Wormnwomn's Blog at GardenStew.com

This just in from the Organic Consumers Association

wormnwomn — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 16:11:45 -0500

Author: wormnwomn
Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 9:11 pm (GMT 0)

USDA PROPOSES RULE UNDERMINING ORGANICS AND SMALL FARMS

Hi,
I thought this might be of interest to you. It's from the Organic Consumers Association-
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USDA PROPOSES RULE UNDERMINING ORGANICS AND SMALL FARMS
The USDA is accepting public comments until December 3 on a new proposed rule that would force small farms growing green leafy vegetables, such as spinach and lettuce, to put into place industrial-style sterilization measures that reduce biodiversity and soil fertility. The proposal follows in the wake of the USDA's recent controversial crackdown on raw almonds, continued interference with raw milk production, and bans on the sale of locally produced organic meat directly to consumers. The proposed rules basically cover up the fact that e-coli 0157H contamination in lettuce and spinach crops comes from feedlot or industrial livestock-contaminated irrigation waters or contamination in large processing plants. The rule limits hedgerows, and other non-crop vegetation commonly found on and around small organic and sustainable farms. In addition, although every organic farmer knows that healthy soil is literally alive with multiple types of healthy bacteria, the rules also discourage the development of beneficial microbial life in the soil. Send a message to the USDA today:
Learn more and take action: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_8679.cfm

Weather is turning cold for the worms.

wormnwomn — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 00:53:09 -0500

Author: wormnwomn
Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2007 5:53 am (GMT 0)

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

Worms Active Even At 40 Degrees

wormnwomn — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 02:16:14 -0500

Author: wormnwomn
Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 7:16 am (GMT 0)

Another day of rain. Mild temperatures are still at 45 degrees at 11:00 p.m.

Fall is my favorite time of year. To step outside of the heated house into the freshness of the cool fall air. Especially when it has been raining. The air smells all earthy and you can see your breath. And the renewed leaf pile is always a welcome site.

The worms have liked it to. I had to work today so wasn't able to get out there until tonight. All of the worm chow was eaten. Even the bin I had turned two days ago has worms up in it.

The corners and sides that are not exposed to the light, (I keep a light on the bins at all times)are covered in worms. I have a migration theory. The worms like to crawl when the weather is favorable and especially if there if no ready food.

Now I did say that they have food waste and bedding, but those are not as readily available as the chow.

Anyway, I fed all the bins and put down 1 gallon of water on each.

I have an order of worms going out, so Friday or Saturday I will gather and weigh the worms and set them up for fattening for a few days. I have a fattening recipe for the worms I will share with you another time soon.

Gotta go,

Hava Happy

Worming Wednesday's Been Wonderful

wormnwomn — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 02:28:39 -0500

Author: wormnwomn
Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2007 7:28 am (GMT 0)

This is a sampling of what I use for my carbon material on my bins. Large or small, I layer shredded newspaper, leaves and manure with my food waste to create a homey environment for my worms. They love it. In the winter I mix it up more. In the summer not so much. The more you mix it up the more heat you produce. Good in the winter, not so good in the summer.

Today was a rainy day with the temps in the 40's. The worms like it when it rains. They seem to sense that it's safe to come out and they were all out chowin' down big time. Had to go out early and spread some chow and water lightly. When the worms are real active sometimes I have to feed twice a day. Better to feed more often than to put down too much for them to eat in a day. As the weather gets colder, and these inbetween days, sometimes it's difficult to predict what the worms will eat in a day.

It's good to have the mild autumn days to work the bins before the freezing weather moves in. The worms don't come out much when it's cold and quite frankly neither do I.

The Worm Factory worm have moved right on up into that layer of leaves I have put down. The older the bedding material they've been in is the quicker they are to move into the fresh.

Hava Happy,

See you tomorrow.

What's With The Worms Tuesday

wormnwomn — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 23:34:11 -0500

Author: wormnwomn
Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2007 4:34 am (GMT 0)

So here is one of my bins, for those who don't know. I have four of these 4X8 foot fiberglas bins. I have them covered with hardware cloth to keep out mice.

