The Worm Farming Revolution v2.0

The Worm Farming Revolution! v2.
By: Pauly Piccirillo

Brought to You by Your Friends at the:
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TOC • Mineral Chart • Worm Chart • Glossary • Manual • W FR.com
The Worm Farming Revolution! v2.0
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ISBN: 978-1-4787-1418-7
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~Table of Contents~
Manual…………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 6
Preface............................................................................................................... 7
Introduction....................................................................................................... 10
Ch1 Etymology................................................................................................... 14
Ch2 Types of Worms & Groups......................................................................... 15
Anecic....................................................................................................... 15
Endogeic................................................................................................... 15
Epigeic...................................................................................................... 16
Ch3 The Anatomy.............................................................................................. 17
Ch4 Reproduction Cycle.................................................................................... 20
Ch5 Worm Castings........................................................................................... 24
Ch6 Pros & Cons of Chemical Fertilizers............................................................ 28
Ch7 Worm Tea................................................................................................... 32
Soil Application........................................................................................ 34
Foliar Spray.............................................................................................. 35
Ch8 Worm Food................................................................................................ 37
Manure.................................................................................................... 41
Dog/Cat Manure................................................................................... 44
Ruminant Manure................................................................................. 46
Hot manure.............................................................................................. 49
Cold manure............................................................................................ 50
Identifying Cold Manures........................................................................ 53
Where to Get Manure............................................................................. 54
Ch9 Preparing Worm Food................................................................................ 58
Natural Feed........................................................................................... 58
Manure................................................................................................... 60
Minerals (19 types)................................................................................. 61
Proper Mineral Use................................................................................. 77
A Stern Warning to the USA................................................................... 79
Ch10 Setting up A Worm Bin............................................................................. 82
Let’s Build a Worm Bin Together........................................................... 85
5 Basic Principles to Worm Composting................................................ 88
Choosing a Location............................................................................... 94
Outside Systems................................................................................. 94
Indoor Systems................................................................................... 96
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Ch11 Many Types of Worm Systems................................................................. 99

Static System.......................................................................................... 99
Flow-Through System............................................................................ 99
Continuous Flow-Through System......................................................... 100
Various Homemade Worm Bins............................................................. 101
Bin Systems 1-7.................................................................................. 102
Various Commercial Systems................................................................. 117
Bin Systems 1-5................................................................................. 117
Ch12 Worm Species........................................................................................... 124
Red Wiggler, Eisenia fetida.................................................................... 125
European Nightcrawler, Eisenia hortensis............................................. 127
Blue Worm, Perionyx excavatus............................................................ 128
African Nightcrawler, Eudrilus eugeniae................................................ 132
Canadian Nightcrawler, Lumbricus terrestris......................................... 134
Alabama Jumper, Amynthus gracilus..................................................... 136
Choosing the Right Species.................................................................... 139
Ch13 Worm Farming in the Winter................................................................... 142
Natural Heat........................................................................................... 142
Insulation............................................................................................... 143
Types of Bins for Winter........................................................................ 144
Ch14 Leachate vs Worm Tea............................................................................. 146
What is Leachate.................................................................................... 147
What is Worm Tea................................................................................. 148
Using Leachate Properly........................................................................ 151
Ch15 How to Make Worm Tea.......................................................................... 157
Video Tutorial Links............................................................................... 158
Text Tutorial........................................................................................... 158
Ch16 Harvesting worm Castings........................................................................ 165
From a Static Bin.................................................................................... 165
From a Flow-Through............................................................................. 168
From a Continuous Flow-Through......................................................... 168
Ch17 How to Use Worm Castings...................................................................... 172
In Landscaping and Gardens.................................................................. 173
In Seed Rows.......................................................................................... 174
In Starter Pots........................................................................................ 174
Mixing Ratios......................................................................................... 175
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In Lawns................................................................................................. 177
Ch18 Storing Worm Castings............................................................................. 179
Storing Indoors...................................................................................... 179
Storing Outdoors.................................................................................... 180
Ch19 Working with Other Organisms in the Worm Bin.................................... 182
Common Friendly Organisms, cause & solutions.................................. 184
Common Unwanted Pests, cause & solutions....................................... 187
Ch20 Worm Facts.............................................................................................. 190
Ch21 Worm Farming - The New Gold Rush
Case Studies of “Real” People with “Real” Worm Businesses.................. 192
Cases 1-3.............................................................................................. 194
Timeout - Make Money in 6 Different Fields of Worm Farming............. 207
Fields 1-6.......................................................................................... 208
Cases 4-6.............................................................................................. 214
Bentley’s (85 Page) “Making Money With Worms” Download Link or

was included when purchased with this eBook....................................... 225
Helpful Print Outs In the back and throughout

Fig 1 Mineral Guideline Chart (19 minerals)................................................. 78
Fig 2 A 5-Step Approach to Any Successful Worm Bin.................................. 93
Fig 3 Worm Quick-Pick Easy Selection Guide................................................ 141
Fig 4 Worm Facts........................................................................................... 190
Fig 5 Foods To Avoid In A Worm System....................................................... 229
Fig 6 Fat Worm Recipe.................................................................................. 230
Fig 7 Growth Rates & Reproduction Cycles of Worms.................................. 231
Fig 8 Common Abbreviations for Groups and Forums.................................. 239
Glossary Worm Farming Terms......................................................................... 232
References & Attributes................................................................................... 241
Note:
Prevalent hyperlinks are placed at the bottom of every page for easy navigation.
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Instruction Manual
STOP! What You Need to Know Before You Begin.
This book was written to be a mentor to help guide you every step of the way. I
can’t be there with you, but hopefully with my writings and the use of several
tools below, it will feel like I’m closer than you think. I firmly believe in Truth,
Integrity, and Enlightenment to T.I.E together Teaching, Inspiring, & Empowering.
Let the tools below enlighten your journey beyond my perspective.
Symbols to look for:
 = Links to publications, documents or other writings.

 = Links to related videos on the topic at hand (outside of this book).
 = Links to quality websites or webpages.
 = Links to email contacts.
 = Denotes that you can print the page. These pages are specifically
designed for printing. Most printers won’t print background, but this can
be changed in “print properties”. Tell your printer which page # to print.
 = Links to forums, chat groups, or Facebook groups.
• This symbol is an “info dot” or the ID of a word. They are placed
strategically throughout the book (mostly the first half) and can be found
discreetly in front of the word it correlates to. i.e. “•bedding” Click the
info dot for more information. The info dot is a hyperlink that takes the
reader to the glossary for that word. Alt + = go to previous page.
Ctrl +F Press to find any word, phrase, or symbol, Cmd +F for Mac.
Alt + Press Alt + Left Arrow = go to the previous page. Use this if your PDF
reader doesn’t have a back button, Cmd + { for Mac.
Worm Farming Coloring Pages -12 FREE Pages:  DOWNLOAD
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~Preface~
First, I want to congratulate you if you are reading this right now. You have
just turned the first page of a new chapter in living a healthier life, growing
your own food, recycling and most importantly sustaining yourself.
Maybe you’re opening an entirely new book for the very first time and have
no clue of what your future holds. But what you do know is that you must
change the direction you’ve been going and set a new course, a course away
from the mainstream and back to what has been proven to work for
thousands of years.
A course, which our ancestors steered us toward and we now have forgotten
through our own selfish greed and carelessness.
However, this book is not about the negative effects of our apathy or
carelessness through acquiescence, because if you’re reading this book now,
you already know. Instead, it’s about changing your course and taking
control of your health and life. It’s about choices and the freedom to choose
what’s best for YOU! It’s about… changing your world!
We can’t change the world until we first change our own world, (the world
right where you live) and encourage others to do so by being a living
example of what is proven to work.
As we have slowly found ways of feeding millions of people at a lower cost

we have paid a much higher price in the form of illness and death due to the
effects of synthetic chemicals. More and more people are waking up to
realize the harmful effects of synthetic fertilizers.
I don’t put the blame on those who taught us to use chemicals. They didn’t
know any better. Many chemicals don’t have an immediate effect on people
but slowly damages or kills over long periods of time.
The problem I have is with the continued use and arrogance of ignoring the
side effects due to the tremendous profitability and enormous
implementations around the world. It’s just too big of a ship to make such a
sharp turn in the right direction.
But you and I CAN make a difference by making that hard turn and
teaching, encouraging and empowering others to do the same. We can’t
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dwell on the negative thinking but must act positively and do something in
our own lives.
We must go from synthetic thinking to organic doing,

until one day that ship will be able to make that full turn. I see it already
happening in my life and in others. Many are already waking up to embrace
the lost knowledge of our forefathers.
There’s an awakening going on all over the world. It’s a fusion of technology
with the knowledge of the past. It’s a course set in the right direction and a
course we never should have abandoned but embraced and improved upon.
Years ago I awakened to this forgotten blueprint of agricultural success

when the so-called “technological advancements” failed me. I knew there
had to be a better way for me and my family, because I was nearly burnt-
out and quite frankly, so were my plants.
Through diligent research and a call to action I began to put the ancient
theories to the test. Every living thing in life has a purpose whether good or
bad…I only needed to harness their potential benefits.
What were these beneficial living creatures…?
W o r ms!
They’re everywhere! But why?

Because plants are everywhere, or should I say,
plants are everywhere because worms are
everywhere. They have a unique coexistence between
each other.
As the plant dies and falls to the ground special microorganisms break down
the decaying plant. The worms then eat the microbes.
This is where the miracle happens, in the gut of a worm. Special •bacteria in
the worm feed on the bacteria that ate the decaying matter. The worms
expel a very complex microorganism that no other creature can duplicate.
These special microbes are worm castings (worm poop) that smell just like
natural earth.
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We need these microbes just as much as we do the worms for this is what
the plants consider their natural food, not synthetic fertilizers. Synthetic
materials (many made from oil and gas) actually kill the microbes that
plants depend on. Chemicals are not plant food. They are a stimulant.
This is what I was doing years ago, before

becoming a worm farmer.
Year after year I became better at raising worms

and feeding them. Growing a garden no longer
became a guessing game as I knew what the
right food for my plant was. The answer was right
under my nose all along.
I’ve awakened to a truth we’ve walked away from

so long ago and now the torch has been relit for
me to share and pass on to you. Are you ready to
wake up and lift the veil of deception from YOUR
eyes?
If so, your journey back to the past infused with the technologies of today
will not only enlighten you but empower you to carry the torch and pass it
on to others to help them see the light of a new agricultural tomorrow. This
is the dawn of a new era. This is an awakening of truth and a call to
action that you must embrace or this ship may never turn from its course.
~Will you join me and others around the world and raise your torch against
the man-made lies that are sown which only reap illness and death?
~Will you join us in the fight to renew our lands and take back our health
and well-being? Will you join us in the fight to say “NO” to high-priced foods
by growing your own at home?
~Will you join us in the fight for self-reliance, self-sufficiency & freedom?
Are you ready to be successful at growing healthy plants with high yields?
Will you thank the person you received this book from? If yes, then you’re
ready to join… The Worm Farming
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~Introduction~
So why am I a worm farmer? I told my family that I
didn't want to be remembered as a worm farmer. I
mean, how glorious is that? Instead, I’d rather be
remembered for helping others find a way to live a
healthier life. But it all starts somewhere.
Gardens don’t "just" happen.
You can't simply sow a seed and expect to reap

bountiful fruit without the proper knowledge of how
to care for it and it all starts with the soil. But soil
doesn’t just happen either.
Even the soil has its beginnings and that starts with a tiny little creature
known as...the worm, “A gardener’s best friend”.
We all live in a continuous perpetual world that’s constantly revolving and

renewing itself every single day. The health of a plant starts at its roots, in
the soil. Healthy soil is lively and teaming with trillions of microorganisms all
harmonizing together. But where do all these tiny organisms come from?
They come from the gut of a worm and the worm received its nutrition from,
once again, a plant that has run its •cycle.
Out of all these living organisms, who deserves the credit? The plant, the
microbes, or the worm? What about us? Where do we fit into this equation?
Well, the truth is…We Don’t.
Plant’s, microbes, and worms existed long before we ever did. They were
well orchestrated by a Conductor who knew exactly what He was doing
thousands of years ago. They didn’t need us to help them become
something they already were and they definitely didn’t need us to make
them into something they weren’t created to be.
No! Instead, we were created to merely benefit from this perpetual blessing
set into motion so long ago. Just like little kids playing jump rope, we only
need to… “step in”.
When we all can learn how to step in and follow the motion already set into
play instead of recreating something that only goes against the grand
design, will we finally realize a longer, healthier, and richer life is waiting for
us each and every day.
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If you want to change your life for the better, all you need to do is “step in”.
So maybe it does start somewhere, and maybe that somewhere starts
with……You!
I guess this is why I’m a worm farmer.
This book will teach you just about everything you’ll ever need to know
about raising composting worms but Hold On! This book is more than just
about raising worms.
It’ll teach you that worms are the master soil builders in order for plants to
have the best foundation for growth, health and yields. Worms are like
master brick layers. They lay the building blocks that are so crucial for a
great foundation like that of the great pyramids. See My Garden Pics.
This book teaches you how to be successful with plants because…
If you can get the soil right

then you will get the plant right!
There’s way too much misinformation online. Most people truly have a
passion but there are some that are full of fluff and hype. I’ll help you slow
down and learn at your own pace instead of having to sort between fact or
fiction. You are learning from an experienced gardener/worm farmer. I‘ve
left my failures behind but have gleaned much from them to bring you this
book. I’ll also share some of my friends with you (no, not the little
squirmy ones) who have a lot of knowledge and experience just like me.
You may also just be interested in raising worms for fishing, recycling to
keep waste out of landfills, want to raise pet food, or want to turn your hard
clay soil into a rich amended growth medium.
Maybe you’d like to start up your own small business or have a desire for the
love of nature and would like to educate others within your community.
Whatever your desire is you’ll find it all right here in…
The Worm Farming Revolution!
Food prices are rising and the thought of growing our own food seems only
logical and choosing the right fertilizer that is healthy and won't burn the
plant is paramount.
If you think raising worms is gross and smelly and takes a lot of work,
you've never raised any.
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Worms are actually the easiest pets in the world to take care of
(other than a pet rock of course :-)
As a matter of fact, I think it's the other way around. They take care of you
through the use of their nutrient rich poop...and the smell? If you've ever
smelled fresh tilled dirt, then you've stuck your head deep inside the dark,
moist bowels of a rotting worm bin.
As concerns about •chemical fertilizers, pesticides and global climate

continues to escalate, more and more people are turning back to
healthier, natural, and proven organic methods of growing their own
food.
Even as the economy continues to be uncertain people want to rely on

something that's been stable for years and will be stable for years to come.
If you're like me, you have a peaked interest in giving back to the land,
while giving your body the nutrition it needs.
Chemical fertilizers strip the land of vital nutrients and healthy organisms
that plants flourish from. The focus of this book is to inform gardeners and
plant growers about the alternatives of pesticides and chemical fertilizers.
Raising worms can benefit you, the plant, and the land.
It's not rocket science

Worm farming can be done from kids to the avid gardener in several
different ways. You will see photos, links to pages, and links to videos on
how to start up and maintain your very own worm farm for little to no cost.
It's broken down for you in the simplest form so that you have all the tools
necessary for starting your own worm farming bin. Other websites & books
sometimes aren't very clear or don't go deep enough.
I want you to know everything I know about living a healthier life and
getting the best out of the land by giving the best back to the land.
If you're using regular compost (•decomposed

grass, leaves, kitchen scraps etc...) and not what
worms can compost for you even faster, you're
missing out and you're plants are too.
If you were to ask anyone off the street or even

your next-door neighbor, "What is
vermicomposting?" they'll most likely say, "Vermi
what?"
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You may be able to find it all over the internet, but compared to common
fertilizers it still has not gained the attention it deserves even among organic
gardeners but that is quickly changing.
It's hard to comprehend how much of an easy and sustainable concept of

growing worm castings (worm poop) is and how it has not been more
scrutinized in the past. However, it is pleasing to know that it's becoming
more popular thanks to people like you and myself.
Vermicomposting is still relatively new.
There are rising concerns about pollution and toxic landfills which have
sparked the desire in many to recycle and control waste.
A typical landfill will take years to reclaim waste, but worms can
reduce waste it in a matter of months or even days.
Now I'm not saying to throw a bunch of worms into a landfill and start
growing corn. It would certainly be too toxic to the worms, the corn and us.
But what if each of us were to feed the worms our kitchen scraps like corn,
lettuce, coffee, cardboard, and paper towels.
It would be returning to the land in a reusable, rich organic form that we can
all benefit from instead of just sitting around and leaking toxins.
If we all play a tiny role in feeding worms our garbage, then

together we all create a motion picture in restoring and reclaiming
the land and living a healthier life.
Well, that's what worm •farming is to me. So, the next time you decide to
throw it in the trash or run it through the disposal throw it to the worms.
Your plants will be glad, the worms will be glad, and you will be too.
“Worm Castings, It’s not a dirty little secret anymore.”
~ Pauly Piccirillo
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~ Ch 1 Worm Etymology~
First of all, let’s quickly go over the word vermi.

Merriam Webster’s Tenth Edition says vermis
(Latin) = Worm.
Well, that was pretty simple, but I got to pondering about

how we got from vermi to worm.
In the 16th century there was sometimes confusion with

the letters v and w. If you spell the word vermi and
replace the v with the w, you get wermi.
Now, remove the i from the Latin to fit it into the English.
We’re left with werm. According to Webster, it was also
spelled in O.G. wyrm (serpent) and O.H.E. wurm, and
now spelled worm.
Oligochaetology is the study of earthworms. From Oligochaeta, the

taxonomic class of earthworms. One who studies earthworms is an
Oligochaetologist. Now this is far from the word “worm” or “vermi” so let me
break it down.
1. The word oligo is New Latin meaning “few”.

2. Chaeta is New Latin for “hair”, or “bristle”.
Put them both together and now you have “few hairs”. So Oligochaetology is the
study of a few hairs or the study of the back of my head  just joking.
Pronunciation, (olee-gok-ay-tall-i-gee) It still doesn’t have anything to do

with the word worm but it’s the study of an animal that has very few hairs.
Their hairs (setae) are so small that some take a microscope to see them.
You're probably wondering, what's this got to do with raising worms?
Well, I'll tell you. Nothing or everything, depending on who you are. It's just
a bit of fun facts that you and I will probably forget tomorrow.
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~Ch 2 Types of Worms & Groups~
Knowing which type of worm to culture is very important.
If you went outside and found a handful of worms, put them in a bin, and
began to love and feed them. They would almost surely die.
In this section, I'll talk about the best type of worm for composting, (We’ll
discuss species later) but should you decide to venture into another purpose
for your worm ranching skills, a little pointing in the right direction is always
helpful.
Earthworms are invertebrates and there are thousands of species

(currently over 4,400) that are grouped into 3 categories.
1. Anecic Group 2. Endogeic Group 3. Epigeic Group
Anecic Group (deep burrowing)
Like the common Nightcrawler (species

Lumbricus terrestris Canadian Nightcrawlers,
one of the best fishing worms), builds
permanent vertical burrows that can
extend 4-6 ft. in the soil.
They come up to feed on decaying matter,

then retreat into their burrow.
They coat the walls of the burrow with mucous, stabilizing it, and making it
harder to collapse. They can recognize their own burrow even in a high
traffic environment where others of the same species have dug holes.
They have a spoon-shaped tail with little retractable hairs called setae which
help it to grip the walls when being pulled out. These are very large worms
and do not do well in a densely-populated scenario. If you plan to •culture
these worms for fishing, this is your perfect bait worm but be cautious!
These are not the easiest worms to raise. However, there ARE those that do.
Endogeic Group (lateral burrowing)

Like the Alabama Jumper (Species Amynthus gracilus, excellent garden
15
worms) builds lateral burrows and rarely comes to the surface. Some are
pale, or have a pale pinkish tone.
These are the only type of worms that eat soil and decaying matter.
These can be great worms to have in your garden since they have lateral
burrows which help to aerate the soil. These are your medium sized worms
and they are growing in popularity exponentially.
Epigeic Group (surface dwelling)
Species (Eisenia fetida, earlier spelling

foetida) A.K.A. red wigglers, redworms,
manure worms, tiger worms, brandling
worms, etc…
These composting worms spend most of

their time on the topsoil where rich
decaying matter is found like leaves,
grass, wood, manure, fruit, etc...
When roughly handled, they exude a pungent liquid thus the specific name
fetida meaning fetid-nauseating: having a rotten or offensive smell.
This is presumably a defense. In my experience with these little guys you

don't notice any smell unless they’re in a •squirm, and is still only a mild
odor at best.
So, if you want to raise composting worms strictly for their castings,
these guys are your little poopers.
~~Side Note~~
Remember not all types of worms are suitable to culture in a bin. Only the
composting worms like the red wiggler should be raised in a worm
farm. Leave it to those that are skilled and have several years of experience
in vermiculture before you jump into a more difficult type to culture.
Do not attempt to raise any other worm species not suitable for a shallow
system such as the Worm Factory®, Worm Inn, or a homemade plastic
container.
16
~ Ch 3 The Worm Anatomy~

The worm anatomy might be boring to you and you're probably considering
skipping this section. No problem! Go ahead. But once you're feeding your
worms and harvesting your worm castings, you’ll see •cocoons and little
babies. It starts to eat at you a little bit and then more and more. I promise
you'll be back just "squirming" to know what's going on inside those little
wigglers.
Earthworm Anatomy Diagram
Worm Farming Revealed.com
Diagram: Ambrea-Piccirillo-Hansen
To understand a worm anatomy and physical functions it is also a good idea

to understand its purpose and function in nature. It truly plays a huge role in
the creation and design of our ecosystem.
Note:
In order to identify (ID) particular species, you must wait until the worm has
become an adult. Adults and juveniles are distinguishable by the noticeable
17
•clitellum
(the collar, band or saddle) located near the •anterior end (mouth
end) or ¼ to ⅓ of the way passed the anterior end of the worm.
Next, count the number of segments located between the clitellum and
mouth. Size plays a big role and the location of the male and female organs
along with the color, striping, setae (hairs), shape of the end of the tail etc.
Refer to the references at the end of the book for links on identifying worms.
Worms have three major duties in life… Eat, Poop & Mate.
Not necessarily in that order of course. I know, it’s a tough life 
The worm has a pointed head and a slightly rounded body. The rings on its
body are called segments.
Earthworms have no protruding body parts making the worm very contour
which enables them to pass through the soil with ease and to also squeeze
in between tiny cracks. Bristles called "setae" on the body move back and
forth allowing the earthworms to crawl. They also help the worm to grip the
walls of its burrow (•drilosphere) making it hard to pull them out.
The Digestive Tract

Earthworms have a very long digestive tract that runs the whole length of
their body. The food enters the mouth by means of its muscular pharynx and
is passed through the esophagus.
Next, the food moves to the crop which stores the food before entering the
gizzard. Once in the gizzard, it is pulverized by the aid of special bacteria
and tiny stones or •grit the worm ingested through its mouth.
Did You Know?

Worms have a gizzard much like a chicken and it is important when feeding
your worms that you add •minerals to their food. Not much, around a
tablespoon per 1 lb. (453 g) of food during each feeding.
Like chickens, worms can't chew. They swallow their food whole and
completely depend upon the gizzard to crush/grind the food for them. If you
have any eggs, you can also crush the eggshells to a powder with a rolling
pin, hammer, coffee or spice grinder etc., and throw it in with the food.
Worms don't actually take bites out of their food.
They wait for bacteria to break down the decaying matter, then slurp up the
bacteria and other microorganisms. Think of it like ice cream in a bowl.
While it slowly melts, the ice cream can be sucked through a straw.
18
Did You Also Know?

Earthworms have mouths but do not breathe through them. Nor do they
have gills like a fish. Instead they breathe through their skin.
The walls of their skin are thin allowing for the exchange of gasses to pass
through them. This is one of the reasons why worms must stay moist.
To prevent the worm from drying out it will feed underneath the decaying
matter many times at dark when the evaporating percentages in the air are
lower. Composting worms kept in captivity generally don’t have to worry
about light sources as they are contained in an opaque system.
It detects light using light-sensitive tissues mostly located near its head. In
fact, when you see worms dead on the ground after a rainstorm it's not
because they drowned but rather had too much exposure to the sun's ultra
violet rays.
Did You Also Know?

Worms have five hearts that are located behind the brain. A worm’s heart is
relatively small in size compared to the rest of its body. They need five
hearts in order to pump the blood throughout the entire length of their long,
slender bodies.
I always love to joke around about worms having five hearts because this
just means that they are five times more capable of loving you than even
your closest pet 
19
~Ch 4 Reproduction Cycle~
Now that you have a bit of an understanding about the anatomy I’m going to
discuss the reproductive •cycle of worms. This is important to know as you
feed your worms. You need to know what the •cocoons look like and when to
harvest the castings.
It’s usually not wise to harvest the castings along with the cocoons. You’ll
need the cocoons to remain in the •bedding until the •hatchlings have
emerged. It’s a good practice to grow your population in order to produce
more castings for your plants.
If you’re intent is geared more towards fishing, then this would apply
likewise. Remember, there are generally two types of interests:
•Vermicomposting and •vermiculture. One is more interested in the worm
castings while the other is interested in growing the worm population.
However, when you’re a beginner, you’ll have both interests at heart until
you can meet the demands of your plants.
The worm reproduction is quite unique within the animal kingdom. Unlike
most living creatures, all earthworms are androgynous
(hermaphroditic), possessing both male and female organs.
As you saw in the worm anatomy illustration they have both male (testis)
and female (ovarian) organs.
Mouth When two worms are ready

to mate, they assume a
head-to-tail position or in a
juxtaposition manner. They
exchange •sperm while
covered in a layer of
Clitellum Mouth mucous.
Sperm is passed from one worm to the other. Once separated, another fluid
is released which causes the mucous to harden. The •eggs (not to be
confused with •cocoons) are fertilized at a later time. Mature eggs and sperm
are deposited in a cocoon located in the clitellum, the band or collar on the
worm located not far from the mouth or head. The sperm cell then fertilizes
the egg, and the worm deposits the cocoon into the soil.
20
The clitellum slips off past the mouth much like slipping a ring off of a finger
and becomes the cocoon.
Egg Production
Worm eggs and cocoons will sometimes be referred to synonymously.
However, they are two separate things considering the eggs are located
within the cocoon.
The picture to the right is a worm cocoon.

Many factors must be taken into consideration
if you want prime output of egg production.
This applies to their everyday well-being.
The happier your worms are, the more production in castings and
cocoons you will have.
Maintaining a worm system will depend on the following basic elements that
composting worms need at all times.
Moisture
The worm bin must always remain moist. The bedding should be wet but not
too wet. It's too wet if it's dripping. If you can't squeeze water out, it's
getting too dry. It should always remain the consistency of a damp sponge.
The sponge, when lifted, should not drip. You should be able to squeeze
water out, or at least it should feel wet to the touch.
In terms of moisture, there‘s a difference between wet and moist, but

there’s a fine line between wet and too wet. If the worm bin is too wet, you’ll
see liquid pooling at the bottom of the worm bin.
Pooling liquid at the bottom of the bin is called •leachate. The excess liquid
actually leaches through to the bottom of the bin through gravitational pull.
This can potentially lead to problems if the liquid has nowhere to go and
remains in the bottom of the •bedding.
Many worm systems will have a bottom reservoir to contain the leachate so
as not to come into constant contact with the bedding in order to avoid the
wicking up of the water table. There are ways to avoid having too much
moisture within the bedding in which we will discuss later.
Many refer to the leachate at the bottom as “worm tea”.

