Wisconsin Worm Farming- Right Here In The Driftless!- Dan Corbin- Owner
GETTING STARTED WITH WORM COMPOSTING!
People often ask me about getting started with worm composting. After spending thirteen years as a keeper of worms, and and solid year or two in a study of their habits and history, I still say that there is not a finer pet anywhere. I’ve had dogs that would not walk on a leash and birds that refused to sing, and at present I’ve got two cats who nap when they should be chasing mice and chase each other around the house at night when I’m at risk of nodding off to sleep myself.
But a herd of worms will earn its keep, no doubt about it. They’ll take care of the garbage, fertilize the lawn, and bait your fishhook if you like to fish. They’ll provide the kids with science-fair projects and show-and-tell offerings for years to come.
And they’ll do it all with a minimum of fuss and expense.
Plenty of books give advise on worm composting, and I won’t try to summarize everything they have to say here. Instead, I’ll tell you what I would want to know if I were setting up my first worm bin right now and you’ll learn the the rest as you go.
First step is to choose a worm bin. It is not difficult to locate instructions for making a worm bin out of scrap lumber or plastic storage tubs. A trip to the hardware store, and a homemade worm bin can be yours for a few bucks.
But those homemade bins have a few downsides. Drainage is one concern. The worms won’t sit for long in soggy food, and you won’t like the smell if they do. It’s often hard to get a homemade bin to drain properly from the bottom and ventilate properly from the top, all while keeping the fruit flies out and the worms in.
Harvesting the castings is another problem: if the worms live in a single bed together with their food and castings, it can be ridiculously difficult to extract them.
Some people say that if you shift the food to one side of the bin, the worms will follow, leaving the other side more or less vacant. But worms do tend to wander, especially within the confines of a small space, and it can take weeks for them to abandon one area of a small bin entirely, if they ever do.
There are many good commercially made worm composters out there-designed to give worms the best living conditions possible and make it easy to harvest and use their castings. They are quite expensive, however, and you may/may not wish to invest in this kind of start up offerings.
Once you have selected a bin, the next task is getting some worms. You can buy your worms from a bait stand or you’ll be better off ordering worms from a worm farm. You will save a little money and you’ll have the assurance that you are getting the right worms. Besides, worm farmers are a friendly group, always willing to answer a few questions from their customers. If you live anywhere near a worm farm, you might even get a tour. Be forewarned that some worm growers, fearing for their worms’ health, won’t ship live worms during hot summer months.
“Nature’s greatest little recyclers.”
A NIFTY PIECE OF NATURAL HISTORY!
They destroy plant diseases.
They break down toxins.
They plow the waste of the world.
They transform forests.
They’ve survived two mass extinctions, including the one that wiped out the dinosaur.
Not bad for a creature that is deaf, blind, and spineless.
Who knew that red wigglers were one of our planet’s most important caretakers? Or that Charles Darwin devoted his last years to studying this remarkable achievements?
About Wisconsin Redworms
Wisconsin Redworms, located in southwestern Wisconsin, is a worm farm dedicated to the uses of the hard-working redworm. As a small biology and recycling project, Wisconsin Redworms began in Dan Corbin’s basement.
As the demand for worms moved from local bait shops to orders throughout the United States, it began to grow into something bigger than one person’s retirement project. The small project was moved to a nearby farm with more room and additional sources of food. The new space provides room for additional worms and space for packing and shipping.
Moving to an operating farm included a partner and several farm hands to assist with the management of the worms. Wisconsin Redworms receives both small and large orders from teachers, anglers, businesses, and gardeners throughout the United States. Not only does Wisconsin Redworms guarantee each order, but the farmers are available to assist you with your orders or questions you may have.
castings, it can be ridiculously difficult to extract them.