One spring I broke my ankle and I wasn't able to get out to work on the worms(I did try it and almost regretted the effort). The mice moved in and built nests to raise their young. It was awful to try and get rid of them.

I discovered that the worms really liked the air circulation they got from the insulation being up on the hardware cloth instead of being right down on the bedding.

Today was another nice day. The sun was again shining with the air being a touch cool, reminding me of the time of year it is.

The night was comfortable as I carried my watering can out to check on the worms. The worm in the bed I turned last night aren't up yet. It usually takes a couple of days for them to settle in after being turned, topsy-turvy. But the other three bins had worms up chowin' down on the worm chow. Still, the air is cool enough and the bin temps only being 40 degrees, the chow was only slightly eaten in two of the bins. Only one bin needed any additional worm chow, and each bin got watered down. I used one 2 gallon watering can for the job so each bin got 1/2 gallon water. My aim is to keep the top layer moist where the worm chow is so the worms will continue to eat. They also have a layer of food waste that is rotting under the top layer, plus the shredded newspaper and leaves that have been turned into the bedding when I turn the bin. There is plenty to eat at all levels of the bin.

I brought in a bucket of leaves for my Worm Factory and the small bin I am holding harvested worms in. I put down a thin layer of leaves, breaking the leaves up well and watering to encourage the worms to move in. We'll check it out tomorrow and see how they like it.

Hava Happy

Update on Neglected Bins

wormnwomn — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 18:51:23 -0500

Author: wormnwomn
Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2007 11:51 pm (GMT 0)

I have been fairly regular in taking care of the worm bins since the beginning of September and I am really amazed at how well the worms have come back.

In September I literally could not see worms present other than a few skinny straglers. Now look!

This is what the population looks like now as I turn the bins.

The weather has been freezing and the bin these worms are in is the bin that has been without the any supplemental heat for two winters.

These worms are fat and happy and we are getting ready for winter. The temperature in the bins right now is about 40 degrees F

The weather last night was clear with a star filled sky. Today the sky has been blue with lots of sunshine. Yesterday the wind blew and I didn't want to get out and work the worms. But today was perfect.

I took the top material off and turned the one Bin (Bin #4). My neighbor collects his food waste for me and in a weeks time he has collected about 1/3 of a 5 gallon bucket. I put this waste down the middle of the bed and cover with the material I took off. Then I put a 5 gallon bucket of leaves down. These leaves are from a pile I have been collecting for a number of years. These leaves were from the top of the pile and are there from last year. Some of the leaves are dry and some of them are wet. I see an occational worm in the leaves.

I water the bin with a two gallon watering can. I put about one gallon of water on the bin.

I feed the other three bins worm chow and add about one gallon water to each bin.

I love my worms.

Confessions of a worm farmer...

wormnwomn — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 09:23:37 -0400

Author: wormnwomn
Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 1:23 pm (GMT 0)

It has been a busy summer and no matter how hard I tried I just couldn't seem to manage fitting 25 hours into a 24 hour day. That meant "things" went undone, important things when you're a worm.

It was hot here all summer and without the time to turn the worm bins and get a feel for what was going on in the deeper levels of the bin I didn't water the bins as much as I should have nor did I feed. Now worms are much more forgiving than many other forms of life (which is a good thing or I wouldn't have anything left to farm). Going without fresh food is not such a big deal as they eat the bedding they are in including their own waste, but they will get small and very skinny. But dry is a death-trap. They can not live through dry.

Therefore, when I finally got my hands into the bins the beginning of September what I found was disheartening to say the least. I have never seen such a pathetic population of worms. I was sick.

So I started on a regular regime of feeding, watering, and turning. Little by little I have added layers of fresh bedding, water and food, being ever so careful not to get anxious and overload the bins.

The results of having a bin that has been healthy and then neglected is that you will have worm cocoons (eggs) that will go dormant when the conditions are not right for babies. Then when the bin returns to prosperous times the cocoons respond by hatching and before you know it you have a newly thriving batch of worms.