This is also another discussion for later.
21
Temperature
The Eisenia fetida (red wiggler) species are among the most adaptable to a
wide range of temperatures from 34°F - 95°F (1°C - 35°C). But this does not
mean that production within the bin will remain efficient in these wide
fluctuations.
I’ve seen and heard stories of worms surviving (but not thriving) in
temperatures above 105°F (41°C) and below 32°F (0°C).
It just means that since they're a topsoil dweller that they're one of the most
tolerable composting species. The optimal temperature is somewhere in the
neighborhood of 60°F - 75°F (15°C - 24°C) give or take a few degrees of
course.
You‘ll hear many say that these numbers are off. That’s because not all
worm systems are equal and neither are your worms. There are many
elements that come into play as we are discussing right now so just use
these numbers as a guideline.
•Food
I'll get into this topic much deeper in the book, but briefly I'll touch on a few
main points. Worms need a •Carbon to •Nitrogen ratio of about 20:1 up
to 40:1.
If your C:N ratio is out of balance with a much higher nitrogen ratio, your
bin can become smelly, stagnate, and too hot for your worms. These are
also •anaerobic conditions choking out oxygen levels and suffocating the
worms and •microbes.
What are carbon and nitrogen materials?
• Materials rich in carbon are wood, hay, straw, paper, cardboard, dead
leaves, •coco coir, etc...
• Materials rich in nitrogen would be the fruit of the plants i.e. apples,
tomatoes, beans, cucumbers, grains, and mainly all greens. Consider
these as kitchen scraps.
These basic elements, along with darkness and plenty of •ventilation are
important for the production of eggs mainly because when your worms are
happy the production increases.
22
There have been those that have claimed that these rich carbon
foods are a stimulator for the increased production of eggs.
I whole-heartedly agree.
I've noticed, myself, the increase when I lay a piece of damp newspaper
over the top of the compost or just fill it throughout with shredded paper
material. It could be in part, that the carbon which is slow to break down,
will be around long enough to feed the babies when they hatch forth.
Here are a few statistics to remember about egg production.
*Keep in mind that these numbers are at optimal conditions. Even at

optimal conditions you will have variations due to several variables.
However, there are still different outcomes at different universities that

study the reproduction and growth rates of red worms.
Below is the reproductive rate of the Red wiggler (Eisenia fetida).
Reproduction Growth Rate
Can lay up to 3.5 cocoons/week 32 - 73 days to cocoon hatch

3 hatchlings per cocoon on average 53 - 76 days to sexual maturity
10.5 young per adult per week 85 - 149 days from egg to mature
42 young per adult per month adult
Size = 2.5 - 4 inches (7.6-10.1cm)
*Stats based on ideal conditions; outcomes will vary
 Watch the video of worms hatching from a cocoon
23
~Ch 5 Worm Castings~
Worm castings (•vermicastings) are the best way to reclaim the soil. It is
nature’s pure unadulterated process. It has been proven to increase plant
growth, health, and yield faster and better than many other types of soil
amendments. I’m a living testament of that!
I have been using it for years and have seen the effects of it on my
tomatoes, corn, watermelon, peppers and well, everything that I grow in my
garden.
I do not hold a certificate in my hand nor do I have any plaques of

qualifications hanging on my walls from any universities.
However, I do hold to fundamental truths and beliefs that only nature and
my Divine Creator instilled in me through blood, sweat, tears, and years of
hands-on experience. I’ve had many beneficial results that filled bellies and
delivered smile after sweet, little sugary smile 
Worm castings are definitely the opposite of chemical fertilizers. Like said
before, it’s a living, breathing life-sustaining substance that plants feed on
rather than being forced to absorb, like chemicals.
Plants don’t get to pick and choose the types of liquid it absorbs. Like rain it
will absorb the chemical in its dissolved state. The plant can’t help it if that’s
just what’s in the surrounding soil. But when fed an organic microbial
nutrient, and in a smorgasbord type of setting, the roots gravitate toward
the nutrition and therefore the plant will decide what it likes.
I won’t get into a long discussion about the technical contents of vermicast.
There are other books and literature out there. In an effort to bring you a
greater basic understanding of raising worms for their nutritional castings I
would rather get you started as quick as possible.
~Side Note~
Isn’t it sad, that when referring to fertilizer, you have to preface it with
either the word natural or chemical?
Below you’ll read some quotes by specialists and professors from

universities. I’ve included them to show you the importance, credibility and
impact that vermicomposting has even on the level of academia.
24
So here's the "Dirt" on vermicastings
George W. Dickerson, Extension Horticulture Specialist from New Mexico

State University said, "Earthworm castings in the home garden often contain
5 -11 times more nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium than the
surrounding soil".  Click here to read his 5-page PDF document.
He also went on to say, "Secretions in the intestinal tracts of earthworms,

along with soil passing through the earthworms, make nutrients more
concentrated and available for plant uptake, including micronutrients."
It is widely demonstrated through many studies at universities and

laboratories that worm castings is not only a soil replenisher and
natural fertilizer but in many ways a pesticide and pathogenicide, in
the sense that it helps the plants build a strong immune system.
A quote from Norman Q. Arancon & Clive A. Edwards, professors at Ohio

State University Dept. of Entomology in his publication on  The utilization
of vermicomposts in horticulture and agriculture "Clearly, vermicomposts are
very valuable tools in crop production and pest and disease management".
Worm castings contain a host of

microorganisms that are food for
plants.
After the worms are finished eating your

garbage they leave behind rich, black
•humus. These are microorganisms your
plants feed on after you have transferred
them to your garden.
The plants feed on microorganisms that help the plant create a

strong immune system.
Due to this chain reaction of events, it is a time-release process to the

plants. It's a no-brainer when it comes to spreading it around your plants.
Unlike harmful chemicals, it won’t burn plants no matter how much you use,
but you will always have that fear with synthetic chemicals.
25
Even commercial farmers struggle with the ever-evolving changes of

chemical fertilizers, but not so with worm castings. It truly is a “set it and
forget it” natural humus, and has remained the same since the beginning of
time.
This immune system has been demenstrated to be effective against such

pests as cucumber beetles and sucking insects like aphids, medley bugs, and
scale insects. Clive A. Edwards also said that vermicompost suppresses such
•pathogens as Pythium, Rhizocronia, Plectosporium, and Verticullium.
Due to the spongy nature of worm castings, it has a high water

retention capacity, and allows the soil to aerate properly.
The complexity of the microbe community, along with foods you feed the
worms, is what gives plants their broad diet. Many gardeners who compost
their leaves and grass clippings think their compost possesses this abundant
broad community of microbes.
Some may, but what has been determined through testing is that the
product has a relatively poor structure and is lacking in nutrients. Albeit, this
is better than chemicals, but traditional compost is missing that special bond
between the plant and its more complex food...the worm.
Since the beginning of time, earthworms have had a specific purpose. They
were designed to have a special interaction between waste and •microbes.
The reason the worm’s digestive tract runs the entire length if its body is to
give bacteria ample time to aid the worm in breaking down the decaying
matter. By strictly using traditional compost you're bypassing this natural
and vital process that all plant life depends on, especially compost from
compost tumblers.
The difference between traditional (regular) compost and worm castings

(other than differences in microbes) is the concentrated and controlled
amounts of vermicompost vs. traditional compost.
Regular compost will contain worm castings if worms have access to the
compost pile, but not in the concentrated amounts like that from a worm
bin. A traditional compost pile will have many other microbes not from
worms, but from other creatures such as insects, spiders, larvae etc…
So I’m not against traditional composting by any means, but one could think
I’m just a little biased when it comes to worm castings…just say’n 
26
~Final Thought
Have you ever walked through a luscious forest and noticed the rich, green
abundant life? It must be because someone is spending a lot of time and
hard work at spreading synthetic fertilizers around…Right? Of course not!
The forest floor is teaming with microbes feeding and cleaning up all the
leftovers from last year and everything else that continues to die. It's pure
unadulterated nature at its best.
So why do we continue to spread dangerous chemicals on our crops and in

our soil if nature teaches us that we don’t need it? Well, some of it is
ignorance I guess, and the other is for the same reason a body builder would
use steroids.
It makes them bigger and beefier faster. Even though they know of the
unhealthy risks they’re taking, but they don’t care. They have their eye on
the money and the prize.
Commercial agriculture has also become that body builder who competes for
the money and the prize. However, it's not really a prize in the end, but
sadly, a price.
Nature’s Cycle of Fertilizers
1. Plant dies and falls to the

ground
2. Plant decays
3. Worms and other creatures
eat the dead plants
4. Worms leave their castings
on/in ground
5. Plant feeds on natural, rich
worm castings
6. Repeat...easy-peasy 
27
~Ch 6 Pros & Cons of Chemical Fertilizers~
Since •chemical fertilizers still seem to be flying off the shelves at local
nursery stores, let’s discuss some of the reasons why it’s just so irresistible
to use them, and why we’re so addicted to them.
Chemical fertilizers have dominated the agricultural industry because they

work fast, are easy to apply, easy to manufacture, and are heavily steeped
in politics, in which I’ll try to stay away from THAT topic.
I also believe it's another way to get rid of excess bi-products produced by
petroleum and other types of chemical companies. Instead of disposing of it
properly and safely (if there is a “safe” way), it's fed to us almost directly. A
bit scary huh? But I digress.
Today's society is very fast paced. We want our food fast. We want our mail
fast. We want information fast. The boss wants our projects finished fast. We
even want our plants and lawns to grow fast.
But is there a price to pay for this type of implemented technology?

Yes! Consider this...
You received your fast-food, but it has little to no nutritional value. You
received your mail fast, but it was damaged. You finished the project right
away, but not right. Your lawn and garden is the talk of the town, but beauty
is only skin deep. It looks nice but deadly on the inside. It's high demand
and competition that has •revolutionized the agricultural industry.
Let's go back in time, for a moment, when grandma showed us how to pick
ripe tomatoes, boil and peel off the skins, throw it in a pot, and add that
secret family ingredient.
While swimming in the pool all day, we worked up an appetite for spaghetti
and my grandma's spaghetti was worth waiting for.
So why can't we go to the store and get those hard, pale orange tomatoes,
use the same recipe, add her secret ingredient, and make it taste just the
same?
Because grandma and grandpa knew

they could not steal from the land.
28
They knew that what you took must be given back. Today we are not giving
back. We are literally stealing from the land. We are putting in synthetic
compounds in place of organic substances.
“Test everything that you've been taught and

then decide whether you want to continue to support a lie.
But if it IS truth, the truth will only prove to support you.”
~Pauly Piccirillo
Do chemical fertilizers work?
They never did for me. I like to grow several different types of plants in my
garden and it became so confusing trying to get the •N-P-K ratio just right
for all of them.
I would look at all the choices the garden center had to offer. I needed a
special N-P-K (nitrogen, phosphorous & potassium) ratio for tomatoes,
greens, vegetables, fruits and special ones for ornamental flowers. Oh!...
There’s the tree, shrubs and lawn fertilizers too.
I could have just bought one bag of all-purpose fertilizer, which is exactly
what I did, but some of my other plants were lacking in nitrogen, potassium
and phosphate. I was pulling my hair out in frustration! In commercial
•farming, it’s easier to get the N-P-K ratio correct because only one crop at a
time is grown. This is known as a monoculture.
Some of my plants lacked in “nutrition” and others burned to death and the
rain would wash some of the chemical fertilizers over to another area of the
garden.
I think a better question is, are chemical fertilizers the right choice?
Consider this the next time you decide to use them and they DO work for
you. The lawn is greener, but how safe do you feel having your kids and pets
play on it?
29
The produce in the stores are bigger and

firmer but lacking the vitamins, minerals,
and taste they used to have over 30 years
ago. The chemicals are degrading the soil.
They kill beneficial microorganisms that help

promote healthy plant life.
They leave high concentrations of toxic salts. The beef industries are
producing cattle faster and beefier, but the herbicides and pesticides (not to
mention the growth hormones) are also being ingested by us.
Chemicals cause plants to grow too quickly and faster than what their roots
can keep up with. This leads to plant weakness, sick or diseased crops, and
burned plants or root systems.
What's more? In order for most of these field crops to grow properly from
the use of these harsh chemicals is to genetically modify the plants and
seeds.
Today we must go back to simple and proven ways of gardening, back to the
ways of our heritage. We must rethink, reeducate, and reclaim the land that
we have been given to be good stewards of.
In a nutshell, synthetic fertilizers are a short-term solution, but a long-term

problem.
Man’s Vicious Cycle of Chemical Fertilizers
1. Many synthetics are made from oil and gas

2. Farmers put it into their crops
3. We eat chemically fertilized crops
4. We get sick...eventually
5. We see the doctor. He prescribes medicines made from oil & gas
6. Chem fertz have side effects and the Doc must prescribe us more
medications
7. We eventually end up in the hospital where they finally correct our
medications only to...
8. Feed us more food from synthetic fertilizers
9. Wash, rinse, & repeat 
10. On and on and on...
30
This next point is only in gesture or as comic relief.......or is it? 
The Future of could look a lot like this one day...
1. That's right! Gardening

doesn’t have to be
dangerous. 
2. Practice safe gardening
3. Always suit up &
4. Use the buddy system
5. Because the life you

save could be your own
or the ones you love.
Disclaimer: Don’t actually eat the fruit.

It’s for looks only ;)
My wife & I really enjoy working in
treating the garden together.
Don’t treat your plants...

Feed your plants.
Did You Know?
In just one teaspoon of dirt, only a tiny pinch is •minerals. What's the other
90%...? Microbes!
It’s time to return to the Founding Principles of gardening.
The only way to truly understand the big things in life

Is to first understand the little things.
Because the Big things are just a sum of the little things
For these are the building blocks of Life.
~Pauly Piccirillo
31
~Ch 7 Worm Tea~
Okay, I really don’t like to talk too much about pseudo fertilizers. That’s not
why you’re reading this book. If you’re reading this book, it’s most likely
because you’re seeking a successful, natural, and organic means. You’ve
already learned about castings, but now I want to talk about something that
I believe is almost just as important as the castings…Worm Tea!
I talk almost as much about the tea as I do the castings. Below you'll
learn why the "Tea" is so beneficial for plant nutrition and what the tea really
is.
Let me first preface this particular topic as probably one of the most
controversial, debated topics among most worm farmers all over the world,
and for good reason too.
We can’t even agree on what the definition of “worm tea” IS let

alone how to make it or use it.
Worm tea may not be what you think it is. Are you using compost tea, or a
mysterious liquid?
A.K.A. "Vermi-tea" or "Vermicompost tea"
Is "vermi-tea" created by putting some worms in a bag and letting them

•steep in hot water for a few minutes? Is it simply collecting the liquid run-
off from the bottom of a compost bin? Well, if you answered, "Yes" to either
of these questions, you're absolutely wrong 
The picture to the right is not how you make vermi-

tea. Many people think that the tea-like liquid that's
at the bottom of the bin is worm tea.
This is actually called leachate (leech-ate). Worm

tea is made from a combination of highly
oxygenated (•aerobic) water and worm castings.
Not the smelly run-off at the bottom of the bin.
The leachate itself is not as nutritious as some may

think. (pinky up ;)
32
It’s often •acidic, •anaerobic (lack of oxygen), or lacking the beneficial

microbes and nutrients plants depend on. As a matter of fact, it contains
many of the bad microbes that can thrive and multiply in an anaerobic
environment.
~~Side Note~~
If you're constantly having smelly run-off, your compost is too wet, or you
could be adding too much •food. The tea consists of a very complex
community of organisms such as:
•Bacteria •Fungi
•Protozoa •Nematodes (the good ones)
The plant feeds on these microbes which gives it the ability to build a strong
defense system. Some plants contain a hormone called jasmonic acid. The
tea helps the plant produce this special hormone and is used as a defense
against many insects and parasites.
Worm castings are wonderful, but the worm tea works

a little bit differently.
Unlike the worm casting’s time-release process, the "tea" is readily absorbed
into the plant giving it, if you will, a "power drink" (without the crash,
followed by a migraine ). Just like when we eat our food, our body slowly
absorbs the nutrition. If we liquefy it, it becomes readily absorbed into our
body more rapidly.
Worm tea is the opposite of chemical fertilizers.
Chemical fertilizers burn the soil and kill the beneficial microbes. When the
good microbes are gone or low in numbers, the bad microbes populate and
are absorbed into the plant. Eventually the bad microbes die too as
chemicals kill all microbes. This kills or weakens the plant's immune system
and its overall ability to thrive.
Eventually, the plant is completely dependent on fertilizers once the

land is stripped of any living nutrition. Because of this fact, creating
GMO’s (genetically modified organisms) is necessary.
33
I believe that once conditions do become a little more favorable that the
unbeneficial microbes may be the first to appear, due to the chemicals.
Either way, scientists have to come up with genetically modified plants to

resist the effects of these bad microbes and some parasites. It's sad to think
that when we want to change something, we insist on changing nature to fit
our needs, but the effects can be a devastating blowback. When we change
nature, nature insists on changing us (for the worse of course).
Nature always has a way of telling us that what we're doing is wrong. Our
bodies weren't designed to store synthetic chemicals. Our bodies can filter
out these harmful toxins, but the problem is that we keep filling our bodies
with the harmful toxins. We never get them completely out of our system.
The toxins or chemicals harm the beneficial organisms in our body enabling
the bad ones to take over.
We know that cancer can’t survive in an •aerobic environment. When our

body is deprived of the oxygen, the bad cancer cells will multiply and take
over.
Worm tea helps to build the good microbial community within the soil by out
numbering the bad microbes. The more tea you put in, the more microbes
will multiply until the good microbes are in control, through sheer numbers.
There are two ways worm tea can be used…
 Soil Application  Foliar Spray
1. Soil Application
As I’ve already mentioned, the tea builds a community of good microbes
through the aerated process. It protects the roots as well as nourishes and
feeds the plants.
Studies have shown there are:
• Increased speeds of plant growth
• Increased size of plants and blooms
• Increased yields, root systems go deeper and wider.
Also, studies have shown that using the tea not only improves the soil for
short term affects, but year after year as well. The reason for this is, once
34
you start the microbial community, after just a few applications, the
community begins to grow exponentially crowding out unbeneficial microbes.
Here is a link to a publication that demonstrates the outcomes of

vermicompost and vermicompost tea performed by Clive A. Edwards et al,
professor at Ohio State University.
Above publication link: The Conversion of Organic Wastes into

Vermicomposts and Vermicompost ‘Teas’ Which Promote Plant Growth and
Suppress Pests and Diseases by Clive A. Edwards et al.
2. Foliar Spray
When worm tea is sprayed on the plants, the microbes attach themselves to
the leaf and outcompete harmful disease-causing microbes like black rot,
mildew, and early blight. The nutrition (microbes, minerals, and water) in
the tea also becomes food for the leaves resulting in total plant absorption.
Additionally, over time, the plant’s leaves

will build up a waxy cuticle. You may have
seen this on other healthy leaves and
even more so from healthy trees. Tree
roots run deep into soils richer in minerals
and worm castings from deep burrowing
earthworms.
This waxy coating can be a good defense

from numerous insects that first have to
penetrate the distasteful coating before
ingesting the leaf.
An insect will be more likely to move to another leaf before eventually

moving up and out of your garden altogether to go feast on your neighbor’s
garden.
So what's the spigot at the bottom of worm bins for?
This is a great question that I'm often asked from time to time, and the
answer is simple. It's for collecting the liquid run-off that leaches through to
the bottom of a worm system.
35
In time, as you become a more experienced worm farmer, you'll learn how
to control the amount of •food you put in vs. the number of worms you have
to consume the food. There should really never be any liquid at the bottom
of the bin, but hey, leachate happens too. 
The spigot is great for beginners and also for those that get in a hurry or put
in juicy fruits such as melons, cucumbers and grapes.
Worms usually have enough moisture

from the regular foods you normally
put in.
If you do have leachate at the

bottom, simply throw it down the
drain, or put it outside on your
compost pile if you have one.
36
~Ch 8 Worm Food ~
Knowing what food to put in your worm system is as important as what food
you feed any pet. After all, worms are pets too!
If you have 1 pound (453g) of worms, that can potentially add up to 1

pound of poop in a day (under ideal circumstances many have claimed).
That's why red wigglers are one of the best composting worms.
When it comes to being picky about eating, just about anything that grows
from the ground is fair game for worms. That's what they were created for,
to eat the decaying matter and turn it into food for the next generation of
plant life.
The most common and practical way of feeding your worms is by giving
them carbon-rich •food along with some kind of kitchen scraps. This is what
most people begin doing who are just getting into •vermicomposting.
Greens, like kitchen scraps, are a great source for worm food and
should always be something that grows from the ground.
These are usually foods like lettuce, corn,

broccoli, grains, coffee with the bags, and so
on.
Keep in mind, these foods are high in nitrogen

and will need to be balanced with some
carbon-based material. Be sure to add plenty
of paper or wood-based products into the bin
and add plenty of ground eggshells.
Before ordering your worms, let the food set for a week in some moist
carbon bedding (we’ll discuss carbon bedding later). Foods (kitchen scraps)
you add will sometimes get warm or even hot. So it’s a good idea to let it set
for a week before introducing it to the worms.
The last thing you need is for all your worms to crawl out searching for a
new home or a new food source.
When feeding these foods, do it in moderation. If it's introduced in large

amounts too fast, the unbeneficial microbial community will begin to take
over faster than what the worms can keep up with. This will cause the bin to
smell and become too wet, thus propelling the bin into chaos.
37
I can never stress this next point enough…
Do Not overfeed your worms!!
This is the number one mistake by all beginners. You just read a statement
above that worms can eat their weight in food every day. This is one of the
biggest misunderstandings by beginners. It’s not necessarily an untruth. It’s
just not a likely scenario most of the time.
Worms may eat their weight in food (allegedly), but only in certain scenarios
when conditions are right, under ideal circumstances. This becomes more of
an art and is something that can be perfected over time as you become
more experienced. It may even be possible that a certain worm specie could
eat more than its weight per day depending on the food type and conditions
of their surroundings.
Mostly though, I think people just like to regurgitate all the hype as a selling
point, as a way of peaking someone’s interest in worm farming, or to even
get them to buy worms 
Getting back to overfeeding, it just warrants a whole host of problems like

unwanted fruit flies. They won't hurt your worms, but can be a nuisance in
your house when they fly out of the bin. This is due to the excess moisture
and the rich nitrogen source of kitchen scraps. We'll discuss worm farming
pests later.
Natural kitchen scraps contain a lot of moisture already so be cautious when

adding too much. When in doubt, keep it out! You don’t want to run out
of food, but don’t be concerned if you do.
Composting worms are resilient & can go long term without food.
When food is scarce they'll resort to eating their castings (refining it more
and more). It's always better to underfeed than to overfeed.
Remember this! The happier the worm, the more productive it will be.
Never feed them more than they can keep up with. This means feeding small
handfuls at a time. When the food is nearly finished, introduce more small
handfuls until you get an idea of their eating habits.
So always feed in moderation, even when introducing a new food source to

them in which you’re not sure about. Worms like to have somewhere to
retreat to when things get out of whack.
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A worm bin is not a very big place. Feeding in small amounts (whether in
one corner or one side of the bin) will give the worms somewhere to go in
case they absolutely have an issue with what’s being introduced to them.
The terms “bedding” and “food” can sometimes be misinterpreted. So I’ll

clarify it before you get too involved in the next few chapters.
The “bedding” usually refers to the carbon-based material such as shredded

paper, cardboard, dead leaves, hay, straw, •peat moss, •coco coir etc...
The “food” is all the nitrogen-rich materials such as kitchen scraps, grains,
green leaves, lawn clipping, and so on.
Keep this thought in the back of your head at all times…

It’s ALL food to the worms.
We generally call it “food” because it’s what WE eat as well. It’s what we
relate to a little bit better because it’s what we’re most familiar with. We
don’t relate to the carbon material as much since we’re not pulling through
the local drive-through asking for a carbon salad with extra ranch.  But it’s
still just food for the worms. Eventually, castings can serve as bedding too.
A helpful hint when feeding your worms is to put

your kitchen scraps in the freezer.
This helps break down the cell walls of plants

turning it into mush. This makes it easier for the
•bacteria to do its job so the worms can do their
job, and you'll have castings almost twice as
fast. This simulates the freeze and thaw of
winter.
Now, there have been some who skip the whole process and just blend it.
STOP! Wait till you become more experienced. This takes practice.
Concentrate on getting good at regular kitchen scraps first.
If you pour in a liquid slurry, the worms will have no room to wiggle around,
and it will go anaerobic too quickly. There must be adequate air space for
the compost and your worms to breathe. This is when it really helps to add
•carbon materials.
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I know there are some of you that have started out this way and have been
successful, but there will be some that will not and still cannot seem to get it
right. This is why I don’t recommend it until you know your worms and their
limitations.
However, many can’t resist so just make sure you add small amounts with
plenty of dry carbon so the material can breathe.
Keep in mind, carbon based foods like coconut coir, cardboard, newspaper,
toilet paper (unused of course) etc., will be broken down faster than things
like, saw dust, mulch, sticks, and straw to name a few. I've put some small
sticks in before, and after months it looked like I put them in yesterday.
Unless these tough materials are part of your goal for recycling, I would
leave them out for the most part.
Minerals are very important in addition to worm food. We’ll discuss this later.
Other foods that are NOT good as worm food are as follows:
1. Milk or any dairy products
2. Meat, fat, bones, leather or fur (no animal products)
3. Oily/greasy substances
4. Citric, or highly •acidic fruits. (tomatoes are okay in moderation)
5. Spicy or hot peppers or plants. Mild and sweet peppers are

okay (onions/garlic in moderation, but this will impede the process)
6. Salt, sodium, baking soda, baking powder, or vinegar
7. Hair or dryer lint (long hair can strangle worms)
8. Woody material, straw, and plant stalks (This is absolutely fine. There’s
no issue unless you want to make worm castings quickly, but impedes
process)
9. Fresh needles from coniferous (cone-bearing) trees.
See print out sheet: “Foods to Potentially Avoid in a Worm System”
A good rule of thumb to remember about worm food is...If it comes from
the ground, make it brown other than the ones listed above.
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From time to time you will have conversations with others saying that they
DO feed their worms things on the list above with no problems. Worms will
eat just about anything once the microorganisms have broken them down
into something palatable for them, but not all worms and worm
environments are created equal
Some will be more forgiving than others, and other worms may never
forgive you for putting those onions in. Use caution and just stick with what
really works before you try to “spice it up” for them.
Ask yourself what your goals are. Do you want to only •recycle? Do you want
a lot of rich castings? Do you want only big worms for fishing? These
questions are important because what you feed them is one of the most
important elements to accomplishing your goals.
If you’re not sure what to feed your worms, just stick with the basic foods
until you become confident in your ability to introduce other foods that may
or may not upset the “rotten” apple cart.
If your goal is to simply recycle and enjoy the feeling of keeping recyclable
materials out of a landfill, then you still don’t want to upset the apple cart
unless you’re not concerned on how much you recycle.
But after all, isn’t it still all about production of some kind?
Many people that have worm composting bins also have a compost pile
outside. Food that is somewhat offensive for worms can simply go into these
outside piles where the worms will have plenty of room to move far away
from any threatening liquids that could be irritating or harmful to their skin.
Caution:
Be careful when you’re considering feeding your worms things like sautéed
mushrooms, leftover salads, twice baked potatoes, etc.. Many people don't
realize that they've added butter, salt, oils, spices etc.
Manure as Worm Food

I could write an entire book on using manure as worm food. There’s a lot to
say about it. It’s much simpler to “digest” the information when you
understand how it’s made.
This substance is one of the best food sources, as worm food, if you’re
planning on using worm castings on your household plants, garden, or lawn.
To get a good understanding of what I mean, consider this:
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The more complex the microbial community, the more complex the
soil. The more frequently matter is broken down, the more complex
it becomes.
Plants thrive on this complexity of microorganisms and that’s essentially

what the plant is feeding on. Just like you and I eat a complex diet, so must
the worms and the plants.
So why manure...? Consider this:
1. Cow plucks grass
2. Teeth break down grass
3. Cow regurgitates grass and chews it again
4. Grass is further broken down 4 more times by its digestive compartments
5. Cow poops and manure is put into a compost pile where bacteria break it
down even further
6. Compost is now fed to worms which break it down one last time
7. Vermicastings is now ready to feed to plants
Now you can see the potential manure has as a worm food and a
worm-to-plant food.
If you plan to use manure from any animal, you must be sure to compost it
to rid the pile of any harmful bacteria or •pathogens. You will also kill off the
seeds from unwanted weeds and grasses that the animal ate along with the
eggs or larvae of several pesky insects. This helps to avoid putting them into
your garden.
Remember, I said that what comes from the ground is alright to give to the
worms. It's okay to feed manure to your worms because that animal only
ate of what came from the ground as well. Bovine, goats, sheep, rabbits,
poultry, and horses are all good examples of herbivores.
~Side Note~
I'll make an exception for the poultry. They eat mostly vegetation (Caution:
Definitely compost poultry a good while as this can be high in ammonia and
salts)
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But what about pig, canine, or even human manure (humanure ;)
I'm sure without a doubt someone is having good success with it, but like I
said, avoid dairy, oils, and meats because all three species eat them. Also,
consider that it's a lot harder to kill off harmful diseases from these smelly
poopers. They contain different microbes for digestion than other mammals.
So, when considering what worms eat naturally, it's just best to be safe. If
you're interested in composting these wastes for environmental reasons, you
may be interested in Bokashi composting.
Worm Food - Using Outside Sources

