Ok, someone talk to me, please, about worm farming?

[noobiechickenlady]

My camera is not cooperating with my efforts to turn it on . So here is a link to the one I am building.
http://www.instructables.com/id/5-dollar-12-hour-Worm-Composting-Bins/

 

[keljonma]

That's a pretty neat site!

 

[Dace]

I agree...great info!
I think I will head over to my nursery and see how much some flats would cost.

Also I did note that some posters said they had trouble finding flats that fit together too perfectly, as in no gap between flats, so keep that in mind.

 

[noobiechickenlady]

I love instructables. Sometimes you get really good info, sometimes you get action/suspense when the person in the video is doing stupid stuff (Like trying to catch a running table saw that tipped over, HELLO??? Do you want to lose your fingers?) Always good for brief entertainment if nothing else

There are several other bins on the site that are easy & cheap. I just liked that one the best.

 

[sylvie]

Wow, not too much more for me to add here! If I repeat something from Keljonma's post, sorry.
I originally bought worms through the mail and they multiply like crazy if you feed a lot of kitchen scraps and crushed eggshells. They are the same as what you can get at the bait shop or small groceries' refrigerator case. Nightcrawlers do not live in bins, they go 6' down into the ground. Red Wigglers are what you want, which are hybrids.

I bought those big plastic storage bins like the recycle bins and drilled many small holes in the sides and bottom. I have 5 now because they reproduce so quickly. Lay the lid on top.
I've tried shredded leaves as the main medium but they stuck together horribly. This is particularly bad when you go to sort them. The best is peat moss by the bale with loads of shredded newspaper. Wet it good with WARM water before adding the worms. I fill the medium to the top of the bin with no problems, 18". Add some dirt which the worms need as grit to digest their food. Mix in your scraps, with some on top. When you change the bin save some of the compost to add to the new bin.

The bright light never worked much for me when sorting worms from their compost. I sort on a large piece of plastic on a picnic table. I throw the large pieces of newspaper, and uneaten food that they left into the new bin. Originally I kept them in my kitchen but in good weather they live outside up on pallets in the north, cooler, shady side of the house. I put heavy boards on top of the lids to keep raccoons out.

They love apples #1, coffee grounds and eaten corn on the cob. Don't give citrus, or raw potatoes which sprout.

As a note: I put tons of leaves and pine needles in my chickens' pen all winter to keep the mud down. They compacted it over with dirt. All spring each time it rained there were hundreds of worms that came out from under this stuff and the chickens ate their fill each rainy morning. I just now tilled it and they thought they struck gold all over again. So you can try that, too.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

As a note: I put tons of leaves and pine needles in my chickens' pen all winter to keep the mud down. They compacted it over with dirt. All spring each time it rained there were hundreds of worms that came out from under this stuff and the chickens ate their fill each rainy morning. I just now tilled it and they thought they struck gold all over again. So you can try that, too.

OH that's a fabulous idea!!!!!!! I will try that this next fall/winter and see how it works out!

Thank you!

 

[sylvie]

I looked through my notes and see that I bought the worms from Mellinger's who went out of business recently.

 

[TanksHill]

I am starting to feel really guilty. I have been neglecting my worms and the deserve better. Thanks to all of your excitement and enthusiasm I think I'll work a bit harder.

My poor bins have plastic in them. I was adding shredded paper from dh office. After the worms ate everything I found shredded credit cards and envelope windows. Got to get that fixed.

I googled red wigglers and you can find them everywhere. I think maybe post something locally and see if there is someone in your area who wants to sell a clump.

That light is a neat idea, maybe I'll give it a try.

keljonma, thanks for the Carla Emery post. I did not read the whole thing but I think I will take my book on vacation with me. Will make for a good read while driving.


Wow that instructables is a great site... I found this one. http://www.instructables.com/id/The-Worm-A-Rater/
I like the idea of using the old ice chest because I have one. I think I'll keep mine in the garage so it will stay cool. It actually has a screw on drain lid, that will come in handy. The wheels are turning.......

 

[lorihadams]

See if your local library has the book Worms Eat My Garbage. We did our worm bin out of a rubbermaid container with holes drilled all in it for ventilation. We started with newspaper strips that had been soaked in water and then squeezed out. Then put in a shovel full of dirt and the worms (we got them from a friend of ours--red wigglers) and then put handfuls of leaves on top and voila! We feed ours veggie scraps about once a week. They love egg shells too. I think Family Fun magazine had an article about how to do the worm bin and that's what we went by. We occasionally feed our fire bellied toads some of the wigglers, they love them. I will try to post a pic of mine for you but I am at the beach now so it will be next week before I can.

 

[freemotion]

Well, that is just mean. Maybe your worms would've liked to have an outing at the beach, too!