I'm happy to report that after a month and a half of laboriously, loving tending that the worm population is back on the rise and the bins are looking like there's a worm farmer on the property.

Fall is my favorite time of year for worm farming. You can really start mixing things up and incouraging some composting as the weather cools. Next month I will begin removing finished product and continue building the bedding material up in preparation for the coming winter months.

I'll be in touch.

Take action or "Raw" or "Organic" Almonds will be no more...

wormnwomn — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 17:49:16 -0400

Author: wormnwomn
Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 9:49 pm (GMT 0)

Unless we, the people this legislation will effect, take action now politics will win!! This is a post I read on a compost tea forum I belong to. Use the link provided to let the USDA know how you feel.

"Under pressure from industrial agriculture lobbyists, the USDA has quietly approved a new regulation that will effectively end distribution of raw almonds, while putting many smaller almond farmers out of business. The regulation is scheduled to go into effect on September 1st, unless thousands of consumers take action now. The rule requires pasteurization of almonds, including organic, yet allows those same almonds to continue to be labeled as "raw". Nutritionists point out that raw, organic almonds are far superior, in terms of nutrition, to pasteurized almonds. One of the FDA-recommended pasteurization methods involves the use of propylene oxide, which is classified as a carcinogen in California and is banned in Canada, Mexico, and the European Union. Organic and family-scale almond farmers are protesting the proposed rule, saying it will effectively put them out of business, since the minimum price for the pasteurization equipment is $500,000."
Take action: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_6747.cfm

Don't let the industrial ag lobbiests win this fight. Fight back with your input. Take a stand!!

My Solution To Holding My Harvested Worms

wormnwomn — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 19:29:32 -0400

Author: wormnwomn
Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2007 11:29 pm (GMT 0)

Greetings fellow earthlings,

Apologies for being gone so long. Time flies and I had no idea I had been away and without a post since April?

Life has been busy here with the start of Market and active worming season.

Summer has been hot, high 90's, but the bins have remained in the 60's so the worms have been happy.

With time being of short supply, I have had to be creative in order to not have to re-harvest my worms over and over every week if all of the worms did not sell at market. This is what I have come up with for holding bins for the active season.

Before I had my Tortilla Redworm Holding Bin I would spend valuable time harvesting worms, packaging them in my brown paper bags and then if they didn't sell I would have to just dump them back into the worm bin.

Now I can harvest worms, take them to market in the holding bin, package them if they sell, or hold them in the bin for the next week if they don't sell. In the holding bins I can continue to feed the worms, keeping them happy and in fact fattening them up until the next opportunity to sell them.

As I continue to work the big bins, turning and harvesting worms I rotate the oldest harvested holding bins back into the big bins.

Thanks for checking in with me.

Happpy Wormmming!

Harvesting

wormnwomn — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 09:36:24 -0400

Author: wormnwomn
Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 1:36 pm (GMT 0)

Yes, that time of year has arrived for me. It is always exciting to finally be able to dig around in the worm bin after a long winter and see how things are going.

The temperatures are still cool enough that you can mix things up and really make the worms happy.

Orders are coming in and that makes me happy.

Everybody's happy.

This is also a time when I can start taking material out of the bin for seed starting, soil amendment and mixing organic fertilizers.

Tomatoes love castings so using the worm product to get your tomatoes started and each time you transplant is going to get your tomato plants off to a terrific start.

If you start your own tomatoes from seed, or if you buy starts from someone else one of the most important things to remember is to not allow them to become root bound. A tomato plant that has become root bound will almost never perform up to optimum standards. Also, if you smoke or have friends/family who smoke 'DON'T TOUCH THE TOMATO PLANTS.' Always wash your hands really well before handling the tomato plants.

Well, just thought I ought to check in. Life's busy right now, for all of us I'm sure.

Til later, happy gardening, or worming, or just be happy.

Wormnwomn

My First Sign of Spring

wormnwomn — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 22:48:04 -0400

Author: wormnwomn
Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2007 2:48 am (GMT 0)

The cycle of seasons come and go. Spring always follows Winter, and Summer Spring... An endless cycle it seems. Yet what if it were not so. What if Winter ceased and Spring became Summer?

