Poop to Pots: Cowpots @ thinkbeta.com

Poop to Pots: Cowpots

Posted on January 25th, 2010 admin 44 comments

www.cowpots.com

Problem: Too much cow poop. Solution, repurpose it and sell new product to eager gardeners. The following is excerpted from the history section of their web site, www.cowpots.com:
Brothers Matt and Ben Freund are second generation dairy farmers in the northwest hills of Connecticut.The brothers continue to look for maximum benefit from new technologies. Since 1997, they are one of only a few farms across the United States to have continuously run a methane digester. This is a process in which the raw manure from the cows is heated and stored in a large tank. The methane gas is collected and burned. At the end of this process the solids are separated from the liquid. The liquid goes back to the field to grow next year’s crops which feed the cows. The solids continue composting. It is this composted manure that is weed-seed free, and is used to mold CowPots™. Farmers and gardeners have always considered cow manure a wholesome organic soil amendment for their gardens. The challenge was to find a new and better way to get manure to these gardens and be of true value to consumers. This is why CowPots™ were born. They started by looking at manure in a different way. Matt experimented with different ways to make a durable but biodegradable pot. He realized two things; one-this was a really good idea and two-he needed to find financial support to adequately develop this pot to meet commercial standards. He contacted the U.S. Department of Agriculture and received enthusiastic support through a number of grant programs. Matt went back to the kitchen where he started experimenting with the manure fibers, drying the pots in his wife’s toaster oven. This didn’t do much for his marriage, but it allowed him the ability to share his vision with other people. After many trials and tribulations, the brothers found a process in which they can mass produce pots of limitless sizes and shapes at an economical cost. These pots can withstand months in the greenhouse, but within 4 weeks of being planted in the ground they dissolve and continue to feed the plant. The benefits in the production and use of CowPots™ are two-fold. This product helps farmers reduce the nutrient load on their farms which directly contributes to a better and cleaner environment and they have been proven to grow bigger, better plants for the consumers who have no plastic to discard and overload our landfills. The ideal product for farmers and growers.

See the video below for a somewhat cryptic report on the production of Cowpots, and here for a NYTimes article on their product. I just ordered a case (100 – 6″) Cowpots for our greenhouse and 2010 garden. And the lesson here for entrepreneurs is? Hank

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44 responses to “Poop to Pots: Cowpots”
1. Kyle Egbert January 25th, 2010 at 09:58
  
  Love the idea. Goes to show how your greatest resource can sometimes be your own trash. I want to know if there is anything keeping other farms from copying his idea?
2. Brian Corley January 25th, 2010 at 10:07
  
  Very disruptive. Great idea. The best part to me is that after 4 weeks they are dissolved into the ground. That is environmentally friendly and makes for easy clean up.
3. Damon Ward January 25th, 2010 at 10:09
  
  This is a great idea. The majority of people would never even think to use methane or anything else from manure. Most people find it useless. I think a lesson to learn from this is that even the most seemingly useless things can be innovated into something useful, helpful and profitable.
4. Tony Coiro January 25th, 2010 at 11:03
  
  I had heard of methane digestion used on farms and thought that was a great idea but this guy took it a step further. Instead of the cow poop being hassle, he is using it to make money. Goes to show that even systems that have existed throughout human history can be further optimized with some creativity and innovation.
5. Michael Tym January 25th, 2010 at 12:19
  
  This just proves the saying “One mans crap is another mans treasure” This guy is taking actual crap and turning it into a profitable business idea that has a market plus it is great for the environment. I hope this business really takes off and we can find other things like this to do that will help our environment.
6. Alexandra Graves January 25th, 2010 at 12:30
  
  This is a great way to be innovative and use something most people would not think to use. They are doing something new and creative and it’s a great way to reuse a nature material.
7. Anthony Sikorski January 25th, 2010 at 12:55
  
  Another great idea for using manure. Reminds me of how Fair Oaks Farms reuses its manure but this farm is doing it in a different way. They are using it to make a profit and help the environment while Fair Oaks uses theirs to run their entire place. It just goes to show useful something can be in many different ways.
8. Dan Wyss January 25th, 2010 at 13:33
  
  This is another great disruptive and innovative idea. It helps the environment and people who use them. It just shows us that even weird ideas can be accomplished and executed.
9. Jeff Olen January 25th, 2010 at 13:45
  
  Wow is all I can really say. This idea is flawless. They turned some cow poop into a business which I am sure is making some pretty good money. People these days have an unbelievable mind to contribute back to society, and for gardeners, this idea really helps them. I can’t imagine these pots costing to much. They also supply the plant with a healthy surrounding and allows it to grow. This eliminates other costs such as miracle grow, etc… I hope that this business they are running is very prosperous because the idea was fantastic!!!!
10. John Gorbandt January 25th, 2010 at 14:18
  
