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Ok well maybe I did give a little scream when I opened the box full of red worms for our new worm farm yesterday. How could I not? I had this grand idea last week while researching traditional composting machines that maybe worm composting would fit our suburban dwelling a bit better? After all if I put a traditioanl compost pile in the back yard the neighborhood Architectural Review committee (ARC or “neighborhood busy bodies”) will be all over me. I already receive at least three little “naughty” letters a year, as is, for the silliest of things. Once I received a naughty letter for a missing number on my mailbox….I could have understood that if it weren’t for the fact that my clematis on my mailbox covers ALL of the house numbers on my mailbox. That means that the gal actually had to physically lift up this huge plant just to see that I indeed was missing…gasp…a house number. I have even gotten one for my yard not being green enough (now if that isn’t ironic I don’t know what is.)
So you see what I am up against here in trying to live “the green life”. And yes, we would love to move but with the housing market the way it is, it is not going to happen anytime soon. So I get continued researching composting and worms keep popping up. I flashed back to being about 7 and standing in my aunt Marsha’s basement and being so excited to see her “worm farm”. I was a huge Tomboy (still am a bit) so the thought of a farm of nothing but worms was fascinating. I begged my mother for one and she of course said “no”. Poor mom. I went home and tried to make one anyway with a bucket and dirt. It ended tragically I have no doubt, but I truly don’t remember the rest..lol. I probably lost interest and mom just dumped my bucket out.
The more I read about these amazing little creatures the more the project just fits the bill for several purposes:
1) If you are a gardener than you probably know by now that worm castings/compost are so good for your plants! But a bag of worm castings is expensive. We paid several hundred bucks last summer in organic fertilizers!
2) Perfect homeschooling project. The life cycle of a worm…hands on. The kids will know more about worms by the time this is over than any kid really could ever need to know about a worm..lol
3) I finally get a bit of a compost pile. A single red worm can compost the equivalent of it on weight each day!
So what is not to love? I mean besides the fact that worms are slimy and a bit “other worldly” looking…
The family got in on the action yesterday and we now officially have our very own warm farm. Fingers crossed we don’t kill all 250 of the little critters. I am hoping it doesn’t end like the fish aquarium. We have the worst luck with fish…lol!
. Then we shredded up the newspapers into little bits and pieces.
Ok so the wiggly worms…yes, I am glad my children didn’t mind holding them and dropping them in.
That was really the only yucky part. The kids thought that part was the best though.
Well that is about it…we threw a couple of crushed eggshells in and the science experiment is on. For now it is living in my front room till the weather warms up a bit. I figure once it is going well they will be fine in the garage but out in the winter freeze would probably not be a good place for them.
Nothing left to do but let the worms “do their thing”. I will keep you posted on how the bin is coming along. Please God don’t let me kill them, I would feel horrible.
To read more about Redworm composting check out Red Worm composting ! He really loves his worms
Another favorite is City Farmer . Great article on “why” !