What can we do to thank the Earth for her blessed seasons that renew life as we know it?

I share a video I found. Recognize the danger while Mother Earth follows Winter with Spring...doing what she must because she always has. Yet will it always be? Mother Earth, let it always be. Take six and a half minutes and see the reality of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJTDSEPSfhk

Spring into Action

wormnwomn — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 03:51:04 -0500

Author: wormnwomn
Posted: Wed Feb 28, 2007 8:51 am (GMT 0)

Spring is time for ACTION!

Starting early will help you stay ahead of pest and disease problems.

Wouldn't it be great if you could avoid all the pest and disease problems this summer that you have struggled with in the past? To be able to skip the sprays and dusts and the potentially hazardous exposure to your family and pets? Well you can reduce if not eliminate these problems, and now's the time—when you're prepping and planting—to make it happen.
====================================================
Start Healthy
Healthy plants resist infestation, but a sickly, stressed plant will be an open invitation to pests and disease. As a gardener, your job is to provide ideal growing conditions, so the plants in your garden grow strong.
Organic gardeners know that the time to add soil enhancing organic amendments is in the Fall. This allows ol' man winter the opportunity to break down and release the essential ingredients needed for a healthy soil.

If you weren't able to get your amendments added in the fall, consider trying to get a good early cover crop in. Or find a good quality compost with an organic fertilizer for your spring
amendment.

Take the time to loosen the soil with a garden fork down to about 12 inches deep. Doing this will open up channels for air and moisture, and make it much easier for roots to penetrate the soil. =====================================================
Healthy Starts
Begin with your own healthy seedlings or buy strong starts. Don't skimp on this early expenditure. Buying plants that are on sale because they have been on the shelf too long, or are leggy and leafless saves you nothing and costs you in the long term. The plants will take your valuable time and resources and then under-produce, or worse yet not produce at all.
=====================================================
Provide Protection
Whether you grow your own starts or buy transplants for your garden they will need protection from the elements. A period of hardening off, where the plant is set outside in a sheltered area for a few hours everyday, followed by cover from the harsher outdoor conditions once it is transplanted, will be needed. The young plant will need a few days to get its' roots established and will require steadfast protection. Stressing the plant at this stage will weaken it and leave the door open for pests and disease.
=====================================================
Devine Diversity
By planting a wide variety of plants in your garden you discourage any onslaught of any one particular pest. Many plants attract beneficial insects and predators of pest such as birds. By adding a small patch of marigolds here and there with a sprinkling of alyssum, dill or fennel you will be attracting beneficials as well as giving yourself a treat. Many of the plants that are considered weeds in many gardens are actually much needed food sources for attracting the main warriors in your fight against pests. Keeping a small patch of naturally occurring native plants will help maintain a healthy balance in your garden.

=====================================================
Some Beneficial Insects That Help Control Noxious Pests

Ladybugs
Every gardener has heard of the darling little ladybug, which is renown as a voracious eater of many garden pests. Ladybugs and their larvae feed upon aphids, mealybugs, spider mites, scales, whiteflies, and many other smaller insects. They prefer aphids as their primary delicacy, but also eat the eggs of other insects, which is a real boon to gardeners. After an adult female's eggs hatch, their larvae alone will readily consume literally hundreds of aphids.

Green Lacewings
Lacewings serve as beneficial predators either as eggs, larvae, or adults. Their larvae will eat large numbers and many varieties of aphids, and also devour mealybugs, whiteflies, thrips, leafhoppers, red spidermites, and a variety of other soft-bodied noxious insects.

Dragonflies and Damselflies
These two beneficial insects are also a great aid to gardeners, as they catch and eat flies, termites, beetles, mosquitoes, and other noxious flying pests. Research indicates that dragonflies can zoom through the air at about 60 miles per hour while catching and eating their lunch along the way! Damselflies are not as large as dragonflies, neither can they fly as fast. However, they are also superb beneficial insects to have in your garden, as they also feed on many garden pests.

