POWELL, Ohio (WCMH) – The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium recognizes that caring for animals goes beyond the walls of the zoo – caring for the planet plays a huge role in conservation too.

That’s one of the reasons why the Zoo has been building on a partnership with Price Farms Organics for more than a decade with a special fertilizer known as ‘Zoo Brew’. Compost, clippings, and manure all get trucked daily from the Columbus Zoo to Price Farms.

Once there the material is shredded, turned, and shifted over the course of two years before it’s ready to be sold.

“The longer and more at aged it is, the better the compost is,” said Austin Bright of Price Farms Organics “It’s fun, seeing different family members and community members that come out and they have competition with their family and friends. They say ‘My brother has been growing tomatoes that are bigger than mine and he tells me he’s been switching to Zoo Brew. I want to try some of that Zoo Brew.’ And we tend to see those people for years and years.”

One place you can see the results for yourself is at the Columbus Zoo. According to Horticulture Director Stoyan Iordanov, the soil there is treated every other year, and it seems to be helping a lot. 

“A lot of those annual flowers are looking great with an abundance of blossoms and really healthy-looking plants.” Iordanov said.

During the growing season the staff also treats the plants with a newer product called “Zoo Brew Tea”, a liquid that gets diluted with water and put directly on the plants.

“This one is also not only helping the plants to grow, but it’s revitalizing the soil while adding a lot of the microorganisms that are beneficial for the plants and their development,” Iordanov said.

You can get your hands on “Zoo Brew” by visiting the Columbus Zoo gift shop, local gardening centers and directly through Price Farms Organics.

For more information on the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium click here.