compost.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Fertile Ground Cooperative operates residential and commercial composting collection, residential and commercial recycling pickup, and zero-waste event services across the Oklahoma City metro area. The cooperative also manufactures and sells compost products, mulches, garden soils, BioBags compostable bags, and compost filter socks used for erosion control. Operations convert organic waste from residential, commercial, and event streams into soil amendments sold through an e-commerce storefront and direct deliveries.

Product overview

Fertile Ground Cooperative is a worker-owned composting and recycling company offering a comprehensive suite of sustainability services and products. The core offering consists of residential and commercial composting collection services, residential and commercial recycling pickup, and zero-waste event services. Supporting product categories include compost products (Resource Recovery Compost, Zoo Poo Compost, Worm Compost, Fine Compost), garden soil products (Raised Bed Mix), landscaping products (Mulch), erosion control products (Compost Filter Socks, Compost Blankets), and compostable consumer products (BioBags, Kitchen Countertop Bins, BPI-certified plates, bowls, cups, and cutlery). The company also operates a Community Food Scrap Drop-Off Program and Green Waste Drop-Off service. All offerings are tied to the company's mission of transforming waste into community wealth by diverting compostable and recyclable materials from landfills.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Residential Composting Collection Weekly bucket swap pickup service for residential food scraps. Customers receive a 5-gallon bucket lined with BioBag, and Fertile Ground swaps filled buckets for clean ones on a weekly schedule. Priced at $29 per month in Oklahoma City, Nichols Hills, Norman, and Moore. Subscribers receive a free annual 5-gallon bucket of finished compost.
• Commercial Composting Weekly or biweekly commercial food scrap collection using BPI-certified compostable bags in 64-gallon green bins or 96-gallon containers. Custom-quoted based on organization size and service frequency, with a 10% discount on bulk compost purchases for enrolled commercial customers. Named customers include Chipotle, Starbucks, Fordson Hotel, and OKC Convention Center.
• Residential Recycling Collection Mixed recycling and glass recycling pickup service for residential customers in Oklahoma City, Nichols Hills, Moore, and Norman. Mixed Recycling starts at $34/month (96-gallon polycart, weekly or biweekly) and Glass Recycling starts at $15/month (18-gallon bin, every other week).
• Commercial Recycling Mixed recycling, cardboard, and glass collection services for businesses with weekly or bi-weekly pickup options and appropriate container sizes. Serves enterprise customers including Hitachi, UCO, and OKC Convention Center.
• Zero-Waste Event Services Custom-quoted event composting and recycling services for galas, fundraisers, conferences, weddings, and festivals. Includes bin provision, signage, setup, waste hauling, and vendor compliance management, with optional BPI-certified compostable serving ware sales. Served 39 events and diverted 20,200 pounds of waste in 2025, including Festival of the Arts and a Billie Eilish concert in Tulsa.
• Community Food Scrap Drop-Off Program Monthly subscription drop-off service for food scraps at 20+ sites across Oklahoma City, Edmond, and Norman. Subscription is $10/month and includes a free annual 5-gallon bucket of finished compost. Some sites are free, including the Fertile Ground facility, OKC Zoo, churches, and Commonwealth Urban Farms. Funded by a USDA/NIFA grant through ACOG.
• Green Waste Drop-Off Yard waste drop-off at the Fertile Ground facility accepting leaves, pesticide-free grass clippings, plants, root balls, and tree limbs up to 6 inches in diameter. Pricing ranges from $45 per truck bed up to $300 per dump truck load. Roll-off container service available for regular landscape waste removal.
• Sediment and Soil Erosion Control Compost filter socks, compost blankets, and berms for managing soil erosion and stormwater runoff at construction, municipal, and landscaping sites. Compost Filter Socks are durable woven fabric tubes filled with composted mulch using a three-dimensional filtration process.
• Moore Recycling Program Curbside recycling subscription service for Moore, Oklahoma residents. Current pricing is $17.99/month for biweekly pickup of mixed recycling (96-gallon polycart), with tiered reductions to $15.99/month at 1,000 households and $13.99/month at 3,000 households.
• Resource Recovery Compost Economical compost made from food scraps and organic materials diverted from landfill, screened to 5/8 inch. Suitable for gardens, landscapes, farms, and large planting areas. Sold at $45 per cubic yard or $10 per 5-gallon bucket, with bulk delivery available.
• Zoo Poo Compost Premium organic compost produced from nutrient-rich manure and bedding of Asian elephants, Indian rhinos, and other herbivores at the Oklahoma City Zoo, in exclusive partnership with OKC Zoo. Sold at $55 per cubic yard or $12 per 5-gallon bucket.
• Worm Compost Biologically active, nutrient-rich compost produced through vermiculture with Red Wiggler worms, blending earthworm castings with decomposed organic matter. Used as soil amendment, foliar spray, or top-dressing for all plants. Sold at $45 per 5-gallon bucket.
• Fine Compost Premium compost screened to 1/4 inch for smooth, uniform texture. Ideal for lawn topdressing, vegetable gardens, raised beds, and potting soils. Sold at $70 per cubic yard.
• Raised Bed Mix 40/60 blend of Fertile Ground compost and sandy loam top-soil designed as a complete planting medium for new gardens. Combines compost microbiology and water retention benefits with sandy loam soil structure and micronutrients. Sold at $65 per cubic yard or $12 per 5-gallon bucket.
• Mulch Natural resource recovery mixed wood mulch, finely shredded for use as ornamental mulch and garden pathways. Helps reduce waste by repurposing landscape debris. Sold at $50 per cubic yard or $9 per 5-gallon bucket.
• Compost Filter Socks Durable woven fabric tubes filled with composted mulch that redirect flow and filter sediment from stormwater events using a three-dimensional filtration process. Recognized cost-effective BMP for erosion and sediment control on construction sites and landscaping applications.
• BioBags BPI-certified compostable bags for collecting food scraps, available in 3-gallon, 8-gallon, 32-gallon, and 55-gallon sizes. Made from renewable starch crops and compostable in commercial composting facilities.
• Compostable Serving Ware BPI-certified compostable plates, bowls, cups, lids, and cutlery including Plantware utensils and EcoProducts brand items for hot cups, cold cups, plates, bowls, forks, knives, and spoons. Sold for use with the residential pickup, commercial, and zero-waste event services.
• Kitchen Countertop Bin Kitchen countertop bin starter kit that pairs with BPI-certified 3-gallon BioBags. Designed with airflow to prevent anaerobic conditions, enabling indoor food scrap collection prior to curbside pickup.
• Bulk Delivery Delivery service for compost, raised bed mix, and bulk products within a 45-mile radius of the Oklahoma City facility. Prices range from $90 to $250 depending on distance.
• Newcastle Recycling Curbside recycling subscription service for Newcastle, Oklahoma residents. Priced at $21.65 per month for biweekly service once 100 household signups are reached.