Predator Mites
There are several species of mites that feed on spider mites and sometimes will feed on thrips. These predator mites will not damage your plants as do the spider mites.

Scale Parasites
A very small parasitic wasp (Aphytis melinus) is another beneficial insect that will help keep your garden healthy. This little wasp attacks and destroys red scale as well as other types of scale on plants. As with any type of wasp, bee, or yellow jacket, please exercise care to avoid getting stung!

There are many other beneficial insects that can be introduced to your garden to help control common garden pests. These mentioned here are only a few of the most bothersome to gardeners, and will give you a starting point.

If you need help identifying or controlling any of your garden insects, either beneficial or nonbeneficial, there are many excellent resources available. One very outstanding organization known as CSREES, Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, is a dynamic new international research and education network. The services of CSREES expands the research and higher educational functions of the former Cooperative State Research Service. This agency offers a wealth of information to not only gardeners but also the entire agricultural community.
===================================================
A few tips to attract beneficial insects to your backyard

The needs of beneficial insects are not difficult to meet if you have a real desire to lure them to your garden. Many, if not all, probably already exist in your garden. Here is a short checklist that outlines their needs.

Food
Beneficial insects will be happy with early blooming plants that contain nectar and pollen they can feed on. Some early bloomers they are attracted to include pansies, alyssum, Queen Anne's Lace, and fennel. Later in the season there are many others such as coneflowers, cosmos, goldenrods, or lavender that they will enjoy.

Water
Water is essential for all insects and is easy to provide. Any type of container that will hold water can be placed in an inconspicuous place in your garden. It can be kept filled with water as you sprinkle your flowers, or you can also just let rain and dew collect in it. Just be sure there is always some water in it.

Shelter and a place to rear young
Try leaving some leaves or other debris under some of your larger shrubs as a place of shelter for beneficial insects. Or, place a dead log or some rocks and brush in one corner of your garden to provide a place of protection for them during cold or inclement weather. Like your butterflies, beneficial insects are cold-blooded and don't like cold, windy weather. They like a nice cozy place to hide until the sun comes out again. These sheltered places will also serve as a great place for them to raise their youngsters!

Avoid pesticides!
Select only organic or other natural insect control substances in addition to your beneficial insects if your garden should develop a serious infestation of harmful pests. If you really MUST resort to pesticides, try to select those that are the least toxic and use them sparingly. Otherwise, you will surely risk killing your beneficial insects — AND your butterflies and hummers as well!
=====================================================

Gardening season is almost upon us in my neck of the woods.

Cheers,

WW

Are Worms Vegetarians?

wormnwomn — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 23:09:32 -0500

Author: wormnwomn
Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2007 4:09 am (GMT 0)

Someone has brought up a very good point in commenting on my last post.

I really did mean to mention this but got ahead of myself as I am sometimes prone to do and well, I forgot. So, thank you pondlady for bringing it up.

It's not so much that worms are vegetarians, because really they aren't. They will eat anything that has lived and died. However, there are a lot of other critters that are attracted to meat, and fat, and bones. And, since the decomposition rate of these are much slower, they are not a desirable addition to your worm bin, or any compost bin.

Therefore, you do not want to add, meat or bones to your compost system.

Dairy products? I wouldn't dump a load of cheese or dump old salad dressing into the system. But if you have a dinner plate that has uneaten salad with dressing and some grated cheese on it, go ahead and dump it in the compost bucket. Your system will handle it just fine. Bury it and cover it with a good layer of bedding and let the composting begin. There isn't much of anything that your system can not handle in moderation.

Citrus peels are something I am very careful about. While I don't worry about the peel from an orange or two, if someone had decided to juice a bag of oranges for orange juice I would not put all of those peels in my worm bin. There is a substance in citrus peels that the worms don't seem like too much.

Likewise, with oak leaves or pine needles. While I would not worry about a small amount of these in my worm bin, I would not dump a load of either of these items in my bin as well. The outer coating on oak leaves and pine needles is very slow to decompose. And yet in nature these things do decompose quite nicely in time. The tanin is a substance the worms don't seem to like either.