You can put any tree, plant, grass, or shrub in as worm food as long as it's
not poisonous (this may be more for your safety). It won't hurt the worms
as long as it's not in large quantities. However, like manure, it can contain
seeds that you may not want in your garden. Like manure, if it's composted
first, it’ll be more complex. Either way you'll be happy with the outcome for
your worm food. One more thing, precomposting may also lesson any toxic
effects that vegetation, such as pine needles, may have.
If you want to feed worms lawn clippings, leaves, trees, or plants from your
garden, you need to be cautious. Be aware of any herbicides or pesticides
that were sprayed on your lawn or maybe near your lawn.
When it rains, the water from your neighbor's lawn (that's been sprayed by
chemicals) may flow into your lawn or garden. Some of these chemicals can
harm your composting worms and you don't want them ending up on your
plate either. We have enough in our commercial food already.
Hopefully, if you're like me, one of the purposes for raising worms is to
replace the many harmful and deadly chemicals that are degrading, killing
our soil, and depleting it of minerals & healthy organisms.
~Other Thoughts
Always keep in mind that worms are like you and I. They need a variety on
their plate. The more they have to choose from, the more nutrition the
plants will have to choose from, like a buffet.
There may be some plants that are higher in protozoa than others. If you
keep feeding worms these high protozoan foods, that's all you'll have to put
into your soil.
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Some plants need more •bacteria than •protozoa and some need more •fungi
than bacteria. Some plants need everything on the menu. You would be
quite unhealthy if all you had for food was protein. You’d succumb to protein
poisoning. So mix your worm food up a little bit like a good salad. This is
what worms prefer.
The forest floor is a very, very big place. It contains every microbe a worm
could ever want for food.
The worms have a buffet at their disposal. If they don’t like a particular item
on the forest floor (like canine feces), they simply move on. In the case of
fresh feces, they would wait for special microbes with the aid of other insects
to help break it down until it’s stable enough to ingest.
There’s no reason why your worm bin cannot be like the forest floor, but
only on a much smaller scale. Offering your worms a variety of foods like
plenty of moist paper/cardboard, kitchen scraps, and aged manure
simultaneously gives them a very good variety to choose from.
Not only does it give the worms a variety, but your plants will also have a
variety of nutrients to feast upon 
Dog/Cat Manure
We now know that manure is a wonderful worm food, but not all manure is
created equal.
You’ll find out, soon enough, that using your dog or cat feces is a
vermicomposting topic that involves many mixed feelings. Some say to
never do this while others seem to embrace the idea, but with precautions.
As I’ve discussed earlier, I don’t recommend incorporating the feces of dog,

cat, or any other animal that’s considered a carnivore/omnivore into worm
bins. They do eat meat products, but most dog and cat food contains plant-
based products, therefore making them into an omnivore unlike their wild
ancestors.
Their food contains wheat, soy, corn, rice, fats, small amounts of animal
products, porcine blood (for flavoring), etc. I guess what makes their feces
so different than manures from ruminant animals is that they digest their
food differently. They have different microbes and amino acids within their
gut. The process is completely different.
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Their feces can contain higher amounts of harmful pathogens, like that of
humanure, containing salmonella and e-coli. It’s not always a guarantee
that worms will get rid of (fully process) all harmful pathogens. They’ll
definitely be transferred from the worm bin and out into your garden.
If worms were fed these pathogens in a controlled setting, then most likely
everything that came out of the business end of the worm would contain
very beneficial microbes. Again, there’s just no guarantee that the worms
will devour every harmful pathogen in the material.
Burying the worm castings deep into soil is no guarantee either. Plants feed
on these harmful microbes and there have been some stories of illnesses
from these pathogens found inside the plants, but few to my knowledge.
I do believe, though, that most of the threat can be avoided through simple
kitchen hygiene and a regular practice of hygiene in handling the feces.
Overall, I think your chances of getting sick are slimmer than anything else.
The longer you practice the implementation of fecal worm castings into your
food plants, the greater the risk.
However, there are ways to consider using omnivore feces.
Using the worm castings on your lawn, trees, and ornamentals can really do
wonders for them and the risk of getting sick is exponentially lowered.
There’s always growing concerns of waste management procedures in zoos,

animal shelters, pet stores, and so on. I would love to see some type of
worm composting operation involving the collecting and managing of wastes
from these animals.
Certainly, small scale would work, but going bigger would include getting the
proper authorities involved with a good strategy laid out. I mean, once
people get down wind of it, your cover would be blown 
Precomposting or hot composting the material for a couple of weeks would

be necessary to kill off most pathogens/diseases. Next, would be to
introduce it into the worm systems or windrows and letting it worm compost
for quite some time. You’d want to definitely make sure there was nothing
left but 99% worm castings.
The worms would need to refine the material longer than traditional
vermicomposting. A thorough testing and analysis performed by a qualified
laboratory would also be warranted. It could then be sold as “fecal worm
castings” for ornamental flowers & bushes etc.
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The word “fecal” could be optional, but the bag should definitely read “Not
To Be Used On Plants Grown For Human Consumption”. This could be very
lucrative even in the initial collecting of the feces.
Of course, it also goes without saying, that you would keep this system far
from, and totally separated from any other Vermi-type operation that IS
used in the fertilization of plants consumed by people.
So there you have it. I’m more for it, really, than I am against it, but for a
beginner? NO! For a moderate? Do plenty of research and testing with your
own pet’s fecal matter. Plus, be careful, and for an avid vermicomposter? I
guess pretty much the same as a moderate before going BIG!
Ruminant Manure (ruminure )

This manure comes from animals that ferment their food (after being
swallowed) in a specialized compartment called, the rumen (the largest
compartment). Special bacteria create gases that force the fermented,
plant-based food back to the mouth for further chewing before swallowing
again and entering the reticulum.
Below, I want to show you the miracle that happens within the gut of a
ruminant animal, i.e. cows, goats, sheep, deer etc…
It’s not what happens inside the gut of a worm, but it definitely gives you a
better understanding of how much we’re so dependent upon the tiny little
bugs (•microbes) that we never give any credit to.
It’s not crucial to share this with you for worm composting, but many of you
will use this type of manure for worm food. As always, it’s nice to know
where food comes from and how it’s made. In addition, manure is by far
one of the best food sources for worms, and they LOVE IT TOO!
The 4 main chambers in a ruminant animal are in order as follows:
A) Rumen C) Omasum
B) Reticulum D) Abomasum
Here’s the cycle of digestion:

A) The animal swallows, and the food enters the largest compartment, the
rumen. Ruminant animals don’t really have stomachs, but rather
compartments.
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At the top of the rumen is a constant buildup of gas. In the middle floats a
mass called the fiber raft that sits and ferments. Underneath, lays a pool of
liquid where the bacteria thrive and populate.
The rumen contracts from the bottom and forces the liquid and the fiber raft
upwards. Some of the fiber raft is forced upwards through the esophagus
into the mouth to be chewed again as cud (this is called rumination). Some
of the smaller particles and liquid get forced into the reticulum which is still
part of the rumen, only much smaller. So, the big chunks go up, and the
little chunks move along to the next chamber, but not all of it. What didn’t
make it into the reticulum will stay in the rumen and ferment a while longer.
Certain micro flora (or gut flora like •bacteria, •protozoa & •fungi) feed on
the fiber and convert carbohydrates into volatile, fatty acids (energy) and
protein into ammonia & amino acids. These are absorbed through the rumen
wall. The amino acids and ammonia also help the microbes to reproduce and
eventually become food for the cow.
B) Although the reticulum is still part of the rumen, it acts as a filter

catching the small particles and liquid from the rumen as the bigger portions
of food are forced up the esophagus as cud.
C) The food and microbes are passed into the omasum. The internal walls of
the omasum consist of flaps which grind the food into smaller particles. The
walls are responsible for absorbing more liquids.
D) The food (now with less liquid) is passed into the

abomasum where true digestion takes place. The
abomasum acts more like a human stomach where
acids are secreted to aid in the digestion. Eventually,
everything comes out the back end like nice & clean,
little round chocolate berries (depending on the
animal).
So, the big picture here is that what the animal eats
is not necessarily food, but the microbes are.
Does this sound familiar? 
a) We first start with fresh food
b) It ferments or rots
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c) Microbes break it down so it can be palatable for the worms
d) The worms create worm castings for plants.
Could this be why worms love waste from ruminant animals so much? Do
they share a common or same kind of micro flora that they’re already used
to?
I’m not sure, but it makes even more sense to me after understanding the
process of a ruminant animal. I’ve asked myself a lot of these questions as
I’ve fed worms manure from my goats.
It more than likely boils down to the nutritional value in animal manure. It is
highly nutritional. Ruminants eat so much plant matter that about 75% of
the nutrition is excreted from the animal in the form of manure.
If you own any farm animals, you can’t help but realize how much food they
eat. An average adult goat can eat at least 5 times more (per meal) than
humans, if not more. When you consider a lot of that is grass or hay, then
that’s a lot of poop!
But not all “ruminure” is created equal.
Let’s go over the many types of ruminant animals. Many people ask, “What
types of manure can go into a worm bin?”. There is indeed a difference. It all
depends on whether to precompost the manure.
Ruminants eat plant fodder, have four chambers for digestion, split hooves,
and chew their cud (except for a small handful), but very few (at least in
terms of domesticated animals) for your convenience.
Manure is a wonderful worm food, but you need to know if the manure came
from a plant-eating animal or not. Like I already mentioned, stay away from
most animals that are omnivores. Their feces can contain large amounts of
harmful •pathogens. However, there are a few exceptions below.
1. Herbivores that Ruminate (multi-chambered stomachs)

There are more than 150 of these animals, but here’s a small list.
Cow, bison, buffalo, oxen, yak, goat, sheep, deer, moose, elk, caribou,
antelope, gazelle (all the deer family), giraffe, chevrotains, java
mouse-deer (world’s smallest ruminant), etc… FYI These are all
ungulates and considered kosher except for:
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Camel, llama, & alpaca which have toes instead of split hooves and
interestingly, only have 3 chambers for digestion instead of four.
2. Herbivores that do not Ruminate (mono-gastric/non-ruminating)

Horses, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, mules, donkeys, zebras,
elephants, hippopotamus, rhinos, etc…
3. Omnivores Domesticated (but mostly plant eating)

Pigs, chickens (all poultry), rats, mice, gerbils, hamsters, etc…
All manure from the animals listed above (and I’m sure there are more) are
safe to use in the worm bin as worm feed. Although there is one caveat I
must mention. You need to know which manures should be pre-composted
at least a good two weeks before it’s introduced to worms.
You may be asking yourself, “Doesn’t all manure have to be pre-composted

before feeding it to the worms”? Good News! NO! 
There are two types of manure when considering to compost, or not, when
feeding it to your worms.
HOT manure COLD manure
Now, I have never fed my worms manure from many animals listed above,
but many of my readers have and visitors to the website have. When you
look on the Internet for the definitions of “hot” and “cold” manure you get
quite a few opposing interpretations.
Here are the differences.
Hot manure contains higher levels of nitrogen/ammonia. Cows, horses,

pigs, poultry, etc… are such animals and their manure should be hot or pre-
composted before introducing it to the worms. Hot composting is called a
thermophilic process. A thermophile is a microbe that thrives in
temperatures between 106 and 252 °F (41 and 122 °C).  Ref: Wikipedia
If you feed your worms the fresh “hot manure”, the chances of the worm bin
becoming increasingly too warm for the worms will prove to be caustic, thus
you risk killing off your •squirm.
In traditional hot compost piles, there will be some loss of nutrients during
the whole hot process. After the pile cools, the temperature becomes more
•ambient, and different types of bacteria begin to populate. The cold process
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now begins. This would also be the time to feed it to the worms if this is
your goal.
Don’t be concerned about the loss of nutrients. Many people put too much
focus on N-P-K ratios rather than microbial count. I’ll give you my thoughts
on this later in the book.
Cold manure contains less nitrogen. Rabbits, goat, sheep, deer etc., are
such animals. As a matter of fact, their manure is considered stable enough
to feed directly to your garden or plants, in moderation of course. The
microbes break down the food for the worms, and a worm bin rarely gets
warm. •Vermicomposting is cold composting and is considered a mesophilic
process.
These organisms are called mesophiles. They populate in temperatures 68 -

113°F (20-45 °C).  Ref: Wikipedia. When composting between these
temperatures it is known as a mesophilic process. These are the microbes
that populate after temperatures have cooled in a hot compost pile.
However, I must add a qualifier to cold manure. If the animal was fed a
balanced diet of small amounts of grain, compared to the fiber it eats, you’re
reasonably safe.
I have goats of my own and feed their poop directly to my plants every year
with only positive results, but I’m the only one who feeds them. More so
than not, I’d say your chances are pretty safe. After all, who in their right
mind would feed half, or more grain than necessary? Grain is not cheap!
However, I always caution people before feeding manure directly to the

worms. Anytime cold manure is not composted first (whether in a hot
compost pile or given to the worms) you take the risk of sending
unwanted weed seeds and insects into a worm bin or garden. I speak
from experience 
Here’s another thought to consider. When using fresh manure of any kind to
fertilize newly planted seeds, you risk having little insects (certain beetles)
burrowing into the nutritional seed pod. Fresh manure contains seeds that
attract insects. Again, I speak from experience 
I feed goat manure to composting worms directly to my indoor worm bins.

It’s not always fed straight from the butt-to-the-gut. I let it sit in a bucket to
stabilize for a week or so. It doesn’t get hot, but some moisture does
evaporate.
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Cold manure can heat when gathered in large quantities and maintained
properly, but not likely in smaller amounts in a worm bin.
Caution!
If you bring in any material from outside sources like manure, leaves,
compost, etc… You will also bring in unwanted pests & seeds. There’s
nothing worse than a house full of outside creatures.
There’s an easy way to direct-feed manure to your worms indoors.
If you plan on feeding manure, or anything from outside to your indoor

worms, you’ll definitely want to see my 3-part video titled,
Preparing Food for Worms for Getting Rid of Unwanted Pests, Seeds, & Pathogens
 Video 1 6 min  Video 2 5 min  Video 3 13 min
Some people actually do feed their worms fresh manure from the butt-to-
the-worm-gut, but this is usually in outside piles or under rabbit cages etc.
Almost anything is possible in worm farming, but worms that arrive in the
mail from another place…that’s a different scenario.
That’s because you are changing their diet and it takes a little while for them
to adjust to the new food source. Interestingly, when worms are hatched
into any food source they tend to do much better than their
predecessors.
The reason is, they never knew any other type of food, but more
importantly, the bacteria inside of them never knew any other type of food.
Most people do not understand this theory. We recently discussed how the
rumen of an animal is full of beneficial bacteria, but not just any kind of
bacteria. It’s a special type that breaks down tough fiber like hay or grass.
When I feed my goats too much grain (or even grain for the first time) they
become sick. It takes a special kind of bacteria to digest the grains. Their
rumens were full of bacteria that only broke down hay. Now they must wait
until they can build up enough of the right kind of bacteria to break down
the grain.
In the meantime, they’ll be very uncomfortable and bloated as the food sits,
rotting in the rumen, while building the right type of bacteria. When all is
said and done, their manure will be very runny and smelly as there was
chaos during the ”War of the Microbes”.
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There are many ways to garden, many ways to compost, and many ways to
vermicompost. What may work for some may not work for others, and at
times, is a bit of trial and error until you find out what works for your worm
farming setup.
My goal for you is to keep it simple until you’re more comfortable at growing
your knowledge along with your worms.
Worm farming seems to attract some of the nicest people. I’m not really
sure why except for the fact that maybe we are wholesome people and want
to live that way. I’m an ole Kansas boy and I’d much rather have neighbors
out in the country somewhere rather than in the city.
I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with the city life, but there’s just
something about living the quiet & simple life and being around like-minded
folks. In the country, you have your space, and no one gets in it.
But I digress…
Are there absolutes in worm farming?

One thing that I’ve learned over the years (and this goes for EVRYTHING) is
that no matter what you say, someone, somewhere, will disagree with you.
If I say that water will only boil at 212°F (100°C) someone else will disagree
claiming that water boils at 200°F (93.3°C).
Are they wrong? Who am I to say they’re wrong? How can I say, “That’s
impossible!” if that’s what seems to be the outcome for them?
The truth is that water boils at 212°F at sea level, and it boils at a lower
temperature the higher you go. The one who said that water boils at 200°F
lives in the mountains, and from their perspective it really does boil at
200°F even though you tried boiling it at 200°F and failed.
In worm farming, there are many different variables and elements at play.
There are many absolutes, but even more variables. Don’t let that get you
down though, because many people fail the first time.
I failed my first time!

Many of us that teach others to be successful failed their first & second time
too. Maybe that’s why we’re so passionate about teaching you. There also
wasn’t as much information and support groups as there are today. I can
guarantee you anyone’s chances are better than they’ve ever been today,
and that IS an Absolute! 
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As a matter a fact, some of us might be so successful today only because we

failed so much. The more you fail, the more determined and passionate you
become about reaching your goals. Okay, so with that being said, it doesn’t
give you permission to fail, just permission to try harder and to do plenty of
research the first time. I’ll admit it. I should have done that from the
beginning.
Identifying Cold Manures

Now you know what the difference is between cold and hot manure, but is
there a way to visually distinguish between the two?
I asked the same question years ago, but since hearing stories from my
readers and from mine own experiences I had finally come to an answer that
was under our noses all along.
It’s not the smell…or is it? Rabbit, deer, goat, sheep manure etc., tends to
be a very mild smelling manure, but this really isn’t the defining factor. It’s
actually in the shape of the poop.
Not only does the poop come out smelling clean, but it looks and feels clean
as well. At any given time, I can place my hand directly under the goat’s
hind end and catch fresh droppings (oh like you never did that ;). Whether
wearing a rubber glove or bare hands, my hands were virtually spotless.
These are clean, smooth, and perfectly-shaped round berries, and they’re
very typical of rabbits, goat, sheep, the deer family, etc. So the next time
you go hiking in the woods bring home some rabbit or deer poop for your
worms. They’ll love it, and everyone else will think you’re crazy! But you’re
perfectly normal…for a worm farmer that is. 
So, this is what cold manure looks like, and everything else would be hot
manure. Now, I don’t want you to walk away from this book thinking that
cold manure can’t get hot. It most certainly can. Maybe not to the degree
that hot manure can. It’ll still get very warm when you have enough of it
composting, especially with other materials if you want to hot compost.
Composting cold manure will be like any other type of manure. You must
mix it with plenty of carbon, keep it moist, well aerated, and mixed often.
I really hope this has helped you understand a little bit more about using
manure from different sources. We‘ve covered dogs, cats, ruminants,
herbivores, and omnivores.
This is some of the best food sources for worms as it naturally contains a
good balance of nitrogen and carbon, in which composting worms love a
good mixture of both. As a matter of fact, I don’t know any specie of worm
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that doesn’t like manure. This must be one of the reasons why worms were
created. Imagine a world without them.
Here’s my video on worm composting hay and goat manure
 Attracting Worms Using Hay and Goat Manure
Where to Get Manure

Obviously, the best place to get manure is from the back end of cow Ha Ha!
“Butt” seriously, I AM being serious.
Alright! I know it’s not practical to have a cow in your back yard. I don’t
know what part of the world you live in or if you’re in the city, countryside,
or somewhere in between.
Many of us dream of having a cow in the backyard to be able to get milk

whenever we want to, but when you think about it, manure is almost just as
important as milk.
In worm farming, manure is just part of…
the circle of microbial life
Here it is again…
1. Cows poop 2. Worms eat cow poop 3. Worms poop 4. Plants eat worm
poop 5. Cows eat plants 6. Cows poop again, and the cycle continues.
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Because worms love manure so much, it’s so important that the manure
return to the ground in some form. However, it’s just not practical to have a
big pooping animal in your backyard, unless you have the room and passion
to raise one.
If you decide to get one, make sure you think long and hard about it. They
are different than a dog or cat, and you’ll be tied down to them if you want
to go on vacation. You can always have someone come over to take care of
them while you’re away.
On the other hand, if you DO want to raise them for their manure, milk,
meat, or whatever, take a good look at the herbivore/omnivore list above
again. Do you live in a city, county, or province where it is legal to have
animals like goats, chickens or rabbits?
Manure makes some of the best worm castings due to the high complexity
and makeup of the microorganisms, carbon, and nitrogen. Many people have
these animals for such purpose, but it’s usually for more than one purpose
other than just to have manure for worm castings.
Getting Manure from Farmers

This is probably one of the most obvious places to get manure. You may be
able to work something out with the farmer to schedule pickups on certain
days.
If he has more than you need, consider starting compost piles and windrows
for growing more worms and worm castings. Farms are the best places to
get manure because not only are they a gold mine for animal waste, but
worms as well.
If you’re searching for more composting worms or different types of worms,

then looking in manure piles and under cow patties is the best place for such
a worm enthusiast. Ask the farmer to see their manure piles for these
worms if you’re not that interested in the manure itself.
One thing I would like to mention when calling or knocking on a farmer’s

door is, be extremely considerate. You may think you’re doing them a favor
by taking the manure off their hands, but it’s really the other way around.
They are doing you the favor. They were already getting rid of the manure,
or utilizing it long before you came along. So be thoughtful and explain to
them what you want to do with the manure, especially if it involves
something with the community or a large group of people.
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They would probably enjoy you giving them the credit for making this
possible for you. Farmers don’t really get much credit these days anyway.
Also, many farmers are extremely busy. They may not even have the time
to talk with you. On the other hand, you might spark a rather interesting
conversation with them and get them to deliver the manure directly to you.
*Read caution below
Getting Manure from Pet Stores

Many pet stores sell herbivores such as rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, mice,
gerbils, parrots, parakeets (all pet birds) rats, etc. Collecting their waste can
not only benefit you, but the store as well.
Many stores may throw everything into one bag, but a lot of stores do
separate the dog/cat poop from other animal waste. In any case, try to
establish a friendly relationship with them. Let them know what you’re doing
and how they’re helping to play an important role. Ask them if it would be
too much trouble to keep certain wastes separated.
*Read caution below
Getting Manure from Zoos/Petting Zoos/Boarding Houses

It might be a little more difficult to get manure from zoos as cities usually
already have a good disposal management strategy in place. Some zoos
already compost the manure for use on their ornamental trees, flowers,
shrubs, and other city landscapes.
Also, consider the smaller petting zoos and even some “Mom & Pop”
businesses that have animals for show like boarding houses. You might be
surprised at how much manure is dumped or thrown out due to surplus.
Getting Manure from Individuals

There are many individuals (like myself) who practice goat keeping, chicken
keeping, rabbit keeping, etc. They may or may not do anything with the
excrement, but throw it out somewhere out of sight.
You can find these individuals in ads on the Internet or in paper ads. You can
also place your own ad as someone who is looking for rabbit, chicken, horse,
or whatever kind of manure you’re looking for. Again, a way to entice some
people is to let them know what you’re doing and for what cause you’re
using the manure for.
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Many will want to be a part of this type of cause. Plus, I’m sure they would
love for you to come and shovel it for free 
* Caution:
It’s important to know if any of these animals were fed any de-worming
medications or fodder containing herbicides or pesticides (sprayed on
grasses) as it’s possible it might have an effect on your worms, depending
on the amounts that were used.
Usually de-worming medications are designed to kill parasitic worms

and not earthworms or composting worms. There is a big difference.
However, you really don’t know what the animals were fed at all, so it’s a
good idea to precompost the material for at least a couple of weeks first to
render it safer.
When getting manure from these businesses, there may contain high
amounts of wood chips, shavings, pellets, or even saw dust. This is
fine as long as you’re aware that it will take a considerable amount of time,
due to the tough cellulose, to break down. Ask yourself if you want it to go
into an outside pile or your worm bin.
The worms will eventually work their way around the wood pieces. If you’re
in a hurry to use the finished castings on your plants, don’t be concerned
about using the uncomposted wood particles. In fact, the wood will
encourage the surrounding mycelium to grow which is beneficial to soil and
plant growth.
If the manure has an ammonia smell, it contains high amounts of ammonia

and salts, but regardless, you’ll need to make a compost pile outside, rinse it
well with water, and let it compost for a couple of weeks before introducing
it to the worms.
“I grew up in Kansas, it’s about American as it gets”.
~Superman
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~Ch 9 Preparing Worm Food~
Natural Feed
Many of us are very inventive and extremely creative. Most of the time, we
feed the worms what we have and make it as simple as possible. This is how
we’ll begin feeding the worms. Once you understand what and how much
food your worms like, you can begin to let your creative juices flow.
We’ve learned what worm food is, but I want to go over it again quickly so
that you have a clear understanding. I will also list them as •carbon or
nitrogen. Please note that this is not a complete or exhausted list.
Earlier I said, “If it comes from the ground, make it brown”. This doesn’t
mean to say that it only applies to the carbon material. Remember, ALL
material that you put into a worm bin is food, whether carbon or
nitrogen. It all transforms into wonderfully rich, dark-brown to nearly black
worm castings.
Carbon Materials – These are considered browns: Coconut coir, coco

husks, **Peat moss (see below), cardboard, paper board, newspaper,
newsprint, tissue paper, paper bags, copy paper, leaf •litter, dry brown
grasses, egg cartons, drink trays, *unsalted nut shells, *straw, *wood, *saw
dust, *dried plant stalks, *cotton, etc.
Bleached products do not pose a threat in a worm system, but if you want to
stay more on the natural side, use materials that are browner in appearance
instead of bleached paper products.
Stay away from thermal paper, like receipts. Most receipts today contain
a chemical called bisphenol-A (BPA).
Paperboard and cardboard is made from Kraft paper, and the glues are a
derivative of plant starches like corn, potato and forms of proteins. The inks
in newsprint and other media are soy-based on a wide scale.
Glossy paper is a big controversy even among traditional composters. It gets

its shine from a clay known as kaolin, but not all glossy paper is coated with
this clay, so it’s best to not use it as worm food. Some paper that is very
colorful or fluorescent is questionable, and if it’s not the texture of copy
paper or newsprint when in doubt, keep it out. 
Many glossy, colorful papers may be considered safer today than their
predecessors. I’ve not yet heard of any stories from those that have killed
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their worms due to glossy coatings and colorful pages. I have read several
stories about people successfully composting with this material.
However, I still don’t recommend doing this until such evidence proves it to
be, without a doubt, safe for worms and our bodies. I wouldn’t cry either if
some glossy paper fell into the bin occasionally. Some people use it and
some don’t. Is it toxic? We may never know until several years down the
road ;)
Thankfully though, we are making steady advances toward safer products

through justified code enforcements, competition, and awareness from
people like you who want to live a better life, yet we still have a long way to
go.
Note:
Walnut trees/leaves contain juglone (a naturally occurring chemical
compound) which can be toxic to the worms and even plants. My goats don’t
even want to eat them. The leaves emit a pungent or strong, sharp smell.
Precompost at least 1 month or more.
*If you want to generate worm castings as quick as possible, stay away
from carbon material containing tough cellulose like the ones marked with
an asterisk (*) above.
** Peat moss is generally considered a carbon source, but it can have a low
PH of 4 or higher. This can widely vary. So keep in mind, when using peat
moss along with other foods that are lower in PH, that the system may
become too •acidic for the worms. However, this is usually not the case, but
I feel it’s important to mention in case your worms are acting like there’s
something wrong in the system.
Another important thing to mention about peat moss is that it is mined from
peat bogs and is not considered a renewable resource. Consider using •coco
coir as an alternative. Coir is expensive, but paper products are far cheaper
and the most practical means of carbon among most worm farmers.
Nitrogen Materials – These are considered greens.

Fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, (first 4 are also known as kitchen scraps)
grasses, green leaves, blades, petals, manure, & needles that are not dry,
brown, or dead in appearance are nitrogen. They still possess the living
chlorophyll within the plant, whether still in the ground, or freshly cut.
Understanding the role of carbon and nitrogen:
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All plant life and manures consist of carbon and nitrogen. For instance, straw
or cardboard consists mostly of carbon and very, very little nitrogen. Fruits
such as bananas, consist of very high nitrogen levels, but low amounts of
carbon.
The microbes will be able to breakdown the nitrogen-rich source due to the
soft tissue makeup of say, fruits and vegetables. Manure is a combination of
both. Certain amounts of C:N ratios will vary depending on the animal and
the foods it consumed.
• Browns
Carbons are considered “browns” and they are full of carbohydrates.
Just because a food looks brown, doesn’t mean it’s a carbon source.
Coffee is brown only because it was toasted, but it’s considered a
green.
• Greens
Nitrogen is considered “greens” and full of proteins like grass or hay,
albeit low in protein than that of grains, but once dried out is
considered more of a carbon source due to the nitrogen gas off.
• Minerals
They are essential for nutrition and help the body with building,
renewing itself, proper organ function, and overall health.
What does all this mean in a worm bin? Nitrogen is the proteins which are
the building blocks of life used for growing tissue. The carbon is the
energy helping the worm to eat, move, and mate. The minerals help the
worm make sense of the nitrogen and carbon and basically act as a
conductor for both helping all three to harmonize beautifully.
The natural foods will contain some minerals already, but you would see a
noticeable difference in a bin with added minerals versus a bin without.
Manure – This is a great mixture of nitrogen and carbon that worms really
enjoy, but should still be grouped in the nitrogen category, especially if it’s
fairly fresh. The term “aged manure” can refer to composted manure or
manure that has been lying around and exposed to the elements for a
period. It’ll contain fewer salts and most ammonia will have gassed-off.
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In fact, manure is so nutritious, high in carbon & nitrogen, and contains a

high count of microorganisms. It can be the only food source used for
worms.
Minerals – This is an inorganic material mostly from ground rock.

