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Category: Worm Bin Composting | Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 5:53 am

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So, the weather is getting colder. They have been predicting snow here but it hasn't happened yet.

I got out and turned another bin, I'm back to bin #1. It has been about a month - I have four bins, turn one a week. Most of the food waste I put down is unrecognizable but the worms are massed in this area because of the richness of bacteria that has been working on decomposing the food waste.



I have heard it said that the worms do not actually eat the food waste per se, but that they chow down on the bacteria that is breaking down the food waste. I don't really care as long as it all happens like it's suppose to.

I continue to harvest worms as I work the beds. I put them in holding bins and continue to feed them until I get an order for them.

I have a set of shelves I'm going to clear off and make more room for holding bins.

It is concievable for me to ship worms all winter if I have adequate stock held. My worms are very hardy and as long as they don't freeze they should be fine. I don't know, might have to give that some more thought, but especially if they are being shipped to milder weather there shouldn't be a problem.

The biggest problem I have if I don't have holding stock is that my beds are not workable once the weather turns cold. Especially this year since I have decided to turn the heat off in the bins. The material will actually freeze up around the edges and on the top. But if I have enough composting going on in the bin the worms will be fine. As a matter of fact, last year the bin that had no heat (in fact it has been two winters without heat) had the biggest, fattest, happiest worms of all the bins. Go figure. Maybe it's because the bins that had the heat had more active worms but they weren't getting the food and attention they needed because it was so blasted cold for the farmer. And that's reality. So might as well turn off the heat.

Tomorrow I'll probably try to turn another bin. This cycle around I'm not taking the material off the top but I'm turning it right into the bin and adding some fresh leaves to the top. Bins are running about 42 degrees F.

Hava Happy




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Frank wrote on Thu Nov 15, 2007 12:36 pm:

>>> As a matter of fact, last year the bin that had no heat (in fact it has been two winters without heat) had the biggest, fattest, happiest worms of all the bins. Go figure. Maybe it's because the bins that had the heat had more active worms but they weren't getting the food and attention they needed because it was so blasted cold for the farmer. <<<

Hmmm that's interesting Wormnwomn, could be an interesting experiment for this winter.

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