Another thing I watch for is making sure that any manure I use has composted at least 6 months. There are some exceptions. Rabbit manure, because it is not a "hot" manure, can be used immediately. As a matter of fact rabbits and worms are a great combination. But that's for another post.

WW

What Do Worms Like to Eat?

wormnwomn — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 18:50:53 -0500

Author: wormnwomn
Posted: Mon Feb 05, 2007 11:50 pm (GMT 0)

Worms will eat your garbage - they will eat your manures (stay away from domesticated animal manures like dog and cat), they will eat shredded paper (none of the slick stuff), they will eat your leaves and grass, they will eat your cardboard, they will eat your saw dust (wood shavings), and they will eat your food waste.

In particular they love - coffee grounds, cardboard, melon rinds, and all sorts of "sh_t."

Manures mixed with wood shavings is a great combination. Melon rinds are great if you have a mite infestation.

Shredded paper and leaves are a great layer to add after you layer on food waste. I really mix these things up in the winter to get some good composting action going for the colder temps. In the heat of summer you need to keep things simple to produce as little heat as possible.

Use some kind of processor for your food waste to get the pieces small. I use a butcher knife or a food processor on pulse.

My neighbor saves me all his waste from his kitchen in a bucket. I don't process any of that, I just dump it into my worm bin. But when I go to the grocer and get food waste from the produce department then I process that because it is all still whole.

The processing is just so the composting process will move along faster.

That's what worms like to eat in a nut shell.

WW

Worm Bin Composting and Chlorinated H2O

wormnwomn — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 12:27:34 -0500

Author: wormnwomn
Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2007 5:27 pm (GMT 0)

I had this question come up on one of my other blogs and thought I might address it here as well.

Our water and our food are very much affected by the environment from which it is gathered. Hense you have the environmentalists harping on all sorts of environmental factors that affect our air and water qualities. There is so much more than meets the eye here. The bigger picture is huge!

Have you ever given much thought to where your water comes from? Maybe you feel safe because your water comes from a well. But where does that water come from? Where I live, we are very aware where our water comes from. There are many lakes and rivers that are directly affected by a shortage or abundance of the source of our water. Ultimately, all our water comes from the sky, mostly in the form of rain or snow. It falls picking up whatever is in the air, and percolates through the ground. It runs off into our streams and rivers and into our lakes. And that which does not make it into our lakes, and ultimately into our oceans as well, adds to our water tables. These are great underground lakes that many municipalities use for their domestic water source. There is much that could be said about how we are messing with all our water sources with our lifestyles, and daily decisions. But for now I will remember I am writing about worm bin composting and leave it at that.

My own domestic water comes from the water table that exists directly under where we build our houses, businesses and industry. Periodically , the powers that be make the decision to chlorinate our water. The reason being that their tests have come back indicating that there is something harmful in the water that needs to be killed.

Now let's get back to the worm bin. If you will remember I have said that the bacteria in worm poop is what makes it such a valuable soil amendment. (If I haven't mentioned this I will be and for now you can take my word for it) An abundance of bateria are what you are looking for in a worm bin composting environment because the bacteria are breaking down the food source for the worms and the worms are eating the bacteria and the broken down food and passing it through their gut where it is picking up more bacteria and then, well, then you have the castings...poop.

So, with that said do you think the addition of chlorinated water would be a good thing? I think not. In short, the best thing to do for your water before you use it is to let it sit out for 24 hours for the chlorine to dissipate. Then it is safe to use.

WW

More specifics on your worm bin

wormnwomn — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 12:37:32 -0500

Author: wormnwomn
Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2007 5:37 pm (GMT 0)

A plastic tote is a good beginning bin and the way most first time wormers start. It's inexpensive and easy to set up and handle, and the size is adequate to handle one to two people's waste if the bin is managed properly. The food should be processed down to fairly small size. For the amount of food that the bin can handle a food processor is a good way to minimize the size of the food waste. The more surfaces the bacteria have to work on the faster the waste will compost. Little know fact: The bacteria in the bin material do more to compost the waste than the worms. The worms actually eat more of the bacteria. The worms, because they don't really have a mouth (with teeth) can't do anything with the waste until the bacteria have started breaking it down.

