17 February . 2023
Resident Spotlight: Meet Matt and Allison
Matt and his wife, Allison, moved to Wendell Falls after years of working and living in downtown Raleigh when looking for a place to raise their family. When they learned that there were no composting services in the area, Matt and Allison started Green Shoots, a compost pick-up service for Wendell Falls residents and businesses in Wendell.
Tell us your story! What brought you to Wendell Falls?
The first time we visited Wendell Falls was actually just to have a meeting about our wedding photography with Donnell Perry at the Farmhouse Café, and we immediately felt that sense of community while at the café. Having a place where you can meet neighbors really grabbed our attention.
What made you decide to move to Wendell Falls?
When we started considering moving to Wendell Falls, we thought we would want more land, but once we saw the trails, parks, fit pods and the way nature thrives in the neighborhood, we fell in love.
At the time, we were also starting to learn more about the environment and the steps we could take as a household to be more conscious about our environmental impact. We were attracted to Wendell Falls’ sustainable initiatives, such as the ecoSelect homes and the compostable products at the Farmhouse Café. We were impressed to find that a lot of the principles that were important to us were already embedded in the community.
What’s it like raising a family in Wendell Falls?
One of the biggest things for us is having a school in the neighborhood and the opportunity for our children to have friends as classmates and neighbors. Being able to develop friendships at a young age is important, and we love that our kids can walk to their friends’ houses to play.
We’ve built a wonderful life here. Our neighbors are some of our best friends, and we love being a part of the community. We have no intention of ever leaving. If anything, we would probably move to another house in the neighborhood!
We heard you have a composting company, what is composting and how does it benefit the environment?
Simply put, composting is the process of breaking down organic waste to produce a nutrient-rich soil base. Ultimately, every bag of trash that goes to the landfill turns into methane, and methane is about 25 times more deadly for the environment than CO2. Composting allows us to reduce the amount of methane released into the environment by diverting food waste from the landfill.
Tell us about Green Shoots! How did you start the company?
When we learned about composting and the positive benefits it has for the environment, we thought, “how can we offer a convenient service to our community that gives Wendell Falls households a simple way to reduce their carbon footprint?”
It was easy for us to come up with this business plan in Wendell Falls because of the sustainability principles it already has at its core. We offer food waste services to residents within Wendell Falls and commercial customers in the Wendell community. The food waste collected goes to a commercial grade composting facility, and then the soil comes right back into Wendell. Our customers can either donate their composted soil to the Wendell Community Garden or have it returned to them to use in their own gardens. Our residential and commercial customers also receive a quarterly impact dashboard that highlights their efforts to reduce their carbon footprint.
How can residents compost with Green Shoots?
We make it easy and convenient for residents to compost with us. All they have to do is select a plan, then we’ll bring them a clean bin and a sheet with what can be composted and start picking up on a regular basis. New customers can try our service risk-free with the first two pickups free of charge so they can determine which plan is right for them.
Also, because we work with a commercial grade compost facility, our customers can compost more items than they would be able to in their backyard, such as meat and compostable products from the Farmhouse Cafe.
What would you tell someone who is considering moving to Wendell Falls?
If you want to raise your family in a place where you feel safe and never have to leave the neighborhood for anything while also being in a huge growth area only 20 minutes from the capitol of North Carolina, Wendell Falls is for you.
Check out the Green Shoots website to start reducing your household’s carbon footprint!
Wendell Falls is located just 15 miles from downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the U.S. Explore artfully crafted new homes and townhomes from the mid $300,000s – $900,000s+.