The Dirt on Worm Farming

By Brenda Lotito

Nestled snuggly in the corner of my basement, a covered wooden box sits on legs that stand four feet high. Most people passing by don't even notice it. There is no smell and no litter. The basement temperature is like baby bears porridge-just right. More importantly, the temperature inside the box is neither too hot nor too cold.

As I lift the cover to show a friend the secret to my gardening success, her face dims and all she can say is that "it looks like dirt". I sink my hand and then my forearm deep into the dark, moist loam and pull out a handful. Wiggly, wriggly, slimy red worms slither about the loam, between my fingers, and on my palm.

They begin to extend their body upwards, down, and around when the special cells on their bodies dubbed "eye spots" begin to detect light. My slimy handful of worms quickly stretch their bodies, then pull back together hurrying into the darker center of the pile.

I place the handful of moist black earth back into the box. In the upper right hand corner, I lift a mound of damp shredded newspaper to reveal a pile of kitchen scraps surrounded by thousands of crawling compost eaters.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Apr 12, 2006
• ISBN: 9781462094912

Brenda Lotito

Brenda Lotito is an avid organic gardener and owner of a box or two of red wigglers. If you visit her?beware?her first words are usually ?Want to see my worm farm?? She promotes the responsible use of worms as recyclers of organic waste. She currently resides in Liverpool, New York with Jim, her husband of fifteen years and their four spirited sons.

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Copyright © 2006 by Brenda A. Lotito

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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ISBN-13: 978-0-595-39463-0

ISBN-10: 0-595-39463-9

ISBN-13: 978-1-4620-9491-2 (ebook)

Printed in the United States of America

Contents

Acknowledgments

The Beginning

Anatomy of a Worm

Garden Delight

Building Your Worm Farm

Preparing, Feeding and Harvesting

Troubles and Bugs in Your Box

How to Use Your Compost

Fishing Fare

Responsible Basement Composting

Tips on Saving the World and Saving Money

The Worm Compostors Quick Trouble Shooting Guide

Conclusion

The Ultimate Worm Catcher

Glossary

Bibliography of Sources

Acknowledgments

My brother, Frederick A. Koslowski III Ed.D., who listened to my idea read the manuscript, and encouraged me to follow my dreams, and who, since childhood, continues to inspire me daily with his wisdom.

My son, John (now 11 years), who at age three began his fascination with worms. His ocean blue eyes drew me into a place of calm and wonder as we discovered a world like no other—the dirt on worm farming.

My three other sons, Nicholas, 12 years, Anthony, 9 years, and Jimmy, 7 years, who have helped me to write and create this book with the honest input and energy that only a child can give. Thanks to my husband, Jim, who has built my worm boxes and has tolerated having these shiny red wigglers in our basement.

The Beginning

Naturalist and long debated scientist Charles Darwin gathered information about earthworms through his patience in observation and reflection, after that, applying it to the world around him. It was from this thirst for knowledge and patience that he sought ever-existing facts to create his own answers in the form of theory. According to a paper he published in 1881 (The Formation of Vegetable Mould by the Action of Earthworms), and, while collecting data to support his theories of natural selection and origin, Darwin uncovered the dirt on worms by establishing a relationship between decaying organic matter, worms and fertile soil. He spoke with many gardeners and scientists while researching. He hunted and documented day and night; finding an abundance of worms in gardens, moistened soil and shaded forest floors. Yet, in other areas where a single tree majestically stood, he found very little quantities of the earthworm. He hypothesized that this was due to the vast root system of the tree, which drank a large amount of the moisture in the ground, making the topsoil dry and virtually uninhabitable for these creatures. He observed and recorded earthworm tunneling and eating behaviors, dissecting each move as they made use of their powerful suction to not only eat, but instinctively pull leaves and stone over the opening of their burrows to protect them from

Reviews for The Dirt on Worm Farming

[Masa Sai · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent book on how to start a worm farm for your home. I especially found the food list for worms helpful.