A plastic tote will hold moisture in better than wood. This is not a bad thing as the worms like the moisture. But you don't want too much moisture, the bin needs air as well. Ventilation holes are very important. Holes in the bottom of the bin will allow excess moisture to drain out of the bin. There should be at least 4 - 6 holes in the bottom of the bin. The holes should be covered with a screen of some sort to help hold the material in but let the moisture out. You also want to have holes near the bottom of the bin on all sides of the bin. In addition you should have some holes about 2/3rd's way up the side that will coincide with the surface of the bedding material and some holes in the lid of your bin.

A twelve gallon tote will require about 1/2 pound of worms to 1 lb of worms. If you have a friend who might be interested in worming with you a good idea would be for you each to set up a bin and split a pound of worms. That way you could each do your own thing and compare notes. No two worms bins are worked exactly alike and you can get a better idea of what works and what doesn't. (Just an idea.)

One of the prep things you want to do before you start your worm bin is to have a plan for your bedding material. You also want to have a plan for what you will add as carbon material. Every compost system needs to have the basic components of a compost system which is carbon, nitrogen, water and air. Your worm bin is no different. It's just that with the addition of all those worms, the composting action can take place at a much cooler temperature.

Therefore, when you initially set up your bin you will fill the container up about 2/3rds full with your bedding material, making sure it is thoroughly moistened. I use a well composted horse manure that has been allowed to sit for about 6 months. Some other bedding materials I have heard of being used are unfinished compost, leaf compost, shredded newspaper, coir, or peat moss. The least desirable in this list is the peat moss. It is not a renewable resource and has little or no nutritive value to the worms as much of it is sterile.

Once you have your initial bedding in place and watered down, you will want to let it sit for 24 hours before you add your worms to make sure it is not going to heat up. Once you add your worm you will wait a few days to see how they like their new home before you start adding waste. If your worms like their new home, they will start eating the bacteria breaking down the food waste and producing their castings (poop) which will be loaded with even more bacteria and your system will be off and running.

Another fact: Worm castings have more beneficial bacteria than either the food they are eating or what's even in the worms gut. The worm composting system is truly a miracle of mother nature and her way of replenishing the earth for more to grow.

Have fun!

WW

Let's get back to worm bins

wormnwomn — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 23:11:44 -0500

Author: wormnwomn
Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2007 4:11 am (GMT 0)

There are many different containers you can use for worm bin composting. It is only limited really by your imagination. As long as the material is not toxic to the worms and provides adequate protection from the outside world - light, wind, rain, and temp. and supplies plenty of air yet keeps the bedding moist, your worms will be happy. I have heard of people using old hollowed out phonograph players, bathtubs, garbage cans, surrounding an area outside with bales of straw and covering the top to control the moisture and exposure to the sun. Your own situation will truly determine how and where you will worm compost.

However, if you have never tried worm bin composting before I recommend that you start small. Even if you have a family that can really produce the compostables, let your conventional compost pile take the extra and keep your first bin small. Get a feel for how the bin works, the time it takes, the smells and critters, and let it grow. It doesn't take long.

People have a tendency to go overboard with a lot of things that pertain to gardening. They plan this great big garden and then it all gets the better of them and it all becomes work instead of a pleasure.

One of the best bins to start with is just an inexpensive tote. The next size up would be okay too, especially if you really think you would like the worms and you are an organic gardener. It is a 1x2x3 Bin and is a perfect size for a family of 2-4. It's a little bit bigger and will require a bit more room, but will produce more product as well.

Food for thought.

Think about ways you can build healthy soil. Worms are nature's answer.

WW

How you harvest castings.

wormnwomn — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 21:05:30 -0500

Author: wormnwomn
Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007 2:05 am (GMT 0)

There are a number of different ways to harvest your bin once you are ready.