All life needs minerals, but worms also need minerals to aid in digestion.
They don’t have teeth to grind their food into smaller portions. They have a
gizzard. Within the gizzard, the bacteria get trapped between stones that the
gizzard causes to rub against each other, like a pestle and mortar.
I can’t stress enough the importance of minerals. Many plants succumb to

diseases and die only because there was no presence of minerals. Minerals
are as important as water itself. Plants will still grow and complete their life
cycle even if the surrounding soil does not contain proper amounts of
minerals, but will remain unhealthy.
You can have your soil tested to determine what types of minerals it holds,
but most likely you’ll still end up acquiring some minerals as all soils may be
lacking in something. However, I believe that the basic minerals to use for
good plant health are Calcium, Magnesium, Silica, and Sulfur.
You should try to get a hold of as many rock minerals as possible (which can
contain many trace metals) for the optimal health of the microbes, plants,
and you. If you can’t, don’t concern yourself too much. Using and doing
what you can is one of the most important roles of life itself.
Minerals should be ground to a powder or micronized. If larger, the worms

and microbes won’t ingest the particles as well. A fine powder of 200 mesh
or higher is desired, but the bigger the worm, the bigger the mouth.
Here are a few minerals (denoted with a checkmark ✓) that are safe to use
in a worm bin.
 Agricultural lime, Ground Limestone, or Calcic Limestone

is calcium carbonate CaCO3 & magnesium carbonate MgCO2,
primarily 50/50, but varies. Usually the calcium carbonate is a higher
percentage. Picture shows a pelletized agricultural lime.
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The ingredient to look for is calcium

carbonate and not calcium oxide. If using
lime only for the purpose of raising the ph
level, don’t use too much.
The carbonate attaches itself to the

hydrogen therefore releasing the hydrogen
(in the form of ammonia) from the
bedding, thus reducing the level of acidity.
Composting worms can tolerate their bedding a bit more on the •acidic
(low ph) side.
Again, always be careful on how much you use. I really can’t tell you
how much to use because every system is different. It will cause a loss
in nitrogen so only use enough to raise the PH level. Using lime in
small amounts for •grit and calcium as maintenance is fine. Consider
the alternatives if you’re concerned with the loss of nitrogen.
Caution:
Avoid using: builders lime, burnt lime, hydrated lime, slaked lime, Cal
lime, pickling lime or calcium oxide. This can be caustic to worms.
Gypsum has larger crystals than agricultural lime and is not as

effective at raising the ph. It tends to be more acidic as it’s more of a
sulphate. Therefore, I left it out. If you’re just needing calcium in your
soil, gypsum will work, but if used too much, it could cause high
amounts of salts to be present. Use as a nutritional mineral, if that’s
all you have, and not as a PH corrector.
Use this in a worm bin only after doing some research. Not all gypsum
is the same. Agricultural gypsum is better. Always read the labels and
test it in small areas of the worm system.
I don’t usually advise putting gypsum in a worm bin either and

gypsum board is even more questionable with the added chemicals.
Use lightly in soil if that is all you have. Powdered eggshell is a better
alternative.
 Dolomite or Dolostone is a little bit different than agricultural lime as

it roughly contains the following:
1. Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3) 46.0%
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2. Magnesium Carbonate (MgCO2) 38.0%

3. Free Calcium (Ca)
4. Free Magnesium (Mg)
The carbonate in CaCO3 & MgCO2 must be dissolved in order to free

up the single element of calcium or magnesium for plant intake.
Dolomite contains calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and free calcium (Ca).
Dolomite also contains magnesium carbonate (MgCO2) as well as free
magnesium (Mg).
Below is a description of how the calcium or magnesium must be freed

from the carbonates.
The carbonates must come into contact with the hydrogen molecules
either in water, soil, or a worm bin in order to break up the carbonate
from the actual mineral. In this process the hydrogen will also gas off
leaving behind a more alkaline (less acidic/higher ph) soil or worm
bedding.
Because agricultural lime contains more carbonate it will be more

effective at raising ph levels.
 Azomite® is OMRI listed. It’s usually a pinkish ore dust from an

ancient volcano containing around 70 trace minerals, but mostly
comprised of 65% Silicon Dioxide and life cannot exist without silica.
It also contains 11% Alumina; aluminum is

the most abundant metal in the earth. We
cannot escape even breathing it. Photo is my
micronized dust, hard to see pinkish color.
Your soil may contain more aluminum than

what is in Azomite®, and only 3.7% Calcium
Oxide. Good for grit and nutrition, PH buffer
by absorption, but not as effective as calcium
carbonate.
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 Glacial Rock Dust can contain up to

55% crystalline silica, 5% sulfur, 5%
calcium, .5% magnesium, .4% iron and
many more trace elements.
Good for nutrition and grit.
May not increase ph greatly but treat like

Azomite®.
 Sand is obviously among the most ubiquitous minerals of all, mostly

quartz, which is a form of silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ). Sand is not exactly a
fine powder, like that of rock dust. Not all sand particles will be
swallowed by the worms due to the size of the grain but many will.
Sand is mined from all over the world and the ingredients will vary
greatly. The best way to find out is to have your sample analyzed, but
since it’s mostly comprised of quartz, the trace minerals would be
minute depending on the source.
White sands are found in the more tropical

regions. They are eroded limestone and
can contain coral and shell fragments.
There are so many types of sand like play

sand, all-purpose sand, concrete sand,
lava sand, fill sand, sandy loam, granite
sand, & etc.
If you’re on a shoestring budget, sand is pretty cheap, but don’t

expect it to raise the PH in a worm bin. However, it can still be good
for drainage and grit. Due to its size, uptake in roots will be minimal.
Find the finest sand possible, or crush it yourself.
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 Green Sand naturally occurs in marine sedimentary deposits. It’s

derived from the silicate mineral glauconite which gives it a greenish
hue. Greensand can increase the moisture-holding capacity in your soil
or worm bin. It’s also a rich source of potash, iron, and silica. It’s
much finer and nutritious than multi-purpose sand. Good for nutrition
and grit but not as effective for raising the PH level.
 Oyster Shell Flour is mostly 97% calcium carbonate (CaCO3) of

which 39% of it is free Calcium (Ca) or expressed calcium. It’s Good
for raising PH and popular among mushroom growers.
It has many other trace minerals on a

minute scale like magnesium, potassium,
sulfur, phosphorus, iron, zinc, copper, boron,
etc. Good for worm bins, garden, & grit.
Buying it in a micronized form is best. If you

cannot find it in a powder or flour, grind it
with a coffee or spice grinder.
 Bone Meal Powder is the bones of slaughter house animals ground

to a fine powder. It’s high in calcium and phosphorus; used as a
mineral supplement. The percentages of calcium (Ca) are somewhat
higher than the phosphorus (P), but will vary greatly depending on
what animal source it’s derived from.
Some product labels will say what animal the meal powder is from.
Bone meal can be a good mineral additive. However, if you’re trying to
remain more organic, there are better mineral supplements to use.
Some are concerned about elevated levels of mercury and lead.
There could also be traces of herbicides, pesticides, GMO’s, chemical

fertilizers, and more or less of the same compounds that are found in
nonorganic produce from grocery stores that many are already putting
into their worm bins.
Bone meal can also contain minute traces of 14 other minerals.

Bottom line is that it’s a good source for grit and calcium et al. Not a
quick PH buffer. Some bone meal that is sold as a supplement for
human ingestion is enriched with calcium carbonate. Whatever you
use, check the label, or call the manufacturing company and ask if it
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contains any added carbonates.
Antacid Tablets Say What…? Okay I get it. Desperate times call for
desperate measures, right? This contains 80% calcium carbonate. It
also may contain the following: adipic acid (for tartness), corn starch,
food coloring, mineral oil, sodium polyphosphate, stearate, talc,
magnesium stearate, maltodextrin, sucrose, & sugar.
This form of calcium may have come as a bit

of a surprise to you, but can be used as a PH
buffer. I recommend using it as a last resort
in emergency situations to control acidity
only, not for the maintenance of a worm bin.
There’s no real benefit other than solving PH

issues. I would definitely seek a more natural
mineral for nutrition. Avoid using any tablets
flavored with mint as it could irritate the
worms.
For grinding it into a flour, use the back of a spoon and crush it firmly
while rolling in circular motions. Also, you can use a pestle & mortar,
or just grab a hammer and start playing Candy Crush® 
 Volcanic/Lava Rock I lumped volcanic and lava together as they

mean the same thing and lava is the same as magma. It is igneous
(fiery) rock. As long as it remains in the earth, it’s magma. If it flows
out, it’s called lava. Why do you need to know this?
I don’t want you to get confused thinking one type is better than
another type just because it might have a different name. Volcanic
rock & lava rock come from the same source, a volcano. Magma will
continue to flow or solidify at a plutonic level.
Igneous rock will contain little, up to many, beneficial minerals. It’s

best to look at the label to determine if it should be used for your
particular purpose.
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 Zeolite is another volcanic mineral that is comprised of a natural

substance called aluminocasilicate. This crystalline silicate is formed of
tiny crystals that are uniformly porous making it a great absorptive
substance.
Zeolite can also be manufactured as well as found in natural deposits

consisting of a wide range of trace minerals that may or may not be
present in the amounts you desire. Also, consider that there are
dozens of products containing different levels of potassium (K),
calcium (Ca), sodium (Na), & magnesium (Mg). It’s very important
that you read the label to determine how you want to use the product.
It can be used for a ph balancer, mineral additive, and grit for worms.
Don’t confuse Zeolite with •Diatomaceous Earth (DE). They are both
forms of porous silica but DE is still different.
Baking Powder/soda Stay away from anything that reads

bicarbonate. The word “bi” simply means that there’s twice as much.
Earlier you learned that the carbonate was the catalyst in reacting to
the acid. You will have twice the reaction and this can be caustic to the
worms and microbes in the system.
Sodium bicarbonate is also used to kill certain

microbes as a fungicide. It also contains salts
that no doubt are harmful to anything in the
worm bins. There are plenty of other choices.
Always avoid the temptation to put something
in a worm bin just because you can.
Also known as:

Bread soda, cooking soda, and bicarbonate of
soda
 Biochar, Agrichar, or Terra Preta

In a nutshell, this material is charred biomass through a process called
pyrolysis (a thermal heating in the absence of oxygen), not your
typical charring method. It’s almost entirely pure carbon, save for the
ash and soot left behind from the pyrolysis process.
Biochar is extremely porous, therefore giving it an enormous surface
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area for microbes in which to colonize themselves. In just one gram of

biochar the surface area can total the size of a tennis court or more.
The benefits include: Increased moisture retention, increased aeration,

and promotion of microbial growth. Due to high surface area, it holds
on to nutrients in which plant hair-like roots can grow into to feed on.
Biochar exists in nature, and can be

found in the soil already from
charred plants during a lightning
storm, in forest, & grasslands, and
other means.
This type of process, for making

your soil more organic, is even
newer than worm farming. There
are plenty of people (although not
enough yet) experimenting with
biochar.
My concern is that too much is being added to the soil too soon. It
takes time for the microbes to find their new home within the
honeycomb tunnels of the biochar which can take years. If too much is
added at once, it disrupts the soil leaving too much carbon and not
enough other organics for proper plant growth.
Mycorrhizal fungi find their way into the tiny pores of biochar. They
possess little, white filaments that transport water and nutrients to the
plant when the roots have intersected with them inside the biochar’s
vascular tunnels. According to some professionals, biochar should be
added to garden plots or plant rows at 5-10% in the first years and
slowly increased, if desired, after that.
Sorry to have to go through that entire description, but it’s extremely

crucial that you understand what biochar is so that you can properly
use it in the worm bin or in your soil.
Biochar has a PH typically ranging from 8.5 to 9.5 and very absorbent.
If you were to use it to raise your PH from an •acidic to alkaline, then I
will recommend biochar. Understand that it does not raise the PH by
means of chemical reaction, but through physical action (by thinning
down or absorbing the acidic liquids) while adding some grit as well.
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Since the ammonia doesn’t gas-off, the biochar will retain the
nutrients within, as well as increase microbial activity and
therefore already laying the foundation to retain energy rather
than releasing energy.
Obviously, the worms will not consume the big chunks, but there
probably exists enough fine particulates already. Sprinkling and mixing
it in moderation will assure that you will not raise the PH too high or
too quickly. Use your best judgment in determining amounts. Once the
smell has left or you’ve determined, through other means, stop before
you raise the PH too high or you will have overcorrected the problem.
Any trace elements that are in biochar will depend on the initial source
of the carbon fuel. For adding the minerals as a health benefit use
something else that you are sure has calcium, magnesium, & others.
If using biochar and an alternative mineral, then use less biochar. At
this point, you may want to invest in a PH meter to ensure you don’t
raise the PH too high.
Biochar does not decay. Once it’s in…

It’s in!
There hasn’t been enough “proper” testing from “quality” biochar

made by “true” experienced experts in which we will not see the
results of yet until years of testing, in my humble opinion.
We do know that it has proven itself so far by many individuals, and by

the biochar that has already been well established in the earth for
thousands of years (thus the word “Terra Preta”, Portuguese for "black
earth"). Biochar has proven to not be harmful, but in numerous ways
beneficial to All life.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention one more thing concerning

biochar. Another main purpose for its use is in carbon sequestration,
to produce negative carbon dioxide emissions in the fight against
climate change/global warming.
Because biochar is often produced improperly by “low information”

enthusiasts, my advice is to please get as much information as you
can before you decide to use it, but more importantly before you
decide to make biochar. It can also be used in hydroponics.
If you want to know the mineral content in biochar, read the material
safety data sheet (msds), or better yet, contact the manufacturer of
the biochar.
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Ashes from a fireplace, brush fire, or camp fire (from burning wood or
other carbon materials) are different than biochar. Ashes are the result
of oxygen being present.
This means that all the carbon fuel

has been exhausted and nothing is
left, but high amounts of potassium
and potash, in which used in
moderation, will not be harmful.
Of course, anything in moderation

is okay, but most professionals
would advise that you leave it out.
It can be easy to overdo it and
render the ash as caustic to worms.
I would also agree to not add this into a worm system as not every
ash is the same, and potassium can potentially be a very strong alkali
not suitable in a worm bin. There are plenty of other alternatives.
If you do plan on using it in your soil, please do your due diligence and
research both sides.
 Eggshells are mostly 95% calcium carbonate (CaCO3), calcium

phosphate (CaP), and magnesium carbonate (MgCo3) which is a cheap
and wonderful source as a mineral supplement.
They’re also a good PH buffer and a beneficial

source of grit for your worm’s gizzards.
They’re a great source of the kind of mineral

carbonate that we’re looking for. So what
else is there to say about eggshells other
than how do we use them in the worm bin?
Okay, but first let me give you a word of
caution.
There’s a bit of concern about contracting pathogens like salmonella

and E. coli within the composting community. In addition, did you
know that there are other types of pathogens related to poultry and
eggs other than just these two?
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Salmonella, Clostridium perfringens, Campylobacter, Staphylococcus

aureus, E. coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Norovirus, and
Toxoplasma gondii are all pathogens that can be contracted.
These pathogens aren’t just on eggs or poultry. They can be on many

of the foods we’re already putting into the worm bin. The risk of
contracting many of these pathogens can be severely minimized by
following 1 simple step. Wash your hands thoroughly, and/or wear
rubber gloves. However, contrary to that, I don’t wear gloves of any
sort when working inside a worm bin because I believe there’s a
special bond between the earth and man.
I’m not saying for you to not wear gloves. I don’t know you or your
immune system, but today, in America, we seem to live a backwards
life. More and more parents are keeping their kids in a sanitized
bubble (not literally). The first time they come into contact with a
microbe or a type of virus (usually from others) they get sick or
contract a cold-like symptom.
I grew up in the 1970’s as a kid playing in the dirt, lakes, streams,

gardens, sand boxes, and storm drain systems and was considered to
be in the 90 percentile among healthy kids. My family and I, since
changing our diet in the year 2000, have never visited a doctor for
a sickness of any kind.
I believe some of the best medicine can be found in the garden or a

worm bin. Pathogens don’t stand a chance among so many worms and
beneficial microbes. I come into contact with them so often.
We can also blame the synthetic fertilizers for attacking our immune
systems, nervous systems, respiratory systems, and many other
functions within our bodies. This is why you need to grow your own
produce or buy organic from someone you trust.
Well, this section isn’t supposed to be about me. It’s about using
minerals.
So what’s a good practice to use in order to

avoid these potential pathogens?
After cracking an egg open and using its contents, rinse the eggshell
very well. Use your fingers to determine if you’ve washed all the thick
albumen (the egg white) and yolk off the egg.
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The membrane is the thin white film located on the interior part of the
shell that you rubbed your fingers over to get the albumen off. You
can decide if you want to remove the membrane at this point, but it is
much easier to remove when fresh, soft, and moist.
Note:
Rinsing with hot chlorinated water (city tap water) will be more
effective at killing microbes, but not guaranteed. The chlorine will
eventually gas-off. Pat the eggshell dry so microbes can’t grow in the
presence of moisture, or let them dry on a paper towel. You may also
decide to dry them in an oven or microwave in which I’ll discuss in
more depth.
The eggshell will grind to a fine consistent powder if the membrane, or

most of it, is removed. Grinding the powder as fine as possible will
ensure you that the worms will be able to ingest them.
Cooking the Eggshells

1. Boil eggshells for 5 minutes to clean off all yolk and egg whites.
2. Bake the eggshells on a cookie sheet at 300°F (188°C) for 10
minutes (pull out before browning. Not too important, but may smell)
and grind to a fine powder.
You can skip the boiling and just bake the eggs, but the initial rinsing
and boiling ensures that you get all the egg whites & yolk off the
eggshells. Leave no food behind for microbes. If you’re in a hurry, bag
your eggshells and place them in the freezer for later.
How to Grind Eggshells

There are many ways to grind eggshells into a nice fine powder form.
Remember, it needs to be a fine powder in order for the worms to
ingest the calcium. Tools that that can be used are as follows:
• Coffee Grinder or Spice Grinder -

These are the best to use, in my
experience, as they do a very good
job with almost no effort on your
part. I would suggest that you find a
cheap grinder and use it only to grind
your eggshells or oyster shells.
Grinders are readily available almost
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anywhere.
• Blender or Food Processor - These will work too, but not as well
as the grinders, a word of caution though. Some blenders and food
processor motors can’t handle the amount of torque it takes to
grind minerals resulting in a burnt motor.
Also, the blades may dull and the plastic pitchers/canisters will
become scratched during the grinding process. If you plan to blend
food for your worms, add the minerals last after blending the food a
few times. This will allow the food to coat the minerals and pitcher
or canister, therefore saving your marriage ;) so be sure you know
your appliance.
• Pestle & Mortar - Believe it or not some also use a baseball bat
and bucket.
• Rolling Pin - It’s okay to leave some bigger pieces. Just do the
best you can with what you have. Baking the eggshells longer will
make them crumble easier.
• Hammer - I admire your perseverance and tenacity.
• Sun – Some people leave the eggshells in the hot sun for a few
days and crumble them.
Eggshells can be used for a variety of applications. People even ingest

them as a mineral supplement, just one more good excuse to get
some chickens ;)
 Diatomaceous Earth is among one of my absolute favorites.

Diatomaceous Earth or “DE” food grade contains silicon dioxide (SiO2)
of about 84% - 89% and the other remaining percentages are sodium,
iron, titanium, boron, manganese, copper, zirconium, etc.
Diatomaceous Earth
is the fossilized remains of diatoms
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It’s a living single-celled marine plant

organism with a hard-shelled body.
It’s found in the sedimentary layers
throughout the world. It’s used in a
wide variety of applications from
insecticides to animal food and food
preservation (usually grains) where
much of it is mined in Nevada, US.
There’s one thing I want to stress very clearly when obtaining

Diatomaceous Earth or also called “DE” from here on.
Only purchase Food Grade DE

any other type will be harmful to your health.
DE is also known as Diatomaceous silica, silicon dioxide, diatomite, DE,

Kieselgur (in Europe), and fossil shell flour.
Some sellers have tried to disguise the name DE as “amorphous silica”

in order to convince the buyer that it’s a superior product than DE.
They buy DE in bulk and repackage it under a different label. The truth
is “amorphous silica” IS diatomaceous earth. Yes, they are the same
thing. That would be like calling “water” something like “amorphous
H 2 O”. So don’t be fooled. Call any mining company and they will say
the same thing I am.
If you want the full scope on the many beneficial properties of DE for
animals, people, or its many other uses, please visit all the DE pages.
 http://www.wormfarmingrevealed.com/diatomaceous-earth.html
Will DE Harm Worms? No!

There’s a lot of misinformation going around that DE will harm the
worms. Since DE is ineffective for killing insects when wet (until DE
becomes dry again), then it won’t hurt the worms either. If the worm
was outside of the bin and came into contact with the DE, then yes. It
would dry out the worm. If a worm comes into contact with dry DE, it
simply retracts itself.
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I use it in my chicken coop, on my chickens & goats, and in their food.

I have, many times, gone from the coop to the worm bin and back to
the coop with DE all over my hands.
It only harms/kills hard bodied insects. It's just plain silica, and in
fact, aids in beneficial digesting and grinding of the food while also
benefiting the soil as it contains many good trace minerals.
Using DE in the Worm Bin

I’ve been trying to pioneer the use of DE in worm bins for several
years now as DE aids in digestion, adds trace minerals, and kills
insects.
Some commercial worm farmers are

starting to realize DE's ability as an
insecticide and its overall health benefits
for the worms, plants and people from its
14 beneficial trace minerals. Sprinkling it
in lightly will work just fine. Don’t overdo
it like other minerals. It’s extremely
porous and can tend to dry the •bedding if
you have a system that is well aerated.
Caution on all Dusts:

If you have sensitive lungs, consider wearing a dust mask. Some dusts
can become lodged within the walls of the lungs. If your lungs cannot
process the foreign matter it will remain in the lungs and become
covered in scar tissue. Your lungs will not be able to process oxygen
where there is scar tissue.
Now this “word of caution” may seem a bit over the top for those with
simple worm bins, but for those that are using it heavily for other uses
should be cautious and practice safety.
 Soil will be the most abundant source for containing some minerals as
it can be found anywhere. It’s under your grass, in your garden, and
around your house. I didn’t list this first for a reason. Although soil is a
must for plants and worms to thrive, it’s not the best source for
nutrition or a PH buffer.
Generally, soil is used in the beginning stages of a new worm system
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as it can contain •IMO’s. These microbes help to •inoculate the

•bedding and kitchen scraps with beneficial organisms to speed up the
process of decomposition.
When starting another worm system, adding soil to the new system
isn’t necessary as you’ll carry over the beneficial microbes from the old
system in the form of worm castings.
Soil does contain a bit of grit, but not in the amount that is truly
needed for the worm’s gizzards to digest the food at a faster pace. My
soil, where I live, will not be like your soil. As a matter of fact, it will
even differ from neighbor to neighbor.
So if soil is all you have, use it, but not in great amounts as
composting worms do not eat regular garden or potting soil as a staple
in their diet. If you introduce too much soil, you risk introducing many
unwanted soil organisms that will compete for the food source.
In a nutshell, it may contain some nutrition and minerals, but there’s

no way to tell unless tested.
 Gravel Dust Most gravel used for roads throughout the United States
is from limestone rock quarries. Although I personally have not heard
of anyone going out to the gravel roads and grabbing a little handful of
dust, it certainly is plausible.
If you intend on doing this make sure to rinse the dust thoroughly with
water to rid it of any salts or chemicals if collected in the winter
months. Overall it should be treated like that of agricultural lime and
be good for grit and nutrition.
PH buffering can vary greatly by means of reaction or absorbency

depending on a range of variables like location, elements, batch, etc.
(end of minerals)
I listed quite a few minerals because, unless you have access to the
Internet, your access to minerals may be very limited, but the good news
is… most everyone has access to eggs, right? 
Proper Mineral Use

We’ve learned about how the carbonates can bring a balance to your PH, but
know that you will have a loss of nitrogen from this process. You don’t really
76
need to worry too much about this. When it comes to worm castings, there
is still plenty of nitrogen within the system. Worm castings are relatively low
in •N-P-K ratios than that of chemical fertilizers.
To some people, it‘s important they retain all the nitrogen they can, which is
why I recommend that you first add plenty of carbon-rich material like
shredded paper and cardboard etc., before trying to buffer the PH with a
carbonate mineral. This will soak up plenty of excess acidic liquid plus
increase aeration.
Earlier we discussed the C:N (Carbon to Nitrogen) ratio. If you keep it at

20:1 up to 40:1 (depending on your worm species) you’re more likely to not
run into any acidic or unwanted pest problems. Adding too much nitrogen-
rich food attracts pests, and it also prohibits the oxygen from moving freely
throughout the food causing it to become •anaerobic. This invites the acidic
issues.
With all these minerals, it can be time consuming trying to figure out how
you want to use them in your worm system. There are 3 reasons to use
minerals in your worm bin, as you should already know by now, but I’ll go
over them to refresh your memory.
Why Use minerals in the worm bin?
A. To add grit for their gizzards
B. To increase levels of PH
C. For supplemental/nutritional health
Some notice an immediate increase in cocoon production shortly after

adding minerals, but I consider this to be in the nutritional health in topic C.
Before you look at the chart below, ask yourself what your goals are for
using the minerals.
Minerals come in different particle sizes and have different properties. Some
are great for drainage & aeration, some for nutrition, some for grit, and
some for PH buffering. Many of you are just starting out and don’t have any
idea how you want to use the minerals.
Don’t worry because most minerals are just great to have in the worm bin,
regardless. There’s plenty of time to figure all that out later. In the
meantime, use something simple.
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Mineral Guideline Chart - Print Out
Mineral Nutritional Grit PH Buffer
Agricultural lime ✔ ✔ ✔
Azomite® ✔ ✔ ✔
Glacial Rock Dust ✔ ✔ A
Dolomite ✔ ✔ ✔
Sand ✔ ✔ -
Green Sand ✔ ✔ -
Oyster Shell Flour ✔ ✔ ✔
Bone Meal Powder ✔ ✔ !
Antacid Tablets
! - !
Volcanic/Lava Rock
Dust ✔ ✔ ✔
Zeolite ✔ ✔ ✔
Gypsum
! ! !
Baking Powder/Soda
X X X
Biochar
- ✔ A
Ashes
X X X
Ground Eggshells
✔ ✔ ✔
Diatomaceous Earth ✔ ✔ A
Soil - ✔ -
Gravel Dust ✔ ✔ ✔ A
Legend:
✔ = Ok to use A = Lowers PH via Absorbency

X = Do not Use ! = Use with caution and refer
- = Little to No value to description
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A Stern Warning to
The United States of America!
Most of you reading this book will be growing worms to harvest the castings
and make tea for your plants. The different types of foods you put in are as
important as the types of minerals you put in.
But adding the right foods and minerals to the worm bin is only half
of the equation for growing great plants, in which the main reason is for
your overall health and longevity, unless it’s to grow ornamentals.
You’ll be planting your seeds or seedlings and need to mix your worm
castings with other growth medium, and that includes adding more minerals.
Why do so many minerals exist? Well I won’t get into the industrial side of
the equation, but minerals play a huge role in the agricultural equation.
Our bodies cannot function without vitamins & minerals and the best way to
get them is from plants. When minerals are in small enough particles they
can be consumed by microbes and plant roots. The roots deliver the
microbes (nutrients) to every part of the plant for proper health.
That’s why minerals should be ground to a fine powder so the microbes can
feed on them as well. The minerals become part of the plant in a •colloidal
form. A colloid is a particle so small that it becomes suspended in a liquid
rather than settling to the bottom.
It’s imperative that our bodies consume these colloids so our cells can
function properly in order to deliver nutrients in the form of calcium,
magnesium, iron, cobalt, copper, zinc and on and on. Some minerals help
other vitamins and minerals do their job. They just can’t function without
each other.
The best way to get vitamins & minerals into our bodies is from
plants that have been fed proper minerals.
The foods grown today (even many organic ones) are extremely lacking in
these vital nutrients because we have stripped the land of these vital
nutrients. The worst part of it all is, we haven’t put them back! That’s
why many foods we purchase today must be “fortified” with vitamins and
minerals in an unnatural way. How sad is that?
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Millions of people all over the world are lacking in the vital sustenance that
was once in the ground. We have stolen from the land and are now paying
for it dearly.
I want to share something with you that should be broadcasted by every

media outlet in the world who cares an ounce about the direction we’re
headed. It was a stern warning to the United States senate nearly 80
years ago that appeared in an issue of Cosmopolitan in June, 1936.
It was Senate  Document #264 to the 74th Congress 2nd Session. An

article by Rex Beach entitled,
“MODERN MIRACLE MEN”

