OUR STORY
Zelda's Composting Services started with the simple idea that local organic waste can be turned into something that strengthens the same community it comes from. The company was founded by Thomas Palmes, whose studies in Agricultural Ecology at Appalachian State University helped shape a deeper understanding of soil systems, land use, and the role of composting in building healthier environments.
That foundation was further developed through hands-on experience working with residential and commercial composting operations in the Blue Ridge Mountains, where daily work in collection, processing, and system management provided a practical understanding of large-scale composting in action.
From that experience, Zelda's Composting Services was born. Our goal is to serve Iredell County by keeping valuable organic material out of the landfill and returning it to the soil as nutrient-rich compost that supports healthier gardens, farms, and green spaces across the region.
WHAT WE DO
Zelda’s Composting Services provides residential and commercial compost collection designed to make food waste diversion simple, clean, and consistent.
For residential customers, service includes bi-weekly pickup of food scraps and compostable materials. A clean container is exchanged at each pickup to keep the process easy and low-maintenance. This service helps reduce household landfill waste and gives residents a straightforward way to participate in a local composting system that turns everyday food scraps into a valuable resource for the community.
As the system continues to grow, the long-term goal is to create a closed-loop program where participating households can benefit directly from finished compost, helping return nutrients back to local soil and gardens.
For commercial clients, service is tailored to the needs of each operation. This typically includes scheduled weekly pickup of pre-consumer food scraps and organic waste collected in dedicated containers designed for higher-volume use. Each program is built to support reliable separation and diversion of organic materials for restaurants, cafes, and other food-based businesses.