Quantifiable outcome

• 311,351 pounds of food scraps diverted from landfill in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Association of Central Oklahoma Governments (ACOG)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 February 2024ACOG partnered with Fertile Ground as sub-awardee for USDA CFWR funding to pilot community composting program. Fertile Ground will expand compost and food waste drop-off locations across Central Oklahoma, establishing 20 new sites with 40% investment in underserved communities. The partnership addresses regional solid waste challenges and landfill diversion goals.
• Oklahoma City ZoocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive partnership to produce ZooPoo compost from nutrient-rich manure and bedding of Asian elephants, Indian rhinos, and other herbivores. Fertile Ground converts zoo animal waste into premium organic compost sold to consumers and businesses.
• Oklahoma State University ExtensionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in USDA-funded community composting pilot program to provide educational outreach and data collection.
• Mosaic United Methodist ChurchminorOthersFree drop-off site location for community food scrap collection. Church hosts compost bin on premises for community use.
• Commonwealth Urban FarmsminorOthersFree drop-off site location. Fertile Ground founder Terry Craghead helped start this community urban farm in 2011, which inspired the founding of Fertile Ground Cooperative.
• Joy Mennonite ChurchminorOthersFree drop-off site location for community food scrap collection.
• Esperanza ElementaryminorOthersSchool-based drop-off site for community food scrap collection, part of educational outreach.
• Gray Owl CoffeeminorOthersNorman-based drop-off site partner and commercial composting customer.
• Bulk RefilleryminorOthersEdmond-based drop-off site location behind the store in the alleyway.
• Growing for Good FarmminorOthersSpencer, OK-based drop-off site located behind raised garden beds.
• City of Oklahoma City Storm Water Quality ProgramminorOthersHost of stormwater management webinar series featuring Fertile Ground CEO Terry Craghead on compost-based erosion control practices.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Atlas Organics: Texas-based organics collection and composting service operating across multiple cities in the South Central US. Comparable in service mix and scale, and the most geographically proximate regional peer to Fertile Ground's market.

Direct peers

• Garbage to Garden: Maine-based residential and commercial food scrap subscription collection service. Similar mix of subscription pickup, commercial accounts, and finished compost production/distribution.
• Compost Crew: DC-area residential and commercial compost collection subscription service. Closely comparable subscription pricing, route-based pickup model, and product sales of finished compost.
• Bennett Compost: Charlotte, NC-based residential and commercial food scrap subscription service. Directly comparable subscription pricing model, route density, and commercial customer profile.
• CompostNow: Subscription-based residential and commercial food scrap collection service operating across North Carolina, Georgia, and other Southeastern markets. Closely comparable GTM (DTC subscription + commercial accounts) and recurring revenue model.
• Black Earth Compost: Massachusetts-based residential and commercial food scrap collection service with finished compost products. Comparable integrated subscription collection and product retail business.
• Bootstrap Compost: Washington DC-area residential and commercial food scrap collection subscription service, similar in scale and service mix to Fertile Ground. Operates a subscription-based compost pickup model with commercial accounts, making it one of the closest direct comparables for a small urban composter.
• Save That Stuff: Greater Boston commercial recycling and organics hauler. Comparable commercial composting and recycling collection services for restaurants, offices, and institutions, including event services.
• Veteran Compost: Maryland-based compost collection and production company with a social-mission ownership structure (veteran-owned). Comparable service mix of residential and commercial food scrap collection, plus finished compost production.

Broad incumbents

• WM (Waste Management) Organics: National waste and recycling hauler with an expanding organics and composting service line. Represents the large-incumbent threat that can bundle composting with broader waste contracts to undercut or displace small commercial accounts.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fertile_ground_
• Facebookfacebook.com/FertileGroundCoop
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fertile-ground-cooperative

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fertile Ground