RELATING TO PROPER FOOD MINERAL BALANCES BY
DR. CHARLES NORTHEN
Here is the opening excerpt from that document by Rex Beach.
“Do you know that most of us today are suffering from certain
dangerous diet deficiencies which cannot be remedied until the
depleted soils from which our foods come are brought into proper
mineral balance?
The alarming fact is that foods—fruits and vegetables and grains—now

being raised on millions of acres of land that no longer contains
enough of certain needed minerals, are starving us—no matter how
much of them we eat!”
I found this statement profoundly eye-opening and jaw-dropping because it

was 80 YEARS AGO! Imagine what shape our land is in today. You can
certainly grow a plant from a seed by doing nothing at all and it will grow
and bear fruit. But it will look very sick, small and lack essential nutrients.
The only reason farmer’s crops “look” good today is because of the synthetic
chemicals that are pumped into it like that of steroids to a weight lifter. They
aren’t feeding us and they aren’t food to us either. Food is supposed to
nourish us not harm us. I mean no disrespect to famers. It’s not your fault.
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The document went on to read, “99 percent of the American people

are deficient in these minerals, and that a marked deficiency in any
one of the more important minerals actually results in disease.”
The document talks about how we only need trace amounts of minerals to
correct the simplest deficiencies. Even the deadliest of diseases could be
cured and would be easy to implement all across our arable lands.
One more excerpt reads,
“But here is the hopeful side of the picture: Nature can and will
solve it if she is encouraged to do so. The minerals in fruit and
vegetables are colloidal; i.e., they are in a state of such extremely fine
suspension that they can be assimilated by the human system. It is
merely a question of giving back to nature the materials with which
she works.
We must rebuild our soils: Put back the minerals we have taken
out. That sounds difficult but it isn’t. Neither is it expensive. Therein
lies the short cut to better health and longer life.”
But many peers challenged Dr. Northern and called him a crank. I can’t even
say that he got the last laugh, due to rampant sicknesses today because this
is, by no means, any laughing matter. The document ends by saying that
diseases are far easier to prevent than to cure.
I encourage you to go read and heed the warning given to us so long ago.
Incorporate just a few of the minerals that I’ve been discussing. It’s not only
beneficial for the worms and microbes but us too.
"It is simpler to cure sick soils than sick people-
Which shall we choose?”
~ Dr. Charles Northern
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~Ch 10 Setting Up a Worm Bin~
Worm bins can come in all shapes and sizes and by the time you're done
reading this book you just might have plenty of information to come up with
another kind of worm farming bin of your own.
Although by now, I'm sure you’re squirming to get started. You might want
to consider a few options first so you'll know which container best fits your
needs. It's always been said, as easy as it is to start worm farming in bins,
the small-scale bins are actually the hardest. Sooo…
Size Really Does Matter!
In the event there's some kind of imbalance, there is little room for the
worms to escape to in a small bin. The store-bought, plastic-tote worm bins,
although cheap, provide the basic needs of composting worms. These are
one of the more difficult containers to start with, although still very popular.
They are good trainers but tend to hold in moisture quite a bit.
The important thing to remember is that, the bigger the container is, the
more room your worms will have. Why does this matter? You are providing
their •habitat. It will be their entire world for the rest of their lives.
So you’ll need to mimic nature as best as you can. If something does go

wrong (just like in nature) they’ll have somewhere to go until the problem is
corrected, either naturally or by you. The last thing you want is for worms to
be crawling all over your floor. 
With that being said, I want to go over some basics that are important for
ALL worm composting bins no matter what size, shape, or material you
choose to go with. I have also created a “cheat-sheet” for you to print out. I
call it the 5 basic principles or The Five-Step Success to Worm Composting.
I’ll get into this soon, but for now, let’s briefly discuss how to properly set up
a worm bin.
Bedding (carbon)
Bedding, bedding, and more bedding. This is
probably the most important of all inside the
worm composting bin when first starting out.
Bedding can make or break the farm.
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It increases air/oxygen flow. It provides plenty of carbon rich supplements.

It helps soak up nitrogen-rich acids and brings a good balance to the
system. It also helps to hold in moisture and last, but not least, increases
your cocoon production. Worms love the long-lasting energy within the
carbon as they know that it will be there for the next generation.
When adding the bedding to your composting bins, think of materials that
are spongy and porous like straw, corrugated cardboard pieces, and
shredded paper. I believe the browner (more organic) the paper, the better
and tastier it is for the worms.
Don't forget that you really can’t add too much bedding.
Greens (nitrogen)
You’ve already learned what greens are in the
feeding section of the book. Always add greens
in moderate amounts to avoid high acidic,
anaerobic, and excess moisture levels.
Remember, coffee looks brown, but it’s still a

green. Even bread can be toasted brown.
You shouldn't have to add very much (or any) water to the system. This
depends on how wet your greens are or the type of system you’re using. A
plastic bin, with the lid, holds in moisture and doesn’t breathe well. Adding
plenty of air holes around the bin is important. We will discuss this later.
Worm bins don’t stink if properly taken care of, but don't put too many foods
in like broccoli (or foods from the cabbage family) as this normally has a
strong odor. However, if well covered by 2 or more inches (5 or more
centimeters) of bedding and left undisturbed, the odor will be faint to
nonexistent.
Aeration, moisture, and drainage

These go together and depend heavily on gravity, •ventilation, and the
worm’s ability to move around in the bedding.
If water isn't properly draining, the moisture percentage will rise. If oxygen
can't penetrate, the bin is too moist from, either direct watering, or from
nitrogen-rich foods. On the other hand, if it becomes too dry, the food
source may dry up along with your worms.
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The worms may also go into hibernation or in search of another food source.
You'll find that keeping it too moist is much better than letting it become too
dry.
Adequate ventilation is a must at all times. As gas is emitted from the

top of the compost, oxygen is drawn in from the bottom. Be sure to put your
holes in the right places. Worms themselves are great aerators and they'll
help you out whenever possible. Keep in mind the damp sponge theory.
Note:
If you don't have the perfect conditions for your worms, don't be overly
concerned. Sometimes the condition will not become ideal until you add the
worms. Sometimes they'll move completely out of the food source and cling
to the walls of the worm bin until conditions are corrected by you or by
nature.
Worms, on occasion, can be migratory. They'll move to a section of the bin

they feel comfortable with, then move back into the bedding when
conditions are favorable. You'll get the hang of it pretty quick and when you
feel comfortable, you'll stop checking on them so much.
I've had worm bins that I’ve neglected for a couple of months before and
when I lifted the lid, it was business as usual, but the population had thinned
some. I only got away with it because it was a plastic tote that held in
moisture very well. I don’t encourage that you leave your bins unattended
for 2 months, because your populations will indeed suffer.
I'm sure I could have left it for longer, but miss my worms and end up lifting
the bin every other day to let them know I care. I know...I'm crazy! But
you'll learn to love your little poopers too.
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Let’s Build a Worm Bin Together!
This is for those of you that would like to start out simple or might be on a
shoestring budget. You don't need fancy worm composting bins to start a
worm farm.
In the video tutorial (link below) I show you what foods to add and not to
add, and discuss briefly about the materials (C:N) to be used.
 Setting up a Worm Bin Using a Plastic Container in Detail
The video shows a little too much nitrogen. The smell may be strong. It’s
better to add only a small handful and cover it well with carbon.
Text Tutorial
What you will need:

1. Two 18-gallon plastic totes. These will be Bin #1 & Bin #2. Don't go any
smaller if you can help it. Give your worms some room.
2. Two support blocks of any kind 2 - 4 inches high to put in the bottom bin.
3. A power drill and 1/8 up to 1/4 inch drill bit
4. Cardboard, newspaper, and kitchen scraps
5. Handful of fine soil (this introduces different microbes until you have
worms)
6. Water (unchlorinated)
Step #1
First begin by drilling holes into bin #1.
You will be drilling in three different

locations. Start on top of the lid.
Next, drill holes around the sides of the
bin about 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the top at
6-inch spacing (15 cm).
85
Next, drill holes on the underneath just as you did on top of the lid. If there
are any places on the bottom of the bin, where water will pool, go ahead and
drill a few holes in that area.
The holes are a little closer in the picture, but the drill bit was smaller. All it
needs is a few holes. The gas expels very slowly so there is no need to get
crazy.
You do not have to drill holes in the lid. Some people like to stack bins
or other things on top of the worm bin so omitting holes in the lid is fine.
Step #2
Place the support blocks into

bin #2.
Place bin #1 into bin #2.
Step #3
Tear all the pieces of cardboard, shredded
newspaper, etc. and fill bin #1 to about 4
inches (10 Cm). This is the first layer of
bedding. Moist coco coir is a wonderful
bedding as well.
Next, add a small layer of kitchen scraps

and sprinkle a handful of soil all around.
You want to maintain around a 20:1 Carbon
to Nitrogen ratio.
This isn't rocket science so don't be concerned about getting the recipe
exact.
Next, add another layer of bedding. Be sure that it covers the kitchen scraps
well by about 2 - 4 inches (5-10 Cm). You don't want it to smell too badly
when you lift the lid.
Remember, freezing and thawing the scraps will allow the food to break
down faster.
86
Step #4
Just add water. This stage is not too critical on the amount of water
since you will not be implementing your worms yet. You won’t need very
much water as the lid will hold in a lot of moisture, and the dry carbon
bedding will eventually become soaked with moisture.
The water will drain into the bottom bin sufficiently and the soil you added
will serve as grit and a catalyst to activate the microbial community. The
eggshells will add grit and nutrition to the worms, if you’ve added any.
Now is a good time to purchase composting worms. Remember, most
suppliers don't ship until Monday. This ensures delivery by the weekend to
avoid having worms sitting at the parcel company over the weekend.
If you've already jumped the gun and have your worms, set them free. I
mean, in your worm bin of course. 
Note:
It is preferred to let the food get warm (if it even does) and decay before
introducing the worms to the bin. If you only put in a small amount of
kitchen scraps, it shouldn't get warm. This also depends on the type of
scraps you placed in the bin.
Adhere to the "KISS" method (keep it simple stupid) and just add a
small handful of scraps in the beginning.
Step #5
Add the worms after waiting 1 to 2 weeks (preferred).
Note:
Don't be too concerned if they start crawling all over the place or maybe
outside the bin a little bit. They're just trying to get adjusted to their
surroundings for the first couple of days.
They’re stressed out from the journey and don't know what home is yet.
Hint:
Leave the light on in the room, or put a small light near, but not too close to
the worm bin if it's a hot bulb. In time, your worms will go down into the
bedding, if not immediately.
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This completes the DIY worm bin text tutorial.
5 Basic Principles to Worm Composting (Go to smaller Print-out Version))
Should you ever lose this book and don’t remember much from it, I want
you to at least remember these 5 basic elements that make a worm bin
function. I’ll call it the “vermicode” to live by.
I receive several questions each month about worm farming problems. Most
of my answers always seem to point back to 5 basic fundamentals, or
elements, that composting worms need in order to thrive.
So I've come up with a "cheat-sheet" that beginners and intermediates can

reflect on from time to time. They are the basic elements in which
composting worms need for optimal productivity.
1. Cool 4. Food
2. Moist 5. Air
3. Dark 6. Privacy
You'll notice that last one is "privacy". While this is important it's not crucial
to remember. I would rather keep the list shorter to make it easier to
remember, and "privacy" is really not an element as much as it is a piece of
mind.
While you do have to maintain the worm bin, let's look at "privacy" more as
"less disturbance".
Remember, the literature below is ONLY a guideline.
While composting worms can indeed live outside these zones, the best worm
environments thrive upon the fundamentals of...
The Five-Step Success to Worm Composting
1. Cool - The right temperatures for your species of worm

While composting worms can certainly live outside their comfort zone,
keeping temperatures around 55°F – 75°F (13°C -18°C) will be optimal.
I'll talk later about synergistics, but sometimes if you can get 2 or 3 steps
right, others seem to fall into place. For instance, if you have the right
temperature and darkness, just add the food, and the worms do the rest.
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The food contains moisture and the worms will naturally aerate the soil. If
you keep your bins in a basement, like I do, you'll never have to worry
about temperature if you have a cool enough basement.
2. Moist - Damp sponge theory...just right!

“You have to squeeze it to get water out.” The “damp sponge” theory has
always been the standard. There’s always an allowance to deviate for
everything in worm composting. It can be slightly wetter and slightly dryer.
Generally, the worm bin should always get enough moisture from the •food
you put in. Always keep a spray bottle next to the bin to help control
moisture. It may dry out on top first. When this happens… Spritz It!
In short,
a. The worm castings should stay together when squeezed, but you don’t
want it to drip if you barely squeeze it either.
b. If it falls apart after squeezed, then it’s too dry or on the verge of
becoming dry.
Keep burlap, damp sheets of newspaper, or equivalent on top of the

material to keep in moisture.
If the sheets on top start to dry, spraying often will create a moist
environment. The spraying frequency will depend on the type of bin you
have or food you're adding.
3. Dark - No Light at All!

Just like in nature, composting worms are found under the decaying material
during daylight hours. Their skin is extremely sensitive to light and if
exposed too long, will die.
Your worm bin is a synthetic copy of their natural •habitat at optimal

conditions. Chances are, your worm bin is already light proof. If going the
D-I-Y route, make sure you use opaque and not amorphous colors for your
walls.
4. Food - Proper amounts

The #1 cause of death to worms by most beginners is OVERFEEDING!
This causes excess moisture/water. The worms can’t keep up with the food
supply. You'll hear many people say that worms can eat their entire weight
in food every day. This is overrated.
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It’s just not true. Especially when starting from scratch. Beginner worm
farmers get very excited and many jump in without a good
knowledge of feeding rations. I call this “low information” enthusiasts.
They order 1 lb. (453g) of worms and feed them 1 week’s supply of food.
Imagine! That's 7 lbs. (3.18 kg) of food sitting in the worm bin and some
worms just won't eat until they get adapted to their new environment. I'm
embarrassed! This was me when I first started.
This causes the food to turn acidic, smell, create excess moisture, and block
the oxygen from penetrating. All of this invites unwanted pests into the
worm bin.
Feed the worms 2 generous handfuls of food per 1 pound (453 g) of worms
in one area of the worm bin. Keep it under the •bedding material or under
the worm castings by at least 2 inches (5cm). When you see the food nearly
gone, feed another handful (+ or -) per pound of worms.
You’ll get the hang of how much food the worms will need as time
progresses.
5. Air - proper •ventilation

Most manufactured worm bins have good ventilation, but if you have a
plastic bin or some other D-I-Y system be sure to create ventilation holes.
As methane gas is released from top it draws in oxygen from underneath the
bedding. As worms turn through the bedding they will aerate the material on
their own, creating ventilation chambers for oxygen to pass through.
One difference between nature and a man-made worm bin...Wind!
In a man-made system, there are walls that separate worms from the
outside world, thus blocking the passage of forced air through the worm
bedding.
Along with forced air, worms wriggle and create burrows and/or gaps in the
soil. This promotes the movement of oxygen for plant roots and organisms
to breathe. Don't worry though, as long as you have good ventilation the
worm's wriggling and the release of gasses will work just fine.
The Five-Step Success to Worm Composting

can already happen without human intervention.
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In nature, these 5 factors play off each other in a synergistic sort of way.
For example, if it's moist, it can also be cool because when air passes
through the bedding, the bedding becomes cool due to the evaporation
process.
When it is dark then it's depleted of the sunlight making it cooler. When
food is added, it introduces moisture, which starts the synergistics all over
again.
Confused yet? Okay, let's just call it vermi-synergisticism. Now you're
confused ;)
Of course, all this should take place in the privacy of their (the worm’s) own
home. This is actually our 6th factor. When there are no predators around,
the worms are happy and productive.
It's very common to check on worm bins once a day, and I hope you do
when just starting out, but as you get more experienced you'll learn to know
when they need feeding or need more moisture based on your own system.
Lastly, but not crucial in the five-steps
6. Privacy - Do not disturb...except for maintenance.
This isn’t really a priority to remember. I just want to stress that the less
disturbed your worms are, the more productive they will be.
The more you lift the lid and hold your cuddly little worms (because you love
them so much), the more they'll think of you as a predator. They'll be less
•prolific.
Check on your worms 1-2 times/week or more or less as you see fit.
These 5 basic elements are what makes a worm bin tick. Even in nature it
applies.
You don't have to be spot-on in worm composting. Worms are the most
forgiving creatures on the planet and they'll always give you a lot of wiggle
room ~~~~;) Ha!
So, print-out below, the Five-Step Success to Worm Composting the next
time something just doesn't seem right. Go through the checklist and keep it
next to your worm bin, on your refrigerator, or under your pillow at night. 
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Or if you can remember, ask yourself these 5 questions - Is it...?
1. Cool - Right temps

2. Moist -Damp sponge theory...just right!
3. Dark - No light
4. Food - In moderation
5. Air - Proper ventilation
“Success consists of going from failure to failure

without loss of enthusiasm.”
-Winston Churchill
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Worm Composting Cheat-Sheet  Print Out

A 5-Step Approach to Any Successful Worm Bin
1. Cool
While composting worms can certainly live outside their comfort zone keeping temperatures around
55 – 75°F will be optimal (13 - 24°C). Know your worm’s comfort zone.
2. Moist
“You have to squeeze it to get water out.” The “damp sponge” theory has always been the standard.
There’s always an allowance to deviate for everything in worm composting. It can be slightly wetter and
slightly dryer. Generally, the worm bin should always get enough moisture from the foods you put in.
Always keep a spray bottle next to the bin to help control moisture. It may dry out on top first. When
this happens …Sprits It!
a. The worm castings should stay together when squeezed, but you don’t want it to drip when you
barely squeeze it either.
b. If it falls apart after squeezed, it’s too dry.
Keep burlap, damp sheets of newspaper, or equivalent on top of the material to keep in moisture.
3. Dark
Just like in nature, composting worms are found under the decaying material during daylight hours.
Your worm bin is a synthetic copy of their natural habitat at optimal conditions. Chances are your worm
bin is already light proof. If going the D-I-Y route, make sure you use dark and not amorphous colors.
4. Food
The #1 cause of death to worms by most beginners is OVERFEEDING! This causes excess moisture/water.
The worms can’t keep up with the food supply. This causes the food to turn sour, smell, and block the
oxygen from penetrating through the bedding. All of this invites unwanted chaos into the system.
Feed the worms 2 generous handfuls of scraps per 1 lb of worms in one area of the worm bin. Keep it
under the material by at least 2 inches. When you see the food almost gone, feed some more.
5. Air
Most manufactured worm bins have good aeration, but if you have a plastic bin or some other D-I-Y
system be sure to create ventilation holes. As methane gas is released from top it draws in oxygen from
underneath the bedding. As worms turn through the bedding they will aerate the material on their own
creating ventilation chambers for oxygen to pass through.
6. Privacy – This isn’t really a priority to remember. I just want to stress that the less disturbed your
worms are, the more productive they will be. Check on the worms 1-2 times/week or more or less.
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Choosing a Location
When it comes to choosing a location, there remain really only two BIG
choices, indoor or outdoor. Whichever way you decide to choose, location
will still be an issue.
Outside Systems
If choosing to have a worm composting

system outdoor, there are some pros and
cons to consider.
Negative/positive factors that you

should keep in mind…
1. Sun/Temperature (pro/con)
Place your worm bin in an area where it gets plenty of shade by a tree,
house, or any other type of structure that would obstruct the sun from
overheating the bin.
If you intend to have a bin throughout the winter, it may be a good

idea to utilize the sun’s rays to heat it for a few hours of the day. This
greatly depends on the type of worm system and condition of the
wintery season in your area.
The con is the cold temperatures in which there are ways of dealing
with this using plenty of natural insulation.
2. Rain (pro/con)
Another element you’ll want to consider is the rain. Although a worm
bin needs moisture, potential flooding will cause the bin to drown your
worms and microbial community. Within this situation lie a host of
problems. Some outdoor systems can be rained upon if it’s not a
heavy storm. Make sure it has adequate drainage at the bottom.
If you live somewhere more arid, or rainstorms are not frequent, then
the rains can be a blessing since you will not have to manually moisten
the bedding/compost pile.
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3. Predators (con)
Animals will be another factor to consider like mice, moles, raccoon,
chickens, dogs, etc. Be sure to bury any kitchen scraps well within the
bedding if it’s an open compost pile or system animals can get into.
Some type of wire mesh (hardware cloth) on the bottom will prevent
underground animals from getting in.
There are many outdoor systems that can be built out of wood, metal,
and plastic to keep annoying predators from getting into the system.
They’ll feast on kitchen scraps or your worms.
4. Pests (con)
This is just part of the composting process. You will not be able to
keep many pests out of your worm bin, but not all pests are pesky
either. There are many types of beneficial creatures that will become
part of the composting process.
However, a word of caution to those that would like to bring their

systems back indoors. You are literally bringing the outdoors into your
home. This means spiders, insects, and all their eggs too. There are
ways to prevent or kill many of them in which we’ll discuss in chapter
19.
5. Wind (pro/con)
Wind is sort of a non-issue, but this really depends on the design of
the systems. If it’s an open system with no lid or tarp, the watering
maintenance will be high. If you seek to keep as much wind out to
prevent the system from drying out too rapidly, you’ll need to have a
fairly secure tarp or lid in place. Be sure it has plenty of ventilation
though.
Having too much wind, especially in windy cities, can dry out a bin or
compost pile rather quickly. Having a nice calm breeze will ensure you
that the worm system is getting plenty of oxygen if your vent holes
are adequate. It also allows the moisture to evaporate at a slow
steady pace causing the bin to keep cool on a hot day.
6. Competition (pro/con)
I almost left this one out but thought that it would be beneficial for
some. If you decide to start a compost pile and add composting worms
to it, you should expect some indigenous worm species to appear over
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time.
This is not at all a negative factor if your intention is only to •recycle,

culture worms for pet food, or generate worm castings. If your
intention is to breed them to increase the population of a certain
specie (for the business side), you should consider this as a major
factor in an outdoor compost pile.
This is one of the reasons why many commercial worm farmers culture
their worms indoors, and for many of the factors listed above. It’s very
common for outdoor commercial growers to have a mixed breed of
worms. This is why they cannot guarantee that your •bed-run order
will be 100% pure stock. This is not too common, but can be with
certain suppliers.
The “pro” side is the fact that you will have many more worms
creating the wonderful worm castings that you’re seeking. Thus,
making your compost pile very diversified in worms AND worm
castings. You might even decide to start raising a particular indigenous
specie that you didn’t have to purchase otherwise. More on this topic
later.
Indoor Systems
Clearly this is the preferred way to go if you

have the space and don’t mind the looks of a
worm bin (whether commercial or homemade)
sitting in your house.
It will definitely become a conversational piece

and help get others involved.
I can’t count how many times my guests and I have talked about our worm
bins. You really never know which direction the conversation will go next.
I cannot say that there are many drawbacks, like that of the outdoor
systems, but I’ll list both pros and cons in this section.
1. Climate Controlled (Pro)

This is one of the best benefits to having your worms indoor
throughout the year. You can control the climate. Generally, if you feel
comfortable, the worms do to. Many species enjoy temperatures not
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uncommon to the way we like it.
These temperatures can range from 60 to 75°F (23.8 to 15.5°C) which

is considered a safe zone for most composting worms. Keeping the
worms in a basement is perfect all year round. This will depend on how
well your basement is insulated and what part of the world you live in
of course. My basement stays a constant 65 – 72°F (18.3 to 22.2°C)
all year round.
Having a climate stay at a constant, whether in temperature or

moisture, will ensure that your worms remain productive on a
continual basis.
2. Bugs & Pests (Pro/con)

You’ll always have some type of bug in your indoor or outdoor bin. The
question is, are they friend or foe and out of control?
You’re culturing a tiny eco system and there will always remain tiny
creatures like spider mites, springtails, pot worms, etc. These bugs are
actually beneficial to the entire system, but their numbers can get out
of hand at times. However, there are ways of keeping these beneficial
bugs to a minimum, which I’ll talk about in chapter 19.
On the other hand, there can be organisms that just can’t resist the
rotten kitchen scraps and anaerobic smells emitting from the worm
bin. This is a definite con as such insects, like the •black soldier fly and
fruit flies, can prove to be overwhelming.
But whether beneficial or not, these bugs, if too numerous, will be too
overwhelming for the worms as they will compete for the food supply.
The worms will scatter out of the bin or head down to the bottom just
to get away from the unwanted and uninvited “guests”.
3. Limited Space (con)

Many worm farmers, whether starting out brand new or an expert,
have a difficult time figuring out where to place a new worm bin.
Those who are experienced are always wanting to expand, and
depending on where you live, can definitely feel the constraints of
confined spaces. The benefit of the great outdoors is an unlimited
amount of space, but as for the indoors, I will attempt to give you
some ideas.
The possibilities really are endless. I used to keep mine in my room

and kitchen when I first started when my family lived in a townhouse.
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Other places to keep them are bathrooms, laundry rooms, under the
kitchen sink, closets, and utility rooms. Even on step landings going up
or down.
A garage is another possibility, but unless heated, the overall

production will decrease every time the temperature decreases. As
long as it doesn’t freeze your worms will survive. Placing them into an
insulated box is beneficial. A garage can also become very hot if there
is no air conditioning.
One of my readers, Karen from California, lives in a studio apartment.