  I like this idea. It is by far better than the plastic pots that are very common. Those just get thrown away and take up space in a landfill. While this new poo based pot is better for the plant and also does not have to be thrown away. I think that this company will do very well.
11. Soroosh Karamyar January 25th, 2010 at 14:42
  
  Sweet deal!! Taking nothing and making it into something useful must be respected. Goes to show that there is a business opportunity anywhere, it just needs to be recognized.
12. Ariana Zades January 25th, 2010 at 15:08
  
  I like this idea of using something that they have an abundance of and making it into something organic. It’s still pretty gross to me, but I guess there really are great ideas anywhere you look.
13. Justin de la Chi(cago) January 25th, 2010 at 15:34
  
  On a similar note, yet more focused on the gasses and compost as fertilizer, the following link has a larger scope for Green.
  
  http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10440401-54.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20
  
  The subject here is so necessary to the advancements as a society. I really think with the proper distribution channels and marketing, this can be a significant growth business for this company. I know many Greenthumbs who would pay up to 50% extra to have such inherent extra value.
  
  J
14. Casey Piquette January 25th, 2010 at 16:23
  
  I really like this idea because it is using something natural and already in the world, to help generate new farming. I think it is a cool idea and props to them for turning it into a business.
15. Allison Weilbaker January 25th, 2010 at 16:34
  
  This product was on the show Dirty Jobs on the Discovery Channel. That show actually has a lot of interesting products for entrepreneurs.
16. Amanda Edmondson January 25th, 2010 at 16:52
  
  Oh goodness, what a wonderful idea. If only I could be so creative with cow poop! This is such a great invention because it’s so environmentally friendly. I believe this is only the start to products such as this that basically have zero waste materials. The main idea is that you take anything, improve it, and turn it into something fabulous. Anyone can be an entrepreneur and this post is a perfect example of that.
17. Ben Albers January 25th, 2010 at 17:18
  
  Great idea! One mans trash is another mans treasure? I don’t know if that really makes sense or not. Maybe the thing that is holding other farmers back from doing this is the cost of the tools and technology to run the methane digester.
18. Michael Evans January 25th, 2010 at 17:18
  
  Not only are the cowpots a good idea for farmers, I’m sure they’d be a hit with recreational gardeners too. Whenever my family plants flowers, the hardest part is taking the flower out of the plastic holder. With these cow pots, that step wouldn’t even be necessary; you can just plant the flower, pot and all. Best of all, the pot actually deteriorates in the soil and helps the plant grow! A great idea!
19. Craig Hasbargen January 25th, 2010 at 17:20
  
  This product has the potential to be a big hit with nurseries and landscape companies. The idea seems like a conglomerate of ideas from TerraCycle, FairOaks, and a few of his own “disruptive” ideas.
20. Beck Warwick January 25th, 2010 at 17:28
  
  this seems like a great idea that will not only be successful out of its own innovative nature but will also be backed by our societies relatively new found obsession with going green.
21. Kelly Plantz January 25th, 2010 at 18:00
  
  This is an awesome idea and is a great product! I think they need to some how get it more popular and get it into hardware and gardening stores because it would be beneficial for many gardens!
22. Kyle Rose January 25th, 2010 at 18:20
  
  As long as the company is run by fecal conservatives, they should never run out of inventory.
23. Tyler Teykl January 25th, 2010 at 18:50
  
  I have seen pots like these in home garden stores. I do not recall if it was from the same company. I think it is very smart idea. It is an excellent side market to run alongside the dairy farm. It also is very beneficial to the customer. Definitely a hit.
24. Molly Longest January 25th, 2010 at 19:57
  
  What a smart idea! This just goes to show that thinking outside of the box and using resources available to you can really pay off.
25. Marie Johnson January 25th, 2010 at 20:10
  
  This seems like a really good idea! Mise well make money off of it. I think many people would purchase this to help their gardens.
26. Byron Young January 25th, 2010 at 20:58
  
  This is a great idea! I love the fact that the pots are durable but also are environmentally friendly. It is a win-win for both his crops and his new product.
  
  Using this product they have tackled the “Go Green” campaign head on. The product is natural, and innovate.
27. Justin Riley January 25th, 2010 at 22:24
  
  This is a very great idea! I mean you will have a never ending supply since cows have to poop and it is environmentally friendly. It also has an easy clean-up process seeing as it just mixes in with the dirt. What a creative idea with something that we have plenty of and that most people would never imagine using for anything.
28. Taylor Gelsosomo January 25th, 2010 at 22:25
  
  This idea is impressive simply due to it’s resourcefulness. The fact that someone could start a business out of something so simple and natural is really cool!
29. Steve Maniago January 25th, 2010 at 22:29
  
  This is a good idea. But i believe it is not very creative considering there are others like it. They may not be the exact same thing, but are the same basic idea. So it is not very innovative.
30. Jessica Gilson January 25th, 2010 at 23:30
  
