A career love story, Julie found her passion in composting.
Not everyone discovers their life’s passion by digging through food scraps—but Julie did, and she’s been happily elbow-deep in compost ever since.
Julie grew up in Montana with a family she lovingly describes as “not exactly the outdoorsy type.” Even so, the mountains, open skies, and wide Montana landscapes planted the earliest seeds for a career that would one day take her outside for hours at a time—crafting soil amendments that help Maryland’s soils thrive.
In college, Julie was part of only the second graduating class in Sustainable Food and Bioenergy at her alma mater. She composted at home for fun, treating her bin like an ongoing science experiment. Whenever she got an assignment, she found herself thinking, “How can I make this about composting?” She laughs now, remembering, “I couldn’t get away from it—and I didn’t want to!”
Life took Julie, her husband, and their two kids under age two on a bold adventure to Australia. While living there, she embraced stay-at-home motherhood until the family returned to the U.S. As her children grew and started school, Julie felt herself pulled toward meaningful work—specifically outdoors, community-focused, and yes… compost-related.
“I really wanted to be outside. I’m not a 9–5 girl that goes into the city. I prefer non-traditional, the outdoors, learning new things, and ongoing science projects.”
— Julie Williamson
In July 2021, Julie joined Compost Crew as a Composting Fellow at our first Compost Outpost® at One Acre Farm—and it was love at first sight. She fell hard for the work, the community, and even the farm dog, Otis, who was just a puppy when they first met and has kept her company during processing days ever since.
Julie trained alongside an incredible cohort of fellows—including Kristie and Ivy, who now work with Compost Crew, and Thomas, who partners with the team at our Eco City Farms Outpost. From day one, Julie brought curiosity, enthusiasm, and a contagious joy to every part of the job.
At home, her passion grows just as much as her plants. Julie resurrects houseplants, teaches her children to forage and identify plants, and experiments with growing new things. She’s raised habaneros, made her own hot sauce, and even inspired her mom to become a gardener—proof that her love of composting is truly infectious.
Photo: Julie checks on “Franken-squashes” and “Mystery Melons” hardy enough to thrive at our outposts.
Her kids—bright, curious, and proud of what their mom does for the planet—join her at Compost Crew events. They even helped build Contamination Claire and invited Julie to speak at their schools’ career days. The family’s bond is strong, and they share a beautiful understanding: Mom’s work is helping shape a healthier future for everyone.
“Julie is a force to be reckoned with! I’m inspired every time I hear her explain the composting process during tours! She has that motherly patience and strength it takes to make quality compost, and she is super passionate and consistently excited.” — Carlye B. 
After completing her fellowship, Julie became a Composting Operator and has since grown into her current role as our Composting Operations Supervisor—a well-earned promotion for someone who brings heart, science, and a whole lot of grit to the work every single day.
Julie’s story is a reminder that when you follow your curiosity and aren’t afraid to get a little messy, you might just uncover your dream job.