If her apartment manager discovered her tub of worms, she would
most certainly have to get rid of them. She figured out a clever place
to hide them and right out in the open too. It’s under her kitchen
table, but you can’t see it because of the table cloth. She simply lifts
the lid, feeds the worms, and it slides right back under the table. 
Since she’s knowledgeable at worm composting there’s no smell that

would otherwise alert her prying, suspicious manager.
4. Convenient (pro)
This needs no explanation.
5. Safety (pro)
This doesn’t need much emphasis either, but contrary to an outside
system, you have the ability to monitor the overall safety and protect
it from potential dangers and harsh elements.
One word of caution though, I have heard stories of cats using worm
bins as litter boxes. So be wary.
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~Ch 11 Many Types of Worm Systems~
There are literally hundreds of different styles of worm composting systems

that range from a shoebox up to giant-sized industrial systems that hold
millions of worms. My focus for you now is to help you choose which one will
best meet your need either financially, practically, or both. The only way for
me to accomplish this is by giving you choices.
Now that you might have a better

understanding of where you’d like to
place your worm bin system, let’s look at
a few systems that might work well with
the location you have in mind.
Don’t worry about choosing any worm

species at this point. Most composting
worms will do great in any worm
composting system.
There are currently 3 types of worm systems.
1. Static System – SS This is the most typical type of worm bin. It’s
generally a container with 4 walls, a bottom, and a lid (optional). It’s
made from any material in which the compost & castings stay in one
place while being processed. In other words, as the material is being
worked and consumed by the worms, it remains where you placed it,
along with the worms as it converts into the finished castings.
You will then need to dump the contents of the system onto a table
and meticulously hand process the castings by sorting the castings
from the worms. Static systems are much cheaper or free, but not as
easy to process the finished castings, worms, or •cocoons.
2. Flow-Through System – FTS This is a system in which fresh

material is added to the top and finished product is collected from a
bottom tray-like container with minimal disturbance to the system.
Most of these •FTS (or FT) systems are comprised of a series of

removable trays. This gives the user the ability to remove portions of
the contents of the system, mainly the bottom portion for the
extraction of finished worm castings.
Worms always follow the food source so they stay at or near the top or
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where the food is positioned. Some FTS have up to 8 trays allowing

the system to be used as a storage container or to produce castings
faster by housing several thousand worms. Waiting to harvest the
bottom tray allows for the worms and baby worms (recently hatched
from cocoons) to migrate upward toward the food supply.
3. Continuous Flow-Through System - CFTS They are also known as

a Flow-Through Reactor FTR. These systems are usually the ones that
have everybody drooling. They can be very expensive, but you’ll be
glad to know that you can make them yourself on the cheap with a
little bit of ingenuity and elbow grease.
This system reigns supreme because it requires the least amount of

effort on your part. It has 4 walls, and no top or bottom. Some choose
to have a top, but it depends on the circumstance.
The bottom has a wire mesh or a “false bottom” in which a bar, blade,
or brush scrapes along the undercarriage where the finished castings
are suspended. The scraping action breaks the castings loose and they
fall to the floor for harvesting.
The process really has no beginning or end. It’s just one continual flow
of material from top to bottom. The worms never move up or down,
but rather stay in one level of the system, near the top where the food
source is. As castings are scraped from the bottom, the entire contents
of the system drops slightly. How much drops, truly depends on the
amount of worm castings harvested.
If one harvested 3 inches (7.62cm) of castings, then one can assume

to add 3 inches of fresh material. Of course, there will be the
evaporation of moisture. So, one could add a bit more over time, but
this would also depend on the type of fresh material being used. The
amount of moisture being maintained is another factor.
You learned in the “vermicode” that one of the factors to a successful

system is privacy (Code #6) and this system has nearly all the privacy
the worms could want in a man-made environment (which is better
than in nature). Well, except for the usual knock from you,
“housekeeping!”. 
Now that you understand the 3 different types of worm systems, we can
break them down into 2 different categories.
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Homemade & Commercial
While there are several good commercial systems on the market, some of
the best ones are homemade and even better than some manufactured bins.
As a matter of fact, there are several businesses using buckets and
plastic totes to run their operations. So for the next several pages, we’re
going to be focusing on the homemade bins and even some that mimic
commercial reactors.
You will read testaments from several people with many different successful
setups. I want you to get a full understanding of how they’re making it work
for them so you can make it work for you, no matter which system you
choose to raise your worms in.
There’s no need to buy the fancy-shmancy commercial-style worm bins

when there are plenty of useful things lying around the house that can be
repurposed. It’s just amazing to see some of the things people are using
these days to •culture their worms. Let these bins be your inspiration
whether you plan to copy success or come up with something of your own.
Various Homemade Worm Bins
Earlier, we built a •static worm bin together using a plastic tote. This is
primarily the standard in the industry for homemade style worm bins.
When first starting out, especially if you’re on a shoestring budget, is to

build a homemade static bin. This system can be ANY container as long as it
has adequate space for the worms to thrive in.
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I’ve seen containers as large as hot tubs and I’ve seen them as small as a
shoebox. There can be issues with both large and small static systems. If it’s
too large, the practicality of turning, sifting, and feeding etc., can become
too cumbersome. If the system is too small, there’s nowhere for the worms
to go in the event the system begins to fail.
My first bin was a plastic tote, like the one in the

picture cleverly under the laundry basket. I STILL
use a plastic tote, and considering my experience,
you may be asking yourself why I do.
I culture worms using 4 different methods (as of

this writing) and the biggest reason for using a
plastic tote is to keep in touch with my roots.
It can be easy to forget where you came from and

the issues you dealt with should you ever become
out of touch with your worm farming roots.
I’m not trying to preach anything here. It’s just a personal preference for
me. PLUS, it keeps me fresh and on top of my game when others need help
troubleshooting their static bin issues.
My Method for Using a Static Bin
I place large amounts of moist carbon material mixed with moist goat
manure in the bottom (at least 6 inches or 15 cm). I sprinkle in generous
amounts of minerals. I bury extremely small amounts of kitchen scraps
under the bedding material. These 4 materials are a nutrient-dense food
supply. When I start a new bin, it’s generally because the old bin is getting
too full. I’ll let the old bin set about a month or so to allow the bin to...
Mature the Cast ~ All food to be Consumed ~ Hatch Cocoons
This allows for the worms and time to do most of the work. Enticing worms
to come to the surface or in one area is simple. I Use pumpkin, squash,
melon, cucumber, or corn flour etc. The next day I scrape off the top few
inches of the contents of the bin and place it in the new bin.
This harvests most of the worms, any food left over, and some very
beneficial castings for the microbial •inoculation of the new bin. This allows
you to omit sprinkles of fresh dirt from outside. The types of microbes in the
castings are perfect for the bedding in the new bin.
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Next, I cover everything with a few sheets of damp newspaper in the new
bin. Using a lid is optional. At times, a may use a lid, but this depends on the
moisture content of the system.
So what do I do with the old bin?
I let it set for as long as it needs to. The castings need a few weeks to even
a few months to mature. The maturity of the castings is a personal
preference though. If you’re using these static bins for making
Vermicompost (VC) to sell, then allowing the VC to fully mature is advised.
During this time, the cocoons will hatch and

the •hatchlings will join the few worms that
remained behind from the initial transfer to
the new bin.
This may not seem important to some, but it

really is paramount that some worms remain
in the old bin to continue to work the
material.
This will allow the 10% or so of bedding/food (C/N) to be consumed for the
next few weeks. This is considered the curing/refining process. The worms
will continue to move throughout the bedding converting all the unbeneficial
microbes (and even any harmful pathogens) into 99% beneficial worm
castings. VC may perhaps never be entirely 100% Worm Castings.
I have 3 types of indoor worm composting systems. I keep them out of the
way on the landing of my basement stair case. The •ambient temperature is
very comfortable to me. They’re extremely productive so I know that the
worms are comfy too.
When it’s time harvest the castings

from the static bin, flow-through, or
•continuous flow-through I store
them in breathable plastic totes like
the totes in the pictures.
So What Do I Do With the Left

Over Worms?
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When I harvest or “rapture” worms from the old bin to place in the new bin I
always have some worms “left behind”. Eventually these worms will need to
go somewhere. Composting worms can live in their own poop for quite a
while. After all, the castings are only beneficial microbes and even though
we can’t see any food particulates, it doesn’t mean there isn’t any in there.
Harvesting is simple. You can use the Connie Method in chapter 16 or you
can scrape the interior sides of the tote. Castings should be kept moist so
you’ll want to leave a lid on the tote. Remember, the tote should have a few
holes drilled in it, just enough to allow the exchanges of gas.
Leaving the lid on creates a very moist environment. Moisture will condense
on the interior walls providing a favorable surface for worms to crawl.
As worms crawl on the surface they can be scraped off and transferred to
the new bin leaving behind the 99% mature castings. The percentage of
maturity will vary depending on what materials were used for the bedding.
It’s common to see sticks, large chunks of •minerals, and other material.
What about the Bugs?
In the initial transfer of carbon, nitrogen, and worms over to the new bin,
you will also leave behind other organisms. These can be some organisms
such as mites, springtails, pot worms, soldier fly larvae, fruit flies etc.
Hopefully your system doesn’t contain all these. If so, you have too much
•nitrogen foods in the bin. Eventually, all other organisms will die off due to
the absence of nitrogen-rich foods. A bin full of castings just isn’t their food
source. Soon, I’ll have more castings than I know what to do with
(Yeah Right...said no one!) 
I failed my first time using these static bins,

but it was all that I had at the time.
I was desperate to find something natural to feed my plants and was willing
to give worm •farming a try. As a matter of fact, I gave it more than one try
after killing off my first batch of worms, but failing is DEFINITELY no excuse
to give up! So for those of you with the attitude saying,
“I’ll start when… [fill in excuse here] then I’ll be ready”
Can go ahead and stop coming up with lame “buy-some-time” excuses. They
don’t work now and they won’t work 5 years from now either. You’re running
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out of time, and if you can get the small things right, you’ll eventually get
the big things right. I’m sorry I had to give you that little kick in the “you
know what”, but we All need it sometime and I needed it years ago too. 
Scotty, in chapter 12, actually uses plastic totes for his worm business.
“The measure of who we are is what we do with what we have”.

~Vince Lombardi
Our next worm bin system was setup by Robert Bishop of Cedar Mountain,
North Carolina. He calls it a “Flow-through Outdoor Vermicompost System”
that he built from wood. I will let him share his story.
Homemade Bin #2
I thought that I would describe the work I have done with the camp
vermicomposting bins, and share what I have encountered so far.
The Bins:
We have an outdoor 3-bay
wooden composting setup. Each
bay (bin) is approx. 4 ft x 3 ft x 4
ft deep (1.22m x .91m x 1.22m).
Each bay is separated by a

removable frame that has 1/8"
(3mm) hardware cloth, which
allows for migration between
each bay.
The bin has removable fronts for cleaning/emptying, and each top is a
hinged wooden frame with metal roofing attached. The back sides of the
compost bins are vented with 1/8" hardware cloth at the top, middle, and
bottom. The entire frame is set approx. 4" (10.16cm) into the earth, and
has an open bottom for drainage.
The bins are not insulated in any way, and are exposed to heat and
cold extremes.
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Starting Conditions:
When I started working with the

compost bins in 2008, they had not
been very well cared for, yet the few
worms I found inside seemed to be
doing well despite their living
conditions.
Bin #1
Contained sticks, wood chips, pine needles, leaves, and a little bit of food
that had been mostly composted. The bin was approx. 2/3rds composted. I
separated the worms from the bin materials, screened out the finished
compost, and removed all the pine needles, hard wood and other woody
materials.
I placed fresh bedding materials (shredded newspaper and cardboard),

semi-composted food from the other bins, and leaves in to the bin, added all
the worms I found in the 3 bins and started fresh.
Bin #2
Was filled with completed compost and a mixture of unprocessed wood
chips. I screened the wood chips out, and had a medium sized
wheelbarrow full of finished compost, very nice, clean, and rich with
a wonderful, earthy aroma. This compost went into bin#3 to cure.
Bin #3
Contained wood chips, sawdust, leaves, sticks, and some decomposing
veggies. I cleaned this bed completely out and placed all the finished
compost into it to cure out.
A local worm farm provided us with a mixed batch of bed-run red worms and
red wigglers, approx 5 pounds plus cocoons.
I added them into bin #1, along with two 18-gallon (68.1 liter) tubs of
kitchen scraps and two 30-gallon trash cans of brown, semi-composted
leaves. I checked and watered the bins 2-3 times a week, and the staff
added small amounts of fresh food waste daily.
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Fast forward to 2014
The bins are producing a large

wheelbarrow of fresh compost
every 4-6 weeks, and the worm
population is constantly growing.
The staff adds food waste every
day, and adds paper and leaves
as needed to keep a proper mix
of brown/green.
I can't tell you the exact amount, but I do estimate we have around
50,000 - 60,000 worms working. Even after a particularly cold winter we
lost very few worms, and the population is very healthy and active.
The system is used to enrich our gardens and landscaping, and we teach
Environmental Education students about the value and importance of
vermicomposting and reducing waste. (end)
 To see more of Robert’s photos head to the links below:

wormfarmingrevealed.com/flowthrough-outdoor-vermicompost-system.html (original)
wormfarmingrevealed.com/roberts-flow-through-outdoor-vermicompost-system.html(update)
Homemade Bin #3
Our next worm setup comes all the way across the pond from the Republic
of Ireland. He goes by the name, Egg Bear. This is one of my favorite
systems due to its convenience and practicality.
I now introduce you to Egg Bear.
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“The reason I started this bin was

because my partner wanted to compost
the leftovers from the kitchen.
As I had been farming worms for about

a year and had gained some good ideas
from the internet, I decided I liked the
idea of a continuous flow-through bin,
as it would make harvesting very easy.
The castings are used on the shrubs and

flowers we have in our home. I do have
other bins which I put only organically
grown materials into, as the castings
are used for our fruit and vegetables.
The bin cost virtually nothing to

make (I had bought the bamboo the
previous year for about 2 euro) as I
used materials that were at our home.
It took less than an hour to make.
Yes it appears a slightly crude design, but I find it works very well. The old
wheelie style bin belonged to the previous house owner and the piping that I
used had been lying in a ditch at the end of the garden.
I made the piping a bit more rigid by putting the bamboo that I had through
the centre. The worms were also sourced free from a manure pile at a
local equestrian centre.
At the moment, the bin is in a small shed but I plan to keep it out doors
once I have an intended area cleared for it.
Our winters here do not get very cold so I

feel the mass of the bin will be enough to
keep the worms insulated.
As it has wheels it makes it very easy for

one person to move it about.
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The bin has Red Wigglers or Eisenia fetida worms. In the beginning, there
were only a few hundred but the population is increasing all the time.
The bin is about 4 months old and there are well over a thousand worms
now and there are cocoons and babies everywhere.
At first I wasn't sure if the worm bin would be able to cope with the amount
of food being added.
In the photos you can see the small bin we fill - we add a full one every
week. I was pleasantly surprised to see the worms have no problems dealing
with what I throw at them.
What I feed them are the leftovers from the kitchen. I do freeze them in a
large lunch box before adding to the bin to kill fruit flies. The main bedding
is aged horse manure and occasionally I add some to the top to keep the
fruit flies at bay.
Harvesting the castings is a very easy process.
Once in a while I check the underneath to see

what the castings look like. If I feel they are
ready, I take out an amount until I start to find
worms. Someone did point out before that I
should have made the piping at the bottom run
from back to front, as they said the harvesting
process would be easier.
In my opinion I find it easier working from side

to side. I only need to stretch to reach the back
of the bin and when this is done, the rest of the
harvesting is plain sailing. The castings are then
added to plants that look like they are in need of
some nurturing.
I would not change the design of this bin. In fact I will be making a few
more. The working height is perfect. There is plenty of room underneath to
harvest the castings. Because I keep the moisture level of the bin in good
check, there is not any leachate at the bottom. The portability is great
and the worms appear to love it.” (end)
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  The video can be seen at the address below.

wormfarmingrevealed.com/continuous-flow-through-bin.html
Homemade Bin #4
Now let’s look at a larger scale, homemade continuous flow-through system

made by Jorge Fernandes from Pedrógão Grande, Leiria, Portugal. Forget
about hauling that appliance off to the junkyard. Why not repurpose it?
“Hello! I've been raising worms in containers

for over 2 years now and just decided it was
time to upgrade and take the worms out of
my basement.
I came up with this idea after watching

several flow-through systems over the
internet.
I realized that the insulation that the chest freezer's walls provide
would have great value to raising worms outdoors.
It's a very affordable system because I made

all of the work with the help of my father-in-
law and the freezer was free.
I welded the mesh to the steel angle in the

front, as there would be no other support on
that side.
I expect that the castings will drop by themselves but if they don't I will
probably install a cutting bar. I never gave much attention to what my
worms are eating.
I just give them whatever vegetable scraps I have left from the
kitchen and, sometimes, sheep or pig manure.
I've had some problems with potatoes and pumpkins germinating in the
worm bin but I just rake them and they rot.” (end)
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Homemade Bin #5
Here is another refrigerator/freezer by Jacob Boswell Clyo, Georgia U.S.A.

He calls it “Cobs Worm Fridge”
You can read more about it here:

 Cobs Worm Fridge
Homemade Bin #6
This next setup belongs to Robert Hoaglan from Oxnard, California USA.
I’ll admit it that many of us, not too long ago, didn’t think it was possible to
raise worms in this type of setup. He calls it “The Worm Bin Tumbler”
Robert has totally proved us wrong and here’s how he does it.
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“I started with a Wal-Mart 32-quart (30.2L) tote and 2 lbs. of Red Wigglers
and a bedding of Peat Moss buffered with Dolomite lime and green sand for
the needed grit.
No drain holes or ventilation holes, I just cocked the lid for ventilation. I
mainly fed grain but would occasionally add some frozen blended rinds and
vegetable trimmings.
About three weeks into it I could see that the process was going better than
I had thought it would, I decided to increase my herd and bought another 2
pounds of Red Wigglers. This time I decided to house them in 5-gal (19 L)
buckets, based on Larry’s (last name left out) video. Again I pre prepared a
bedding of peat moss, dolomite and green sand.
I divided up these RW’s into three 5 gallon buckets, again, with good
success. I was a happy farmer but not completely satisfied with my two
setups.
In comparing the two setups, the tote verses the buckets, it was apparent
that the buckets offered a better way to fluff the bedding. I could tip the
buckets upside down, roll them a bit and then right them and my bedding
was fluffed and aerated. The worms might be a little dizzy but it didn't seem
to bother them. The tote had a much greater surface area to induce
breeding, and I did want to expand my herd.
A new member to the Facebook

vermicomposting group, Stephen
(last name left out), offered the
solution I didn't know I was looking
for...
Worm Farming in a
Compost Tumbler!
It seemed like exactly what I

was looking for.
I could easily fluff the bedding on a by weekly schedule, there would be

plenty of surface area for the worms to spread out and multiply and the bins
could be easily emptied. My problem was, I didn't have a tumbler. Well
that was until I went to Costco® one day. And wouldn't you know they
had my worm bin right there on display where everyone could see!
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It was a dual 50-gallon (189L) tumbler. 100-gallon (378L) capacity with

each bin having a mean surface area of 2 square feet (61cm2) at mid-point.
Meaning that if the bin was filled half way full the surface area would be 2
square foot with a bedding depth of around 11" (2.8dm).
I agonized over it for a week, checking prices everywhere they were sold
and then I just went for it, I bought the one from Costco®. Assembly was a
little tedious and there were some areas where I thought rain water might
enter so they needed to be caulked up. Other than that, it was a ready-
made bin.
I put my bucket worms in one of the bins and the tote worms in the other
bin to keep the colonies separate. They seem to be thriving in their new
environment.
I had a little setback in one of my bins with an infestation of ants but now
that is corrected and both colonies seem to be eating well and probably
multiplying at a good rate. My goal is to build the two colonies to the
point where they stabilize, about 12,000 worms. At that point I should
have a "conveyer belt" of castings to meet my needs.
At this point I have tumbled them several times to fluff and aerate the
bedding and that worked as expected...no revolt from the worms. By the
next day, they were up on top eating again. And by the way, it is a great
way to mix cross cut shredded cardboard into the bedding and I think the
worms enjoy the carnival ride.
The known is the worms seem to be thriving with the greater bedding
surface area, bedding maintenance is simple and very easy and the working
height of the bins is perfect.
The unknown is harvesting and mass exodus in rainy weather. My plan for
harvesting the castings is to place a mortar tub under the bin and rotate it
with the lid open, as you would if it were compost. Then sift the castings out
of the mortar tub manually. My plan to control mass exodus this winter, if it
ever rains again in Southern California, is to keep in touch with the good
folks at the Facebook group they will be able to brainstorm a solution.
So it is still very new but so far, the system is working great and I don't
anticipate disaster. I am in zone 10A so I don't need to move this bin inside
or heat the bedding during the winter.
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However, I was concerned about

overheat in the summer though, so I
placed these bins in the shadiest spot I
have. The area selected has an east
exposure and in between the house
and a block wall fence.
This area only gets direct sun for

about one hour per day year-round
and shade the rest of the day.
With the large bedding mass I didn't think one hour of direct sunlight would
raise its temperature much.
I took very close checks on the temperature and determined

that the location I had selected was suitable for my worms.
So, although we are all in it for the benefits that Vermicomposting offers, we
all have different environments to work around, different goals to accomplish
and different ideas on the best way to perpetuate the outcome.
I don't want to say that my system is

best for everyone. It's just another
way of doing it. Depending on your
climate, it could work for all types of
composting worms.
So if you can work a tumbler into your

situation then I would suggest you
give it a try, the benefits are there.
So there you have it, my "Worm Farming Revealed". Thanks for reading my
very lengthy explanation of how I worm farm. I hope my story inspires just
one person to step up and say, ‘You’re totally nuts!’ ” (end)
Thank you Robert, but we’re not actually nuts, we’re all worm farmers...or is
that the same thing? 
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Homemade Bin #7
Flow-through worm bins are a better way to go if you want a less

hassle operation than that of •static bins. The worms and time are on your
side and they’ll do most of the work for you.
I know everyone is different and a lot of

people truly like the static bins, but
harvesting the •vermicast from them is just
more than I care for. I still use them
anyway. I like to keep in touch with my
roots 
Now, I'm not saying worm farming is

difficult. I'm just saying that a •flow-through
style does a lot more of the work for you.
No sifting through the bedding to separate the worms/cocoons from the

vermicastings. Just dump the bottom tray and refill with fresh food.
These are a couple of photos from my old system. I built this many years
ago, and when I acquired newer systems I decided to turn it into a sifter for
many things.
Here is one of my old videos on the wooden flow-through worm bin:

 http://youtu.be/AsaXDSnj5eU
It’s a bit like a Worm Factory® as it’s a flow-

through tray system. So if you have some
lumber and a little bit of hardware cloth lying
around, the sky's the limit.
The great thing about the wooden bins is that

the wood breathes and soaks up some of the
moisture.
This wooden flow-through is 18” x 18” (45.72cm) but you can build it
smaller or bigger. Don’t go too big or it won’t be practical. I probably should
have made it a couple of inches smaller, but it depends on your preference.
Say hello to Billy Trihn who liked the idea of the wooden flow-through and
took it to new levels. Great Job Billy! 
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Billy Trihn’s Google Plus Photos:

 https://plus.google.com/116609751620986371267/posts/TJaLkbdJ8gG
If you want to make a wooden flow-through, Billy will show you how.
 http://youtu.be/A9lO7emUKk0
So far we’ve seen 7 different types of indoor/outdoor homemade worm bin

systems from individuals from various countries just to get us started. My
ultimate purpose for this was to really help you think about what you can
use around your house without having to unnecessarily purchase expensive
systems. Whatever you decide to use, make sure you always think about
and implement the 5 basic principles or the “vermicode” to your system.
I also wanted to prove to you that the homemade systems can work very
well as our contributors have showed us. However, there can be many
benefits from buying such commercial systems and well worth the financial
sacrifice.
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Various Commercial Worm Bins

Commercial Bin #1
This is a flow-through system that’s even easier than the homemade plastic
tote systems. It’s almost a set-it and forget-it design.
Unlike a static bin, when it comes to

harvesting time, the worms do all
the work for you. All you have to do
is feed and wait.
Look at the picture of the commercial

system. Nature’s Footprint Inc. has
designed two different styles of flow-
throughs, the Worm Factory® (original)
and the improved version, the Worm
Factory 360®.
Note:
Some call this a worm tower, but this is not to be confused with the type of
tower made from a plastic pipe sticking out of the ground with worm food
and perforated holes in it.
You’ll start out with only one tray. You begin by

placing the food in the first tray. As worms consume
all the food and convert it to worm castings, add a
second tray, thus repeating the process.
Each tray leaves behind nothing but rich

castings with no worms or cocoons as you build
higher and higher.
The Worm Factory® breathes well (for being plastic),

letting in the right amounts of oxygen for your worms
and microbes. Because of this ventilation, the
moisture won't build up inside the unit like a plastic
tote/static bin.
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It collects all the •leachate at the bottom in the collection tray. If the worms
go down into the collection tray, they’ll be able to climb back up using the
built-in ladder in the bottom try.
The Cool thing about a flow-through system like the Worm Factory®
is its ability to house up to12,000 worms in multiple trays.
You would need a BIG tote to house that many worms.
The Worm Factory® also holds all the castings for months until you're ready
to use it on your garden. You hardly need to assemble it. It’s a done-for-
you system with complete instructions in a pamphlet and DVD.
You can try building your own homemade flow-through like this one, but
with the money you’ll be saving on produce, you might end up purchasing
one like I did. Please order one from the person you got this book
from. If they don’t sell one, then  click here.
Commercial Bin #2
The Worm Inn is truly one of the best innovations to

hit the worm farming industry in a very long time. I
almost wonder if the word "Inn" might be short for
Innovation, “Worm Inn-ovation”, but I digress.
The man behind this invention is my good friend Jerry

“The Worm Dude” Gach, publisher of
 TheWormDude.com
This system operates like the industrial reactors in the fact that it’s a small-
scale •continuous flow-through system. So in a way, it’s a “mini reactor”.
Because it's a continuous flow-through system, it makes the process as easy
as the concept is.
Simply add food scraps like, fruits and vegetables along with some bedding
material such as coco coir, shredded cardboard, paper, peat moss etc… to
the top.
When the worm compost has converted to finished castings, simply collect it
from the bottom opening of the bin by using a small container underneath.
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That's it! It’s attractive, clean, & compact, and offers an innovative worm
bin design. An ideal environment for vermicomposting is created with the
use of Cordura® 1000, a waterproof and breathable high-tech fabric that
aerates even deep within the bed. The Worm Inn is available in a variety of
colors suitable for any decor, indoors or out.
It’s convenient to feed, water, and drain the system with no heavy lifting.
Best of all, the removal of the finished vermicast – called “harvesting” –
comes out like fluffy •humus and is accomplished in minutes.
Cons of Static Plastic Worm Bins
1. Constricted Air Flow 5. Unattractive
2. Excess Moisture 6. Slow Productivity
3. Tedious Harvesting 7. Unable to Hang
4. Excess Disturbance 8. Too Heavy (potentially)
Pros of the Worm Inn
This particular system is attractive. It breathes extremely well (due to the

mesh screen on top) which increases the productivity of worm castings
and cocoons. I would say it even vents better than commercial reactors. It
also allows the oxygen to be drawn in through the sides and any excess
liquids to leach out the bottom.
The funnel-like shape allows you to easily open the bottom end and extract
the worm castings...all without disturbing your worms during their stay at
the Worm Inn. This means fewer disturbances and more production.
P.S. It's even a better conversational piece than a static system and you can
hang it, or place it anywhere that other systems can’t go. Now, for those of
you who are really serious about turning your garbage into treasure, Jerry
has come out with a Worm Inn Mega!
This Mega Inn is 130% larger with a footprint of

only 20” x 20” (50.8cm x 50.8cm). I own the
smaller version, but the bigger one is...
Just the same only MUCH BIGGER!
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Commercial Bin #3
The Worm Wigwam
This worm system is a valuable asset to those

who have large gardens, a community garden, or
community recycling program of some sort.
Process 40-60 lbs. of worm castings per

week and house 40,000 worms.
Notice the white crank at the lower left of the

picture. This moves a bar around at the bottom of Photo: wormwigwam.com
the system like the hand of a clock.
It's able to be placed indoors or outside out

of the sun and extreme elements. It is
insulated, heated, and only needs a 4' X 4' of
working space. It also comes with a 3-year
warranty.
10-15 lbs of worms is suggested for startup,

and you’ll be on your way to collecting the
rich fertilizer in a matter of a few months.
After that, you and your community can

begin to harvest once a week or every day.
Photo: wormwigwam.com
Commercial Bin #4
These systems have been dubbed the name “Worm Reactor” and for good
reason too. Due to its length, it’s able to house thousands of worms while its
depth gives it ample time for cocoons to hatch and worm castings to cure.
No sifting...No dumping...No breaking your back!
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These are an extremely low maintenance type of worm systems.
They have no bottoms to them, except for a grid-like mesh bottom that
holds the worm castings in place or from falling out of the system. This is
known as a “false” bottom.
They are the best worm systems in the industry for large scale.
How do continuous flow-through bins work?
They work just like in nature. As

mentioned earlier, composting worms
spend their entire life on the surface
of the earth where rich rotting
vegetation is found.
As they eat the decaying matter at

top, they leave their rich worm
castings below for plant roots to feed
upon. The worms never get moved
around to different levels.
Photo: wormwigwam.com
They never travel up or down. They stay right where they like it in nature's
own “continuous flow-through” throughout the world.
One little difference is, you can utilize a motorized bar underneath to skim
layers of the finished castings during harvesting time and the worms will
never even know it.
No matter what worm bin you use, it’s all about happy worms.
Worms can be found just under the top layer (like in nature) where it's cool,
dark, aerated, and moist. If you add a little food on top and harvest a few
castings from the bottom, your worms will not have moved up or down.
They remain right in their comfort zone undisturbed.
These worm systems are reminiscent of Ford’s assembly line.
Large-scale reactors are just like Henry Ford's automobile "assembly line".
In his factory, the material came to the workers and they produced
something. They didn't have to search high and low for their materials and
each worker stayed at their post. The end-result was a great product with
less effort in less time. They were highly efficient.
121
These systems are easier on the worms and the worm farmer. The worms
never need to travel way up high or down into the depths of a worm bin
wasting valuable time and energy.
Since the worms are never disturbed, these systems will give you
Maximum Productivity in worm castings and cocoons.
Sustainable Agricultural Technologies Inc. has been making the Worm

