Spring has arrived and county residents are busy cleaning up leaves and grass clippings, but many are not sure what to do with them.

For several years, ordinances have been in effect prohibiting the disposal of yard waste with household waste. Backyard composting is an easy way to turn your yard waste into a valuable soil amendment commonly referred to as black gold.

Fayette County Master Composters will show you how to get started composting and maintain your compost pile in good working order in a series of demonstrations this month and next.

If you are already a composter and have some questions concerning composting methods, plan to attend, said an extension spokesman. Demostrations will be at the Peachtree City demonstration site (off Crosstown Drive, behind the Kentucky Fried Chicken, in the Braelinn shopping center) on the following dates: March 25 from 10 a.m. to noon; April 8 from 10 a.m. to noon; April 29 from 10 a.m. to noon.

Composting can take place in one of several types of bins or simply in a pile in your yard. Several different compost bins are available at the site and can be compared by cost and ease of operation.

Fayette County Extension Service also invites county residents to apply to the Master Composter program. This program trains volunteers in the basics of home composting and provides the information and education needed to make wise choices about disposal of organic landscape and food wastes

In exchange for this training, the applicant agrees to serve as a volunteer for the Composting Education program, spreading enthusiasm for composting. Volunteers will be selected by an application process through the Fayette County Extension Office. The classes will be at the Extension Office in the County Administrative Complex, suite 209, Fayetteville.

Phone the Extension Service at 770-460-5730, extension 412, for an application or information. Deadline is April 7.