  I think that this is a great resource, not only for the farmers but for gardeners as well. If they expand it and a market really develops, it will be a great extra income spot for farmers to sell their manure. Even everyday housewives could potentially buy and plant these.
31. Mahmood Alrawi January 25th, 2010 at 23:39
  
  makes you wonder where other farmers throw away their wastes? this idea might not be very efficient in the sense that your getting a low cost energy, but nonetheless, a very disruptive process that stands out among the others!
32. Andrew Barr January 25th, 2010 at 23:42
  
  I think it’s a great idea. It’s creative, the production is the cost of feeding your cows (which you have to do anyway), and it seems to be profitable. What is keeping everyone else from doing it?
33. Josh Graves January 26th, 2010 at 00:05
  
  that is a terrible idea. Just another way for someone to “go green.” I think that people need to realize that buying a regular plastic (probably cheaper too) and using fertilizer will grow better than a smelly manure pot. there is no reason to develop this, its not helping the methane gas problem and the manure would have fertilized the ground anyway if it was NOT collected.
34. Brett Cohen January 26th, 2010 at 00:46
  
  That is such a good idea. The ability to use the cows for twice the utility can be extremely profitable. That is someone who is truly thinking outside of the box.
35. Ziang Chen January 26th, 2010 at 00:49
  
  Trash for Treasure! I read somewhere that the feces actually create a lot of methane gas like Josh Graves said. However, I think the plan for this company is to control that by sending it into manure for growing which would help decrease levels of methane? maybe? It is just helping to transport it to other places that aren’t fertilized by natural cow droppings…..
36. Joseph Mecca January 26th, 2010 at 01:00
  
  Pretty interesting approach to success to say the least. I suppose it’s the man who is willing to travel down the path all other’s have been avoiding, who will stumble upon the undiscovered resources. Good for him, not my field though.
37. Poop to Pots: Cowpots @ thinkbeta.com campus university January 26th, 2010 at 05:46
  
  [...] original here: Poop to Pots: Cowpots @ thinkbeta.com tags: assess-whether, economic, entrepreneurship-mind, happy-fridays, major, omega, PURDUE [...]
38. David Hyman January 26th, 2010 at 10:19
  
  This is very innovative and intertesting. There are productions that are similar, but this is still unique!
39. Blake Bronowicki January 26th, 2010 at 10:42
  
  I feel that I am not able to directly relate much with the farming community and how it works, but this seems to be a great idea for many farmers. Clearly, cows will always be pooping meaning that manure will constantly be produced and it is getting put to good use. It will definately go a long way and the best thing about it is they are making money off something so unusual such as cow poop. I solute these gentleman for coming up with such great idea to make money in such an unusual way.
40. Stephanie Mellady January 26th, 2010 at 13:54
  
  This is very disruptive and it is a great substitute to manure that smells so bad and takes away from the beauty of gardens. And I’m sure that Dirty Jobs doing a special on it was probably the best thing that could have happened to his business publicity-wise.
41. Evan Tangman January 26th, 2010 at 21:08
  
  Excellent idea! I agree with Stephanie that Dirty Jobs was great for this company as they probably do not have a great amount of capital for advertising. It is always a hassle to deal with the packaging that comes with plants and this is great for the plants and eco-friendly.
42. Tyler Collingbourne January 27th, 2010 at 22:02
  
  This is a brilliant idea and not only is it a great invention due to the environmental issues we’ve been having, it is also disruptive. Many of the ideas and products that have been issued to “help” our environment are pointless and do little for the cause. I can say that this is one product that defiantly can help our environment, I mean in a sense it is recycling.
43. Courtney M. Cronk January 27th, 2010 at 22:45
  
  So they actually have something like this pot out. I think its called a moss-seed pot? where you can put the plant in it, then plant both the pot and the plant in the ground, the pot biodegrades, and gives off nutrients for the plant as well.
  
  however this poo-pot thing seems genius! they already have a ton of crap, and to find a way to make something even more of it such as a pot for plants, that doesnt smell, can be put right into the ground no muss no fuss, and give off crazy amounts of nutrients (as maneur is one of the most healthy things you could use for plants) is just an amazing idea.
  
  they already farm, so dealing in cow poo is no difference to them im assuming. plus it goes well with his wife’s plant shop. they seem to have a perfect set up for it all.
  
  i feel bad for his wife and the whole poop in the toaster oven thing though.
44. Daniel Johnson February 1st, 2010 at 20:17
  
  I have seen shows on TV with other uses for Cow Poop. I have googled it and there are more uses then just pots. It can be used to use to build living quarters. Imagine trying to live with the smell all around you!!
  
  http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/499/
  http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/dc/look/look-bricks-made-of-cow-dung-083554
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