Wigwam and the large-scale reactors for over 20 years. That’s a lot of
testimonies from several satisfied customers with worm businesses big and
small.
If you’d like more information you can find them at  WormWigwam.com.
Commercial Bin #5
This last commercial system, The Garden Tower Project, is a rather unique
concept as it incorporates both a composting bin and a planter all-in-
one. It fulfills both needs at the same time.
It’s not uncommon for most worm farmers,

once in a while, to lift the lids of their bins
to find a nice little surprise growing inside,
like a pepper or tomato plant.
By the time the plant has been noticed it’s

usually too late to do any transplanting
because the plant has not had adequate
light. Plants really don’t do well in 100%
worm castings anyway.
They grow too fast and their stalks

become too spindly.
Swivels  360 degrees
I can’t say this is how the concept was born, but it’s still a great one for
those wanting to compost and grow plants at the same time.
So how does this system work?
The Garden Tower has a perforated column located in the center of the
system. The food scraps and worms are placed in the column through the
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top. The rest of the system is filled with a mixture of worm castings and
other growth medium while the seeds or seedlings are planted in the side
pockets. The idea is simple because it’s based on the simplicity of nature.
As the worms eat the food scraps, some of them travel in and out of the
tube depositing their rich castings among the roots of the plants. The plant
roots will also grow toward the center of the tube finding fresher, richer
castings. Plant roots are also well aerated (plenty of oxygen).
It’s generally a good idea to incorporate more than one

type of worm in this system. Composting worms spend
their lives on the surface, but you’ll find them in the tube
as well since the tube isn’t completely full. Since the
system is deep enough, it’s able to house deep burrowing
worms like a common nightcrawler that you might find at
a bait shop or around your house.
These worms will dig burrows and travel in and out of the
tube aerating the soil helping to deliver water to the
roots. I’ve said it once and I’ll keep saying it...
"The Garden Tower IS the closest thing I've seen that

mimics the same design found in nature."
See, nature is simple and if nature is already successful, all we need to do is

copy success. Only man seems to make things complicated.
That’s 50+ plants & about 4 square feet of space (3,716cm²). “Its concept is
still fairly new and there’s an improved design that is now out”, says my
friend Thomas Tlusty, who’s one of the founding partners. They’ve already
shipped thousands in 2014 and one to me as well.
Thomas also said that you could install 2 additional planting rings up top.
They have plans to sell throughout the world so you may want to head over
and get your order in before there’s a huge waiting list.
Check Out My Garden Tower Photos

 http://www.wormfarmingrevealed.com/garden-tower.html
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~Ch 12 Worm Species~
In this chapter we’re going to be focusing on a few different species that are
suitable for culturing in worm composting bins. It’s important to understand
that not all worms are the same.
Lifting rocks and logs in your backyard to find worms for your worm
bin is a BIG gamble.
But it’s definitely not impossible. It depends on the amount of time and
energy you’re willing to put out. If you really want to spend the time to look
for worms around your house and you’re willing to wait for a true
composting worm to •culture, the potential rewards can definitely justify the
initial effort invested.
There are over 4,400 different species that have been identified. So they’re
out there. If you don’t want to go searching for them, or you don’t want to
spend any money to get them from a dealer, attracting them (having them
come to you) is another alternative. It can be really fun too! 
Believe it or not, you can find everything you need to make a worm
bin, find composting worms, and brew aerated worm tea at Walmart.
(However, you get what you pay for so make sure you go to the link below.)
Go to the website to learn:

 How to Start a Worm Farm on a Shoestring Budget.
In Less than $5 or FREE!
So you’ve decided on a location for your worms. You’ve even chosen

whether to vermicompost indoor or outdoor and what foods you’ll be using
too. Now the only thing left is to decide which composting worm you’d like to
culture.
Well this is not so easy sometimes. The decision greatly depends on the
climate you live in or your ability to accommodate your worms. We’ll be
looking at 6 different species, in which not all of them are suitable for a
shallow worm bin. These worms include:
1. The Red Wiggler 4. The African Nightcrawler

2. The European Nightcrawler 5. Canadian Nightcrawler
3. The Blue Worm 6. Alabama Jumper
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Chapter 2 discussed the 3 groups worms can be placed in,
1. Anecic 2. Endogeic 3. Epigeic
The composting worms that are best suited for a shallow worm bin fall into
the epigeic group. These worms have the biggest appetites among all other
species and for good reason too. They dwell on the surface where all the
dying vegetation falls to be consumed by squirms of worms.
Another reason why they are so great to culture is the fact they can tolerate
each other by the thousands and in such confined spaces. No other group of
worms will endure this for the benefit of mass transformation of matter.
These worms are surface dwellers like on top of the skin (epi-dermis) and
the first worm we’ll look at is the EF.
1. Red Wiggler
(Eisenia fetida = EF, RW, or Reds)
Introduction
The Eisenia fetida is most widely known as the Red Wiggler. The earlier
scientific spelling was eisenia foetida. They have many names of which are
Red worms, Manure worms, Tiger worms, Brandling worms, etc.
When comparing other worms, the red wiggler seems to set the standard in
the industry. It’s one of the smallest composting worms, but has sort of a
David and Goliath, or better yet, “strength in numbers” type of reputation.
These are the most popular among all the composting worms due to their
wide range of tolerances in temperature and conditions. I’ve raised red
wigglers for several years and since getting into worm farming, I’ve seen
them tolerate temperatures above 100°F (38°C) as well as below freezing.
I’ve heard several stories from others too that back up my claims.
I’m not saying that they will always take a beating like this, but it proves
that they are (in my opinion) the toughest composting worm on the market.
They are very •prolific and have a strong appetite for most foods.
Although every worm seems to want to migrate a little bit (usually in search
of food), these worms are among the most •docile and recognized as THE
best trainers for beginning worm farmers. In some cases, it takes just a
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couple of days for them to settle into their new home, providing you have a
good one ready, but most of the time they’ll settle in the very first day.
Temperatures
E. fetida’s ideal temperatures for maximum production of castings and
cocoons should be between 65 - 80°F (18.3-26.6°C). They can tolerate
temperatures below 40°F (4.4°C), but production will slow to almost nothing
as they start to go into survival mode. Cocoon production will stop
altogether.
Temperatures should stay below 90°F (32.2°C) or you risk the chance of
mass exodus or total annihilation of your stock.
Life Cycles Eisenia fetida

3 hatchlings per cocoon on average 53 - 76 days to sexual maturity
Size = 2.5 - 4 inches (7.6-10.1cm)
*Stats based on ideal conditions & feed stocks. Outcomes will vary
There’s another red worm that is closely related to the Eisenia fetida that
can only be distinguished under a high-tech microscope it’s called Eisenia
andrei. Some say the E. fetida have a more distinguished red and buff
striping. It wouldn’t be unheard of for worm farmers and worm suppliers to
have this worm in the mix or even worm vendor’s entire stock of Eisenia
fetida to actually be Eisenia andrei.
No matter though because their characteristics and mannerisms are

identical. You may often see some vendors, researchers and bloggers label
their worms as Eisenia fetida/andrei.
Finally, these worms are often short and spindly not making them good for
fishing (generally speaking). Many that have raised the red wiggler tend to
get “bored” with the same worm at some point and want to venture into
culturing another breed. Often, they find themselves coming right back to
raising one of the most docile and loving worms on the planet, the “Little
Red”.
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2. European Nightcrawler
(Eisenia hortensis = EH, Euros or ENC)
Introduction
This is the second most utilized composting worm. Other names are Big
reds, Super reds, and Euros. Some commercial growers use the term,
“Giant Reds” among others, as a way of making the worm look more
attractive as a marketing gimmick.
A certain species of worm is still “just that species” whether fat, skinny, or
healthy. There are no hybrids in the worm farming industry. Other breeds
just don’t mix with other breeds, i.e. there are no European wigglers. No
matter how closely alike one species is from another. It just aint happening.
But there’s nothing wrong with calling it a “super” worm. If you’re comparing
it to the red wiggler it is super or giant. Just be certain for every “label” you
see that they list the scientific name so you know exactly what they’re
selling. Because, when it comes to worms, “Make no bones about it” 
The Euro is a close cousin of the red wiggler, but is 2 - 2½ times bigger,
making these worms a preferred breed among fisherman or those who want
to both compost and fish. Their life •cycles are much slower compared to
that of the red wigglers. So, if you’re concern is to generate lots of worm
castings, the red wiggler would be more suitable.
Temperatures
Their tolerance of temperatures is very close to that of the red wiggler
keeping it well above 40°F (4.4°C) and under 90°F (32.2°C). Although, they
do tend to go deeper into the bedding often times, finding them squirming
together at the bottom, if the bin is not too deep.
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Life Cycles Eisenia hortensis

1.2 hatchlings/cocoon on average 57 - 86 days to sexual maturity
7.2 young per adult per month adult
Size = 5 - 7 inches (12.7-17.8cm)
If you’d like to •vermiculture both Euros and wigglers together, it’s

definitely doable and very popular among those that like to fish and
compost. Many vendors will sell them to you as a mix.
The only downside to this is at some point the red wigglers will out populate
the Euros. When you see this it’s a good idea to pull some Euros out and
start a new bin for them before their numbers become too dismal.
3. Blue Worm
(Perionyx excavatus – PE or “Blues”)
I haven’t had the pleasure yet of culturing every composting worm on the
market, from other countries, or even in my own backyard. But there is one
particular worm that is better known as a nuisance than a beneficial
composter, like that of the EF’s and EH’s.
There are some people that have learned to understand them and harness
their misunderstood “wild side” to the benefit of consuming mass amounts of
garbage per week. I know they can be a good worm and since I do not raise
any of them I decided to consult my good friend Larry Shier of
Peterborough, ON Canada for a little bit of insight on the matter.
Below is his synopsis in culturing, studying, and researching this type of

worm. P.S. I just might have to dub him the “Blue Worm Whisperer”. 
Introduction
Perionyx excavatus are a controversial worm in composting circles. They hail

from tropical regions, particularly in the tropical areas around the Pacific
Ocean. Common names for these worms are many; Malaysian blue
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worms, Indian blue worms, Blues, PE's, California super red worms,
among others.
PE's are rarely sold as composting worms in North America (largely because
they’re temperamental), but can frequently be mixed into shipments of red
wigglers (Eisenia fetida) by invading commercial worm farm bins.
Most people that purchase worms are newcomers to composting with worms
and are none the wiser. However, one of a few things can happen when PE's
are a part or majority of the mix,
1) The individual is extremely successful at making compost and breeding

worms.
2) The worms die on the floor beside the bin or when temperatures
unexpectedly drop.
3) The worms constantly climb out of and escape the bin and frustration
takes over and the person gives up. (seems much less frequent in cooler
climates)
The key to surviving such a potential failure and potential frustration is in

identifying perionyx excavatus and starting to understand their unique
needs.
PE's are; in habitat needs, very similar to Eisenia fetida (EF’s) with ideal
temperatures between 70F and 80F and moisture content between 70-80%
however PE's are very athletic and active in comparison and are always
likely to explore their habitat.
You do want to prevent the mass exodus from the bin they're so negatively
reputed for. Watering a bin when dry should be done in morning if outdoors
to allow the sun to keep them in the bin (mostly). These worms really like it
dark, but also like to be on the surface, so a layer of opaque material on top
of the bin can keep them happier.
Air flow is also an important factor in making sure they don't end up outside
the bin like a pile of wet noodles, so adequate ventilation is crucial.
Identification
Perionyx excavatus are usually noticed fairly quickly by those more seasoned
in composting with Eisenia fetida by their fast, twitchy way of moving and
darker coloration. PE’s move in a manner not unlike an inch worm and most
of their movement is concentrated in the front end while the rear appears
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drug along behind.
The •clitellum on PE’s is also

much closer to the head of the
worm beginning at segment 13
rather than segment 24 or 25
on EF’s.
Exposing a PE to a bright light

will show a blue or purplish
blue iridescence, hence the
Photo: Larry Shier
nicknames.
The blue color is captured particularly well with digital photography when a
flash is used in dim light.
What to Do After Discovering PE’s in Your Shipment

If you discover PE’s in your shipment of red wigglers you have a few
choices:
1) Take pictures and video, then contact the vendor and request a refund
or return.
2) Attempt to sort the worms (a daunting task)
3) Learn to love them and design an escape proof bin.
4) Slowly lower temperatures below 48°F (9°C) but above 33.8°F (1°C)
for 24 hours. This should kill PE’s and leave EF’s surviving. This will
need to be repeated several times in 10 day intervals as cocoons may
survive these temperatures.
Life cycle
PE’s are voracious eaters and excellent composters if you can keep them
contained. Part of this is due to their very fast breeding ability. Each adult is
capable of about 19 to 24 cocoons/week with an 80% to 85% successful
hatch rate. Cocoons hatch in 10-14 days in good conditions. Juveniles
become sexually mature in as little as another 30 to 40 days.
Ideal Conditions for PE Growth and Breeding

As mentioned above ideal conditions for PE’s are similar to EF’s. A good
starting point for breeding these worms is about 77°F (25°C) with 70% to
90% moisture in bedding of organic material (aged animal manure, leaf
•litter, cardboard, paper etc.)
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Population densities of about ½ pound (250 grams) to about 1lb (500

grams) per 1 square foot (24 square cm) are ideal for breeding and should
not exceed 2 lbs. roughly (1 kg) in that area to continue breeding. Higher
densities can be tolerated for faster waste processing, but worm breeding
will be negatively affected.
Some Tips on Containment

Containing PE’s within a closed bin is generally the largest complaint with
these worms. They are very adept climbers and are capable of stretching out
very long and thin making it possible for them to go through tinier holes
than what it would appear they would fit.
Light is also much less a deterrent for them than for other species. The key
seems to be in having some understanding of the climate to which they are
indigenous. Being tropical they have evolved to survive heavy rains and
monsoons. It would seem this may be a reason for their climbing ability.
Most mass exodus of PE’s is reported to be during thunderstorms or heavy

rains. All reports found to date also mention the worms climbing out the top
of a bin & over the side. There are also cases documented of these worms
being found in treetops and on top of tall buildings in a storm. Seriously
limiting the upward avenues of escape seems to largely mitigate the mass
escape that PE’s are legendary for.
No holes or ventilation should be provided at the top of a bin built to keep

PE’s, and all airflow should be from lower portions of a bin as downward
escape seems to not be an issue. Lids and covers on a bin should be very
tight fitting, preferably with a gasket or weather stripping to seal them.
Conclusion
Receiving Perionyx excavatus in a shipment need not end in failure or
frustration, and can even be fun and productive. With their prolific breeding
rate and voracious appetites one can compost a lot of waste in a short time
and have a large mass of worms as well.
PE’s are not a worm for everyone due to their temperament and creepy,
twitchy movement. With some patience and by taking precautions to avoid
escape they can be a great composting worm. (end of synopsis)
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Life Cycles Perionyx excavatus
Can lay 22 cocoons per week 10 - 14 days to cocoon hatch

1 hatchling/cocoon on average 30 - 40 days to sexual maturity
24 young per adult per week 40 - 54 days from egg to mature
Size = 3-4 inches (7.6-10.1cm)
Thank you again Larry for your insight into a potentially exceptional
composting worm. Larry has started a Facebook Group that is all about the
Blue (Perionyx excavatus) worm. If you’d like to raise this particular breed,
feel that you have blue worms, or thought that you’ve been culturing
another species but instead received a case of the “blues”, let Larry’s group
help. Facebook-  Blue Worm Composting &  TheBlueWormBin.com
Larry is a great example to many of us to not give up or throw the baby out
with the bathwater. Instead, he’s really taught us that…
“When life gives you lemons, make worm castings”.

~Pauly Piccirillo 
4. African Nightcrawler
(Eudrilus eugeniae – EE, or ANC)
Introduction
This is another breed that enjoys the warmer climates like the P. excavatus.
Just like its name says, it originated from West Africa and now is very
popular among distributors and culturists all over the world due to its
veracious appetite and size.
They’re not quite as popular as the E. fetida/hortensis due to their

intolerances of colder conditions. If temperatures can be maintained
throughout the year these can be great fishing worms. They can be raised in
winter and sold during fishing season.
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Since they can’t tolerate the cold, they can be left out of the refrigerator and
sold in bait cups directly on the counter in convenient stores and bait shops
much like the Euro can.
ANC’s are very meaty and can crawl fast when provoked or disturbed. They
are considered a species that are better suited for seasoned worm farmers.
However, if you have a tenacious drive like they do, then I might say go for
it. I still recommend you start with a more •docile breed.
E. eugeniae, to my knowledge, doesn’t go by any other names, but

sometimes I refer to them as Afros or Eugene due to their scientific name.
An interesting fact is the ANC’s castings are very large and can be compared
to mice droppings.
Temperatures
70 - 85°F (21.1-29.4°C) is considered ideal temperatures for this tropical
specie. Maximum temperature is around 95°F (35°C) and the absolute
lowest is 50-45°F (10-7.2°C). Any lower than 50°F and you’ll be flirting with
certain death of your stock.
Bear this in mind: If 50°F triggers the demise of your •squirm, maintaining
their environment at or above 60°F will prevent mass exodus or drastic
changes in vermicast and cocoon production.
Life Cycles Eudrilus eugeniae

2.3 hatchlings/cocoon on average 32 - 95 days to sexual maturity
8 young per adult per week 43 - 122 days from egg to mature
32.2 young per adult per month adult
Size = 6 - 8 inches (15.2-20.3cm)
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5. Canadian Nightcrawler
(Lumbricus terrestris – LT, or CNC)
Introduction
Let me first preface this by saying, “This is not a composting worm”. So,
why am I presenting this worm to you? These pages were put together to
help you create healthy soil, recycle material, culture composting worms,
and raise fishing worms as well.
Now I can only best help you raise the Euro & African worm for fishing and
even though the Canadian isn’t a composting worm, doesn’t mean it doesn’t
eat compost. Besides, it’s one of the most studied worms of all time. This is
a common worm that lives rather inconspicuously in deep burrows of up to 6
feet (1.83m) and sometimes deeper. This means that it is a worm that
comes from the Anecic Group.
They are ubiquitous to North America & Europe and are called Lumbricus
terrestris, but go by other names such as Dew worm, Lob worm, Night
Walker, Rain worm, Angle worm, Orchard worm, & Night Lion.
They eat rotting vegetation as well as the surrounding soil. They come to the
surface to deposit their castings just outside the opening while dragging
more food down into their burrow. This is primarily the reason they will not
last long in your composting bin, but all is not lost.
Most worm farming books warn you about trying this, (and I do too) unless
you are extremely passionate about raising this particular worm in a
confined bin. Below is not advice on how to raise this worm, so please seek
someone who has the experience and do your research. It is indeed possible
as long as 3 criteria are met.
1. They must remain below 50°F (10°C)

2. The bin must be at least 1.5 foot deep (45.7cm).
3. The bedding/food must be a mixture of organics on top and soil below.
I know I sound like a broken record, but here we have it again. We must
mimic nature in order to succeed. We mimic nature in a regular composting
bin for composting worms too. This isn’t any different either.
I’ve read stories of people using the crisper in their refrigerator to culture
CNC’s (I know, right?) and having success too, but don’t expect a mass
number of worms from this particular species.
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Unless you have lots of land where you can top-feed foods like manure &
high carbon sources, reproduction will be slow from just a few worms in a
bin. It can take up to two years to see results. However, it sure beats having
to pay for them if you’re patient enough.
*The above claims are from other individuals and results are not guaranteed. Please
research before attempting. Extreme patience and passion is required.
Many who search for earthworms, in their backyard and other places, claim
to find CNC’s. The Canadian Nightcrawler is a common earthworm, but may
look a lot like other burrowing earthworms.
It takes a trained eye to truly identify them. If you’re wanting to culture and
sell worms that you find in your backyard, you must be sure they are what
you say they are. Although it’s not too difficult, the specs below should be
helpful.
Identification L. terrestris
When identifying worms, it must be an adult and not a juvenile worm. All
adults will contain the clitellum. This is the swollen band around ¼ - ⅓ of the
way down their body from the •anterior (head) end, but many worms will
continue to grow (adding new segments) even as adults.
• 136 segments total (fully grown)

• Clitellum location between 32 – 37
• Pink underside with yellowish clitellum
• Male pores location 15
• female pores on 14
• There are eight setae per segment, closely paired in regular rows
• Size = 9 -10 inches (22.8-25.4)
• L. terrestris is sexual mature in about 52 weeks (requires much patience)
Life Cycles Lumbricus terrestris

No statistics as of this writing
Watch my video below:
 How to Identify Canadian Nightcrawlers
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6. Alabama Jumper
(Amynthus gracilus or Pheretima hawayanus or AJ’s and Jumpers)
Introduction
This is one of the most controversial of all worms and goes by the name
Amynthus gracilus or older name Pheretima hawayanus. The Alabama
jumper is not only indigenous to Alabama, but can be found in abundance in
other warmer southern states surrounding the Gulf of Mexico.
It’s a very lively earthworm that, when disturbed or picked up, will “jump”
clear out of your hands without warning. They move fast like a snake. This is
the reason it’s called a jumper. AJ’s are mostly harvested by hand
throughout the 4 seasons as long as the ground is not frozen.
AJ’s are lateral burrowers that consume both decaying matter and soil. This
puts them into the group we haven’t discussed yet, the Endogeic Group. In
fact, it’s one of the few worms that make •drilospheres through sandy and
hard clay soil making this worm a phenomenal addition to the garden.
As long as there is plenty of moist leaf litter, hay, straw, manure, or other
types of fresh material added on top of the plot, they will amend your ugly
land into aerated, arable, and fertile soil.
It’s a great fishing worm, very firm and meaty so it stays on the hook much
better than other worms and can reach sizes up to 7 inches (17.7cm). One
of the controversies is, they can now be found throughout North America
due to the logistics of the baiting industry, and now the worm farming
industry has played a role as well.
Allegedly, fisherman would discard them near lakes, ponds, and streams
when they were done fishing, and they began to multiply from there.
Continuing the controversy, the worm has been deemed by some
researchers and ecologists around the Great Lakes area as an invasive
species eating leaf litter and mixing up the sedimentary layers that was once
undisturbed. This wreaks havoc on the natural ecosystem already
established and disrupts the food chain.
Ecologists have dubbed the AJ as “The Crazy Worm”, which is probably a

title that entices even more people to get their hands on as worm farmers,
gardeners, and fisherman are always looking for energetic worms to increase
their productivity.
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Contact your state or local extension office before ordering the

Alabama Jumper.
Although this worm is far more loved than unappreciated, it’s definitely a
very versatile worm being that the AJ is becoming more ubiquitous
throughout North America and the rest of the world. AJ’s are also called
Garden worms, Clay worms, Asian jumpers, Georgia jumpers or heck,
by now you can insert your own favorite state or title. Just be sure you end
it with “Jumper”.  Not that I promote this rebranding (I don’t), but you
still need to list its scientific name, Amynthus gracilus, if it’s truly an AJ.
Identification
Since many are claiming to have found AJ’s in their backyard you must be
certain should you intend to sell them. Below are a couple of links for
identifying several species of worms including the Amynthus specie.
(some spell it Amynthas)
1. Natural Resources Research Institute (University of Minnesota Duluth)

http://www.nrri.umn.edu/WORMS/downloads/identification/dichotomous_key.pdf (ID for AJ)
2. The Open Air Laboratories (OPAL) network is a UK-wide citizen science initiative
http://www.opalexplorenature.org/identification (may not contain the Amynthus Specie)
3. Environment Canada and NGO Nature Canada et al (Good taxonomy page)

https://www.naturewatch.ca/wormwatch
Life Cycles
There needs to be more research on the reproduction habits of the Jumper.
However some say they can be compared to that of the African Nightcrawler.
AJ’s are more of a tropical worm therefore do best in the warmer climates,
but they have proven to adapt to many different conditions. This is due to
their ability to build lateral as well as vertical burrows to avoid the cold
seasons.
There remain two schools of thought concerning their survival throughout
the winter in northern regions.
1. They all die off during the winter months and new worms hatch from
the cocoons.
2. Some die and others survive by building burrows below the frost line.
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I would lean more towards the latter theory, but the research is still out
according to my studies.
Many will tell you that you cannot raise Jumpers in a bin. This is not entirely
true, but it’s said with good intention because they are not like a typical
composting worm. They rather act much like and earthworm. They’re only
looking out for you. It’s much better to err on the side of caution as many
people tend to jump right in assuming things.
It is possible to raise them in a bin, but need the soil or clay to tunnel
through as this is their natural environment. They are an extremely
muscular worm for a reason and need to bulldoze through thick layers of
medium to build their burrows. Here’s what I’ve researched for a bin.
Roughly about 18 in. (45cm) of soil/clay with a small amount of leaf litter,
some form of carbon, and even some aged manure on top. They are more
carbon eaters than anything else, but the occasional •nitrogen wouldn’t hurt.
However, my opinion would be to just let them loose into your garden or
plot to turn it into something your plants can benefit from.
A. Choose a plot for them to transform.
B. Lay down plenty of carbon material such as: leaf litter, hay or straw
litter, shredded paper or cardboard etc., around1 foot (30.4cm) high
or more.
C. Make sure the ground is moist by wetting it. The material should
always remain moist as well. This is not too difficult as litter holds
moisture in very well. Maintaining plenty of litter just before winter will
insulate them and ensure that they continue to survive just like
composting worms.
D. Add the Alabama Jumpers to the area in clusters. 1,000 Jumpers per
100 sq. ft. (9.29sqm) to start with. They need to be in proximity of
each other in order to find a mate. The more worms you order, of
course, the better.
E. Stand back and let them do their thing. They will burrow down and
begin making their tunnels.
The above is a guideline. Outcomes will depend on regions, food, climate,

soil, etc. There will be no bin to hold them back increasing your numbers.
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Finally, be wary of vendors selling AJ’s as “super redworms” or “giant

redworms” always, always, always ask for the scientific name. In addition,
AJ’s are more expensive because they’re harvested from the ground by hand
from their natural surroundings.
Choosing the Right Species

I know this may seem like a lot of information to juggle when it comes to
selecting the right kind of worm, but the best decision is one based on a lot
of information. I’d also encourage you to seek other information sources in
order for you to make the best calculated choice for your needs.
I never suggest that anyone get all their information from one individual,
source, or place. See full print-out chart
Growth Rates & Reproduction Cycles of Common Composting Worms

Red wiggler (Eisenia fetida)
Can lay up to 3.5 cocoons/week 32 - 73 Days to cocoon hatch

3 Hatchlings per cocoon on average 53 - 76 Days to sexual maturity
10.5 Young per adult per week 85 - 149 Days from egg to mature
42 Young per adult per month adult
546 Young /year based on 52 wks Size = 2.5 - 4 Inches (7.6-10.1cm)
European Nightcrawler (Eisenia hortensis)

1.2 Hatchlings/cocoon on average 57 - 86 Days to sexual maturity
7.2 Young per adult per month adult
93.6 Young /year based on 52 wks Size = 5 - 7 Inches (12.7-17.8cm)
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Blue Worm (Perionyx excavatus)
Can lay 22 cocoons per week 10 - 14 Days to cocoon hatch

1 Hatchling/cocoon on average 30 - 40 Days to sexual maturity
24 Young per adult per week 40 - 54 Days from egg to mature
1,248 Young /year based on 52 wks Size = 3 - 4 Inches (7.6-10.1cm)
African Nightcrawler (Eudrilus eugeniae)

416 Young /year based on 52 wks Size = 6 - 8 Inches (15.2-20.3cm)
* Based on Ideal Conditions & Feed Stocks -Outcomes Will Vary *80% Hatch-Rate Success Not Figured In
(Reserved for Future Stats)
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Easy Quick-Pick Worm Selection Guide  Print Out

Consider if you’ll be culturing indoor or outdoor
Circle your likes Cross out your dislikes
Worm Attitude Climate Appetite Prolific

Specie Ideal Temp Kept In A Bin? Worm Size ”
Red Wiggler Docile Any Good Yes

(Eisenia fetida) 65-85°F Yes 2.5-3.5”
European Docile Any Good Moderate

Nightcrawler 60-80°F Yes 5-7”
(Eisenia hortensis)
Blue Worm Moody Warm Excellent Very

(Perionyx excavatus) 70-80°F Yes 3-4”
African Warm Excellent Yes

Nightcrawler Moody
70-85°F Yes 6-8”
(Eudrilus eugeniae)
Canadian Cold Slow

Docile Slow
Nightcrawler Below 50°F! 9-10”
No !
(Lumbricus terrestris)
Alabama Jumper Docile Any ! Moderate Yes

