Red Wigglers

Vermiculture...  About six or seven years ago Laura and I started "farming" worms in our basement on Hanssler.  We put our compostable fruit and veggie snacks in the bin and the worms would say, "Thank you." We play some Barry White and they would go forth and procreate.  Twice a year I clean out the worm bin in the basement and start anew.  About 95% of the worms, their castings, and the dirt ends up in the vegetable garden.  The red wigglers supposedly help aerate the dirt and the castings provide excellent nutrients for the new vegetable crop! 

To the right, the worm bin is stored between our extra freezer and a lawn refuse bag full of shredded newspaper for worm feedings.

Below is what I find when I take off the lid!  Usually the worms are scampering for cover!

I shovel full of worms!

To the left below: a receipt from our last worm purchase.  We started fresh when we moved into our Suffolk house.  We haven't purchased any worms since!

To the right below: an empty yogurt container of 200+ worms to deliver to Jim.

There were at least another 500 in the bin after I pulled some big ones for Jim's garden.





















To start over, I leave just the dirt/castings in the corners of the bins and the inevitable worms that are lurking in those corners.  I then add shredded newspaper to the bottom, because Laura and I think intelligent worms are better for the garden rather than the illiterate variety.  On top of the newspaper we throw in leftover fruit and veggies.  Next, forty pounds of top soil.  Play some Barry White, wait until April, and repeat the process.

Gus came down to keep me company, but all he really wanted to do was try to escape!  What a stinker!