First of all it depends on the size of your bin. My bins are 4'x 8'. In a bin this size I am able to split out one end and reserve it for finished material. I have the bin marked off in 6 parts. I pull all the "fresh" material off the top from part C - F. If your bin is working as it should be, then the majority of your worms are going to be up in this fresh material feeding. (There are things you can do to make sure most of the worms are in the top layers.) I have one end of the bin empty (A & B) so I have a place to put the finished material I will pull from the bottom of the bin. The top portion you pulled off to begin with then goes back in the bin and the space left from the finished bottom layer being removed leaves you room to start adding more fresh material on top. The finished material will rest in the end of the bin, get turned to help it start to dry out and whatever worms are still in it will continue to work the material until they decide to move back into the other end of the bin or die.

With a smaller bin I would have a second container for a holding bin. The process would still be the same. Take the fresh material off the top, move the finished material into the holding bin. Add the fresh material back into the composting bin. The finished material will need to be turned periodically to help it dry out. The worms left in the finished material will continue to work until they die.

Wormnwomn

Conventional composting vs worm composting

wormnwomn — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 17:00:53 -0500

Author: wormnwomn
Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 10:00 pm (GMT 0)

There is a difference between conventional composting and worm bin composting. Having worms in your compost bin does not classify your bin as a worm bin.

Your conventional compost bin is generally 3'x3'x3' or there abouts. It is located outside exposed to the ground with the sides generally slated to allow air circulation. You attempt to get your porportions mixed properly to get the contents to heat up to the 250 degree range which is to kill all your weed seeds and pathogens. The contents then cool and you turn your contents to get the outside inside and attempt to get the contents to heat up again. Of course there are other versions of composting which just let the contents sit and let mother nature take it's course.

With the bin exposed to the ground, whenever the environment is favorable for worms you will have worms. If and when the contents heat up too much for the worms they will vacate into the surrounding environment or just to the outer layers where it is cooler and when the pile cools they will move back in. However, this is not worm bin composting.

Worm bin composting is when you provide a confined space, (a rubber tote, wooden box, etc.) which you fill 2/3 full of a bedding material, (I use horse manure initially then layer on leaves, grass, shredded newspaper, etc), add moisture and worms and keep the environment from heating up and let the worms do the composting leaving behind their castings to be harvested with the completed compost. The result is a more beneficial finished product because the compost has not gone through the high heat killing everything, therefore the variety of beneficial bacteria is of a broader spectrum and there is more of it. This information is from an expert in the field. The key difference here is the high number of worms being kept in a controlled environment so you are harvesting a material that is highly concentrated with castings. (The material I harvest from my bins is 50% worm castings.)

Worms in any of your compost is a good thing, just not the same as worm bin composting.

Wormnwomn

More on where to put your worm bin.

wormnwomn — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 10:37:48 -0500

Author: wormnwomn
Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2007 3:37 pm (GMT 0)

There are a lot of things to take into consideration when you decide on a location for your worm bin. Many of them have to do with your personal situation. As far as the worms are concerned, as long as the environment stays within a temp range for the worms to stay active (they can handle cold better than heat - they will start to die if the temp hits 90) and the bedding stays moist and aerated, your worms will be okay. It's best to keep your bin in a protected spot out of the wind, direct sun, and where you can control the moisture going into the bin, for your worms will be happy.

The temp is probably the hardest thing to control because there is so much that can effect it. The ambient temp of the air outside is only on part of the equation. Remember, you are working with a compost system and compost systems create heat just by the very nature of the system. This aspect can be used during winter when the weather is cold but must be carefully watched during summer when the temp outside is already hot. For this reason, one of the things you want to make sure you have before you get started is either a compost thermometer, or in the very least a soil thermometer.

You also want to make sure you place your worm bin in an area where there is plenty of room around the bin for air flow and for you to be able to work the bin.

It also helps if you can be comfortable working in the space as well, especially when you get to the point where you need to work the bin.

If you are working a bin that will need to be physically moved to be worked, make sure the bin is small enough for you to move when it is loaded with material.

Send me your questions. I'll be back later with further information.

Wormnwomn