(Amynthus gracilus) Above 50°F! YES ! 7”
Legend:
! = Caveat ~Refer to worm species sections
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~ Ch 13 Worm Farming in the Winter ~
Since we’ve been talking about different species and how they handle
temperatures, I figured this would be a good time to talk about how to keep
a worm bin or worm compost pile warm during the winter months.
I’m always surprised at how much worms seem to tolerate low temperatures
when they have no clothes or fur to protect themselves with. Instead they’re
like us, except they’re not only bare-skinned, they’re wet too. Imagine
getting out of the shower and running outside wet with no clothes on in
temperatures well below freezing.
I’ve found worms under boards in temperatures of 17°F (-8.3°C) not

including the wind-chill factor. I even caught it on  video. So, if they can
take this, they can definitely handle what you’re about to learn next.
Worm composting in the winter is not difficult. However, understand that

worm farming activity will decrease exponentially depending on
certain conditions.
There are 2 primary factors to keep in mind:
1.Natural heat 2. Proper Insulation
It doesn't really matter, to a degree (no pun intended), what type of bin you
use outside if the two criteria mentioned above are met and you have
enough mass (soil, castings, •bedding) to keep the bin from freezing. So let's
first talk about the natural/microbial heat.
1. Natural Heat
This is pretty simple, as we know by now, that it takes decomposing food

to generate natural heat. The cells break down and are consumed by tiny
microorganisms called •thermophiles or •mesophiles. This generates the
necessary heat for your worms to stay warm and cozy.
What are good sources of food for fuel? Usually what you normally put into
the worm farming bin or pile. Grains (starches) like corn, wheat, etc. will
generate heat quickly. You can put these into the worm bin especially on
really cold days or weeks. If you live in milder winter climates, simple
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kitchen scraps will do. You may even get away with only •carbon sources in
these mild winter regions if the microbial community is extremely lively.
Proteins may break down a little slower as they’re more complex. Make sure
you feed every couple of weeks, or at least monitor your bin to see how
much nitrogen foods your worms are eating. The nitrogen sources will
generate most heat so if it’s extremely cold just make sure they have plenty
of it.
If your worm bin is big enough, like a trashcan, you can get away with
plenty of grains. The worms should have adequate horizontal and vertical
spaces to go to in case it gets too warm inside the bin. There will be some
pretty warm days in the winter depending on where you live, so use your
best judgment. Watch your worm's behavior too.
Carbon materials like leaves, straw, and paper are still needed in the mix of
a 20:1 or up to 40:1 C:N ratio (carbon to nitrogen) as your food-to-fuel
source. At times, you might want to add a little more nitrogen sources.
40:1 may be too high if you’re experiencing a very hard winter. You’ll have
to be the judge of that, but when there’s enough insulation you’ll be able to
get away with a lot less. Concentrations of nitrogen in the center is feasible.
2. Insulation
Good insulation sources are leaves, straw, hay, or even insulation board
(Styrofoam or fiber). Place in large quantities around your bin as insulation.
This helps to keep the heat in as well as provide a place to retreat in case
the center of the bin or pile of the worm •habitat is too hot or too •acidic
from over feeding. Therefore, you still want to mix it with plenty of carbon
materials. Make sure you are still adding minerals during the winter.
Ideally, you want to keep doing what you're normally doing throughout the
summer except for piling the insulation on very thick about 1-2 feet
depending on your area of the world, but upping it on the nitrogen ratio.
Some people can get away with a trashcan-sized bin as there is enough
mass (about 2 ft. diameter or 61cm) for worms to huddle in the center with
the nitrogen-rich foods or retreat to the outer edges to cool off in the
warmer winter days.
You may even consider burying the worm bin into the ground about a foot or
so with large piles of hay, leaves, or straw. This works even better especially
for bins that are much smaller and don't hold as much mass. The natural
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heat from the ground will be trapped in by loads of organic insulation.
Types of Bins
1. Trashcans can be used, especially in milder climates. On the inside be

sure to always pack the sides with plenty of carbon material and place
the C:N mix in the center. The worms can free-range to the middle as
they please. Drill a few holes at the top and bottom for •ventilation.
Not too many as you don't want to lose too much heat.
For harsher climates, build a four-sided wall around your trashcan

made out of 4’ x 8’ (1.22mx2.44 or equivalent) plywood and fill it with
plenty of hay or grass. Put the trash can in the center of the hay and
keep the lid on to keep the heat in.
2. If you want to use your raised flower/garden beds, this is a great way
to create castings straight into the beds. Dig a trench down into the
bed, fill the bottom with carbon material, add your C:N food mix, pile
on the insulation (leaves etc.), and lastly, cover it with a tarp.
This should keep the heat in quite nicely. You know you're doing it
right if the snow melts as it falls and doesn't stick to the top of the
tarp while it does everywhere else. Of course, it might later when it’s
really cold and for long spells too.
3. Build a wooden box. Make a wall inside a wall like our homes are
constructed and fill it with hay, leaves, straw etc. You can omit the
extra wall as long as you fill it with plenty of carbon insulators. Be sure
to leave a tiny crack between your planks for ventilation.
If using plywood, drill tiny holes. You can also put a tarp over it to
keep out excess rain or snow. You don't need too many holes for any
of these bins. It's important to keep the heat in while still allowing the
compost to gas off, bringing in just enough fresh oxygen for the
worms and microbial community.
4. Small bins (like that of plastic totes or whatever else) can be sunk into
the ground, buried under piles of carbon materials and a tarp if
desired.
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THAT'S IT!
Remember to get a composting thermometer to stick into the compost. You

want to monitor your compost. This will inform you should you need to add
more foods. It really depends on your goals. Do you want a thriving/growing
community or do you just want to keep your worms alive for next year?
If you want your worm community to grow, keep your temps in the 55 - 75
°F. range. This will take a lot more work and vigilance on your part.
If you only want to keep your worms alive for next year, keep your compost
from freezing. It's that simple. Red worms are tolerant of very low
temperatures.
Have fun with your winter worms 
Do you want even MORE ways to vermicompost in Extreme Conditions?
The Extreme Vermicomposting Guide involves composting with worms in extreme

climatic conditions. This can be climates from Sub-zero to Scorching Hot
temperatures.
• Get the Extreme Vermicomposting Guide
• Access to current updates to the Guide
• Access to the fast-growing Extreme Vermicomposting FB Group
 Find Out More!
 Go Directly to the Guide Page!
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~Ch 14 Leachate vs Worm Tea~

I'm going to talk about the differences between leachate & worm tea and
how they are different from each other. You’ll also get another earful about
the good microbial populations because that’s just a big part of the equation
and IS the equation.
We see it everywhere on the internet and even some big outfits telling you
that leachate is worm tea, but they don’t even call it leachate, just “worm
tea”. Many are using the so-called “worm tea” on their plants with absolutely
terrifying results.
Therefore, I want to cover this topic in depth so that you clearly understand
what true worm tea and leachate is and how to properly use it on your
plants and in your gardens. After all, friends don’t let friends use leachate,
Right?
Alright, that last statement wasn’t entirely true, because there is a way to
use it properly that can have a very positive effect, but you must learn to
know when and when not to use it.
Let’s go over the two definitions so you can identify what I am

talking about.
A) Leachate - The liquid run off that settles at

or below the vermicompost or worm castings.
This is a form of, Seeping.
B) Worm Tea - The end result or product of

suspending worm castings for extracting in highly
oxygen-rich water. This is a form of, Steeping.
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If you noticed not only do these words have two different meanings, but
they are entirely two different processes. One is •seeping, and the other is
•steeping, in which one can only occur by human intervention.
I understand that it doesn’t make sense to some people who have been
around a while. Grandpa taught us how to make tea by pouring water into a
bucket of cow manure, then straining it out. Some have even used
traditional compost from a compost pile in this manner.
Don’t shoot the messenger, because I’m certainly not the one who started
this and no one knows who did. Some words just tend to evolve over time
and no longer hold to the same meaning as they used to.
A) What is Leachate?
I'll admit it. When I first started my own worm bin I was in love with the fact
that I could fill the bin almost to the top with straight tap water and collect
all the leachate at the bottom to feed my plants. Need to say that the
worms didn’t like taking a bath once a month?
I soon found out that this would not work. My plants, especially the
tomatoes, succumbed to disease.
So, what is it about leachate that is potentially not good for the plants?
Leachate contains •phytotoxins (toxins that can harm plants). Some
of these toxins are created by •bacteria. Not all bacteria are beneficial in a
worm bin or compost pile.
When a worm farm becomes anaerobic (lack of oxygen) it creates chaos.

When there’s too much nitrogen-rich food the good bacteria are at war with
the bad bacteria.
Ultimately, if you don't keep the conditions right for the good bacteria, they
will lose. In any case, every worm bin has good and bad microbes no matter
how well you take care of your worm farm. This is okay of course, as long as
the good microbes outnumber the bad ones.
Some leachate can contain harmful •pathogens. Landfills always lay

down a barrier underneath the compost to keep the leachate from entering
lakes and streams.
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When you add fresh food to the worm bin it starts to break down and
evolves into a mesophilic process. A mesophile is an organism that thrives in
temperatures between 68 - 113°F (20-45 °C).
So the bin heats up quite a bit allowing these organisms to multiply

exponentially until the material cools down, depending on the •ambient
surroundings. Any temperature above this range would be called a
thermophilic process.
•Thermophiles begin to multiply between 106 and 252 °F (41 and 122 °C) as
we discussed much earlier. These are good temperatures to have in a compost
pile outside. It kills off harmful pathogens, unwanted seeds, and insect eggs.
The worms move through the compost allowing for greater aeration bringing
in more oxygen to the compost. This allows the good organisms to thrive,
but generally during these higher temperatures the worms stay away from
the decaying matter until it has cooled and stabilized enough to allow the
worms back in.
This instability is usually accompanied by a smelly or foul odor. This is a

great sign that indicates the bin, in that particular area, is teaming with the
bad organisms. This is because they have not had a chance to pass through
the gut of a worm.
So when you seep water through the bin during these unstable conditions to
feed directly to your plants, you're gambling with a set of cards you
haven't even seen yet.
B) What is Worm Tea?
Worm tea is its most popular name along with vermitea, vermicompost
tea, compost tea, worm poop tea, liquid gold, vermicast tea, worm
castings tea, worm liquor, & Worm "liqueous" (I don't even think that's
a word yet). Here's probably the more correct usage “vermicastings
aqueous extracts" and on and on.
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Worm tea is created by:
1. Suspending a porous bag full of worm

castings, or dumping the castings into a
container of chemical-free water.
2. Adding molasses (or other food source)

to the water as a catalyst to stimulate
microbial growth.
3. Installing an air pumping system to

increase an •aerobic (oxygen-rich)
environment for the •inoculation of the
microorganisms.
Worm tea is beneficial in so many ways. From the root, all the way up to the
tips of the leaves. It contains all the helpful microorganisms that are found
in worm castings like:
•Bacteria •Fungi •Protozoa •Nematodes
What is the purpose of creating worm tea?
The purpose is to speed up the growth rate of the microbes in order

to multiply their numbers exponentially so that they may be
delivered to the plant in a more rapid, absorptive liquid state.
But what’s wrong with just using regular worm castings? Nothing at all.
The castings are a time-released process. Just like you and I would take
supplements in a liquid form, the plants receive their supplements in a liquid
form as well for faster intake.
When you spray, or pour the tea on the soil, not only are you feeding the
plant, you help the soil increase in beneficial microbes, thus crowding out
the bad microbes where there are just too many good ones to compete
against.
Another benefit that no one seems to talk about is using the water that
contains rich oxygen even without adding any castings. The water would still
be beneficial without the microbes present due to the rich oxygen molecules
contained throughout the reservoir.
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Imagine aerating buckets of ordinary stale water and using it to water your
plants. You now have replicated rain droplets full of oxygen. Nothing is
better to plants and microbes than a breath of fresh rain. It’s able to
penetrate deep into the soil, beyond the roots, awakening millions of
organisms and revitalizing existing ones. This is all without the aerated
castings. Now imagine how much better it is with the aerated worm tea. 
So, for all of you, who collect rain water into barrels and other containers,
consider attaching air hoses and an air pump to the bottom of the barrels.
Now let’s talk more about the tea.
It’s been discovered by universities (such as Ohio State and in the field by
gardeners like you and I) that the tea, along with the castings, can
significantly increase plant growth as well as crop yields. It’s also beneficial
in the short term (a season) and especially, the long term, over a period of
seasons.
Along with these great benefits come a boost in the plants own
immune system to be able to resist parasites like the infamous aphid,
tomato cyst eelworm, and root knot nematodes. Plants produce certain
hormones (like the jasmonic hormone) that insects find distasteful. It also
helps it to resist diseases such as Pythium and Rhizoctonia.
When sprayed on leaves and foliage the bad disease causing microbes are
again outnumbered and cannot populate to the levels of taking over a single
plant.
The tea also aids the plant in creating the cuticle, the waxy layer on
the surface of the leaves. This waxy surface protects the leaves from
severe elements (drying out) and reduces attacks by certain harmful
microorganisms and insects.
There you have it. Hands down, worm tea is the winner in the battle of
leachate vs worm tea.
So, the next time you turn on the spigot and collect the juice at the bottom
of your worm bin, think twice about what you want to do with it. You have
no idea of what might be in the mysterious liquid, but you can be 100%
sure about what's in the LIQUID GOLD.
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Using Leachate Properly
Many people know that I'm a BIG proponent of NOT using this liquid at the
bottom of a worm system. I speak from experience and for others that have
had undesirable consequences from its negative effects.
However, don't misunderstand me if all my ranting seems to translate into

“Stay clear away from this stuff!”
There are those that DO have success at using the leachate. Some plants do
well from the leachate and others will get quite sick. It really depends on
what stage your compost is in at the time and what type of plants you're
using it on.
I can't tell you what plants benefit from leachate no matter what stage the
leachate is in, but some ornamentals seem to do better than food crops.
As I have stated many times, there are good and bad microbes in every
worm bin, compost pile, and teas. In fact, there are bad microbes in some of
the worm tea that’s been brewed by the best brewers. It's all because life
has a way of preserving itself.
These bad microbes play an important role in life, like the fungus that lives
in our gut called "Candida". This is what we would call an unbeneficial
microbe, but is it really unbeneficial?
Its job is to consume us from the inside out when we die. The problem that
people have is an overabundance of the fungus. It feeds on sugars,
starches, and many antibiotics. It starts to show itself in the form of flaking
skin, like dandruff or psoriases, or just a small patch of red, itching flaky
skin somewhere on the body.
I'm not trying to gross anyone out. I just want to show you how every living
thing has a purpose in life whether good or bad to us. We only need to learn
how to control it, work with it, or avoid it. Like I said, Candida will help to
consume our bodies and return us back to the ground. We just need to give
it the proper environment to thrive (its favorite food like sugars and
starches), which leads me back to the juice in the bottom of the worm
system.
Your worm system, no matter what type it is, has to have oxygen flowing
through it at all times. Without this oxygen, your worms will die and your
beneficial microbes will die as well. No oxygen, means that unbeneficial
microbes will thrive in order to fulfill their purpose in life, which would be to
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return the decaying matter and worms into a reusable state for something
else other than the benefit of plants.
Now, why is the leachate more than likely not good to use?
As I stated, the good microbes need to have oxygen and a food source in
order to thrive. The liquid in the bottom of a worm system has NO OXYGEN
flowing through it.
The liquid sits stagnate. There is no plant life growing out of it nor is there
any bubbling of oxygen taking place. In fact, it's only growing more
unbeneficial microbes as time progresses, but the leachate contains the
good microbes as well.
The soil food web is all about a balance in nature. We control that balance in
our gardens when we use natural methods and nature itself does this in a
lush forest or even in your own backyard.
Some gardeners can get away with using the leachate because they have
created an environment in their garden that is unsuitable for these bad
microbes to populate and thrive in any way. They're still there, but in small
amounts, lying dormant, and waiting for the right environment to live and
populate and fulfill its purpose.
Some gardeners can become too consumed with other things besides their
garden, or the weather can instantly change (too hot, too dry, too cold, too
wet, etc.) causing the bad microbes too awaken or metastasize and begin to
cause diseases that eat away at the plant.
Why do we feel so compelled to use the liquid that we know nothing of what
it contains? I think it’s because we’ve spent so much time in making
something good and usable that whatever comes out must be good to use,
for isn’t that the whole purpose?
Another thought is, just because something contains a little bit of truth
doesn’t make the whole thing good.
It would be irresponsible to tell my readers that there’s nothing wrong with

using the leachate on your plants. Had I said that, I would surely have half
(if not more) people angry at me because their plants died.
So, you can see, if you use the leachate, you use it at your own risk. You
really don't know what you have in the mysterious liquid unless you
performed an analysis on it. To those who are having good results with your
leachate I say, “Keep it up and don’t stop”.
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I believe that “Good leachate” isn’t always an oxymoron.
You only need to know your leachate rather than be afraid of it. There are
ways of using it to extract the beneficial microbes and other nutrients that
are in it.
Guidelines for using leachate

A worm system contains layers of matter like lasagna.
a) Top is fresh food (respectively)
b) Next is decaying food and castings. This is sour and contains the good,
but mostly the bad microbes that break down the food for the worms.
c) Next are the castings, which contain the beneficial microbes along with
few bad microbes.
d) Next is the bottom which contains the liquid leachate. This holds all
the liquid that has passed through all these layers and has picked up
the good, the bad, and the ugly. This is what you're using on your
plants.
Now here is what I recommend if you must or insist on using the

worm leachate.
1. Do not use the leachate if it has a sour or pungent smell.
2. Make sure that your compost is completely or close to being

composted so that it is 95 - 99% worm castings. You may have to stop
feeding your worms for a week to several weeks.
3. When using the worm leachate, dilute it at a ratio of 10:1 (10 parts
water to 1 part leachate). This will reduce your risk of killing the plant
but still delivering the good microbes.
4. If you're unsure of what your leachate contains, throw it out on a

compost pile or just use it in a small test area of your garden.
5. It could be poured back over top of the bedding material for further
processing, but if you have leachate to begin with, your bin is too wet.
Pouring it over the top will potentially cause your system more harm
than good. It needs to dry out to promote healthy life again.
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That's all. I don't want anyone to think that I am absolutely against using
the leachate. If it is working for you, keep doing what you're doing. Don't
change anything just because you heard it from me.
I honestly don't know why anyone wouldn't want to brew the worm tea as it
really goes hand-in-hand with the castings. I try to tell everyone that if they
are producing the worm castings, they also need to be making the worm
tea.
It's so simple and it'll completely transform your garden even if you're
already successful at growing luscious plants and fruit. It's like giving an
obnoxious and energetic person a pot of coffee. 
Below is an excerpt from a publication titled, The Conversion of Organic Wastes

into Vermicomposts and Vermicompost ‘Teas’ Which Promote Plant Growth and
Suppress Pests and Diseases by Clive A. Edwards et al. professor at Ohio State
University, Soil Ecology Laboratory.
“Work at The Ohio State University has shown that vermicompost ‘teas’
increased the germination, growth, flowering, and yields of tomatoes,
cucumbers, and other crops in similar ways to solid vermicomposts. The
aerated, vermicompost ‘teas’ suppressed the plant diseases Fusarium,
Verticillium, Plectosporium, and Rhizoctonia to the same extent as the solid
vermicomposts.”
(Edwards, Norman Q. Arancon, Tse Chi Kai, and David Ellery 2007)
You may have noticed you won’t read too many excerpts from leaders in the
vermicomposting field. My focus is to rather show you how I and several
other vermicomposters have applied the uses of •vermicastings and aerated
teas to the success of natural, easy, cheap, and effective solutions and If
we’re doing it, you can too.
Final Thoughts on Aerated Worm Tea

Every organism has a purpose in life. If the bad microbes didn't have a role
to play, all the good microbes would take over and plants would take control
of us. We wouldn't like it if grass or watermelons took over the entire world
(okay, the watermelon thing might not be too bad) ;)
If we didn't have certain microbes to fight other microbes, we would literally

be swimming in several feet of certain bacteria. It’s like rooting (no pun
intended) for a team. Who’s the bad guy? Both play a part in life and have a
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purpose and the “bad” guy will need to win sometimes in order to fulfill a
role it plays in nature. Some •anaerobic microbes grow faster than aerobic
ones which help to break down dead carcasses in the absence of oxygen.
I’m so glad they do. No one wants a dead carcass lying around forever.
But what's so cool about our gardens is YOU are the one who's ultimately in
control. YOU are the one who sets the stage or game for all life within your
garden, from the plants down to the microbes. But you can't control it if
you don't understand it. That's why the answer doesn't necessarily lie in
the plant, but it lies in the soil and if we can get the soil right, we'll most
definitely get the plant right.
Soil Is A Living Thing!
You Should Be FEEDING & GROWING Your Soil

Just as Much As You Do Your Plants.
Worm tea can gravitate into many places that worm castings cannot and
from there the tea will continue to build and grow your soil to the benefit of
the soil, plants roots, the plant, and ultimately You!
I'm not saying that you'll never have any problems by using the tea because
nature always seems to find a way whether good or bad. Our goal is to only
outnumber the bad, therefore reducing its impact by exponential.
There are many in the field of academia that are very skeptical about the
claims some people say the aerated teas do for their plants. I will agree that
there are some pretty bogus claims especially from those selling the teas or
looking for some type of recognition or gain.
We also agree with each other that not all teas are created equal. Creating
aerated tea is a science as much as it is practical. You cannot really claim to
know what's in your tea unless you have it analyzed because your next brew
might be a bit different.
Interestingly enough is that those who hold a P.h. D. in horticulture, who

seem skeptical about the effects of compost teas, don't talk much about
aerated "Worm Tea" as of this writing in my studies.
It all goes back to what I've been saying. There's just something miraculous
about what happens inside the gut of a worm and when that is multiplied by
exponential, the proof is in the pudding. I don’t simply say that, because I
make and use the tea consistently every year.
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But that's okay because even science gets it wrong sometimes. I guess
that's why we use our better judgment and seek a second opinion. I
commend those in the field that are only relying on science. That's fine
because it doesn't matter how you get there, just as long as you get there.
There is still much research to do and we will need each other no doubt, the
science, along with the practical.
The most important thing to remember about aerated worm tea is, when
brewed properly, it builds a strong soil foundation and makes for stronger
healthier plants. Much like fresh rain, it also adds volumes of “liquid oxygen”
into the soil maintaining vibrant and thriving soil organisms.
Bottom line:
A strong healthy plant is more adapt to fight off diseases and pests and I DO
put my tea where my mouth is. 
I Guaran-worm-tea It!
“The nation that destroys its soil destroys itself.”
~ Franklin D. Roosevelt
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~Ch 15 How to Make Worm Tea~
Making worm tea is a simple process and anyone can do it, but it’s really
paramount that certain steps be followed to a "Tea" (pun intended). This is
only to ensure the best possible outcome.
You can also make compost tea from your compost piles outside. The
process is still the same, but the tea from worm castings is a superior brew.
As discussed in this book, the microbes from worms are a more complex
microbe making them reign supreme.
Many people think that they can cut corners or skimp on measurements.
This is a very delicate process and it takes time and patience and will be
greatly worth the efforts.
If it's not done right you could risk the chance of ruining your entire lawn,
garden, or plants by putting harmful microbes into your soil. Remember this
is not hard. It just takes time. Follow some simple instructions correctly and
there’ll be no doubt.
Caution:
Use worm castings that are fully composted. You don't want anything in the
system that is still in the decaying process. This material will contain too
many non-beneficial microbes. You’ll probably be okay, but it’s just silly to
rush it. There’s no hurry to make the tea. Your plants can wait.
Here’s a few of my videos on making and using worm tea.

*Full Disclosure: The links take you to YouTube running ads at the beginning. I’m sorry
for the ads but the videos have a lot of information that took many hrs. to put together. 
Note:
Making tea is incredibly easy, but I want to warn you about others who try
to tell you that you need to use this or that or your tea won’t work. I have
only used 1 ingredient for years with great results. Some people are
desperate for your business and start to sound like snake oil salesmen by
claiming their “recipe” is far superior to any others. It may be a slightly
better brew, but not necessary for immediate results. Don’t waste the
money if you don’t have it.
You only truly need 1 ingredient…

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1.  Making Worm Tea - I talk about how to make tea and the many
other ingredients that are good to use, but not necessary for great
results because a simple natural sugar is all you need.
2.  Diluting Worm Tea – Tea can be diluted from 1 part tea to 50 parts
water (1:50). The important thing to remember is that the water is
only a carrier of the microbes and nutrients. You cannot use too much.
3.  Straining Worm Tea – You will want to strain the castings from the
tea and the best material I have found for this is a 5-gallon (19L) paint
strainer. They are tough and will last several times. I would personally
not use nylon panty hose as you want the microbes to move freely out
of the tea bag.
4.  Applying Worm Tea – This is very simple. The tea can be applied
using anything you want. I’ve found a shower bucket the best, but this
also depends on what stage your plant is in. Newly planted lettuce
seed is very small and you don’t want to uproot the seed from the
ground so using a sprayer may be more feasible.
5.  Spraying Worm Tea – Using a pump sprayer or equivalent works

great for getting underneath the foliage where mold and unbeneficial
microbes can hide. Do not use a fogger that uses heat to atomize. This
will only kill the beneficial microbes you worked so long for.
6.  Choosing the Right Air Pump – Don’t get just any pump if you’re
wanting to go really big. The small aquarium pumps will not do. I show
you 3 pumps to choose from for depth and volume, video helps you
choose a system too.
Text Tutorial
How to Make Worm or Compost Tea
What you will need:
 One 5 Gallon bucket or equivalent

 String of any kind
 One 20-60 Gallon, Double Outlet Aquarium Air Pump
 Several feet of aquarium tubing
 Two large bubble stones and two small bubble stones
 Two aquarium tubing T-valve connectors
 A 1 (3.9) or 5 (19L) gallon paint strainer
 A Drill and 5/ 16 inch (8mm) drill bit (This item optional)
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 One bottle of unsulfured molasses

 One bottle of hydrogen peroxide
Step #1
Drill two holes in the side near the top of the container 1 inch apart (2.5cm).
This is where you will use the string to hang the bag of castings. If you don't
have a drill and drill bit, you can tie the bag to the handle or a heavy object,
omit holes, and skip step one.
Step #2
Place the two large bubble stones in the

container and connect a 4 inch (10cm) hose to
each end. Connect the T-valve to both ends of
the hoses. Now attach one long hose to the last
hole on the T-valve to where you have placed
the pump.
Step #3
Repeat step #2 using the smaller bubble

stones. Note: the larger the pump and
smaller the bubbles, the more the oxygen
will penetrate the water, thus delivering
more oxygen to the microbes.
You can add water at any time. If it’s

chlorinated, you should have bubbled it
for at least 4 hours first.
Small bubble stones to be placed

inside paint strainer in step #6
Step #4
Install the check valves that came with the pump somewhere in between the
pump and container. Be careful to install them in the right direction. This is
to prevent siphoning from the tank back to the pump.
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If you do not have any check-valves, make sure you place the pump above
the water to prevent the water from siphoning.
Step #5
Fill the container with water if you haven’t yet. Use rain water or pond
water. Tap water has chlorine which will kill your microbes. Stay away
from treated water of any kind. That also goes for bottled water too.
If tap water is your only source, you will need to run/bubble the system for
4 hours without any castings. You can also set your water out in the sun for
a day. This will allow the chlorine to gas out.
Chlorine, in drinking water, is added to the water to kill any and all
microorganisms. A good thing about chlorine is that it burns out fast.
So stay away from the chlorinated water.
Hang in there. You'll be making worm tea in no time.
Step #6
Put a couple of big handfuls of castings
into the paint strainer. Now put the
small bubble stones in as well. Place
the bag into the water and tie it off
with the string to the holes you
predrilled or anything you can do to
keep the strainer suspended in water.
If you didn’t drill holes, then just hang

the rest off the bag over the outside of
the bucket to prevent it from falling to
the bottom of the bucket.
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Choose a Shaded Area!
The bag should sit just under the water table

making sure that all castings are submerged
and the small stones are at the bottom of the
strainer.
Here is a photo of the molasses I use. It can be

purchased almost anywhere. Make sure the
molasses you purchase is unsulfured.
Step #7
Turn the system on and slowly add
2 - 3 ounces (56-85g) of molasses. The
molasses is the catalyst to growing
your microbes. It serves as a food
source. After 8 hrs. Take the bag out.
You may now dump the castings back

into the worm bin. By now you should
have enough microbes to work with.
They will begin to multiply
exponentially.
Note: If you want to make compost tea with plenty more microbes and plan
on making it stretch further, then use 3 ounces (85g) of molasses and leave
the castings in the water.
Step #8
After 24 - 36 hrs. spray or water your soil and plants. Dilute the tea
whichever way you like. The water is only a carrier. The 5 gallons will treat
approximately 1 acre of soil or lawn by mixing the tea with 50 gallons
(190L) of untreated water.
You cannot use too much. The tea is only healthy, living
microorganisms.
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Spray or shower your plants. Be sure to get under the leaves as well. The
bigger the drops, the longer it will soak into the plant if using as a foliar
spray.
Remember!
You must use the tea immediately or it will become anaerobic. Lack
of oxygen will promote the bad microbes to populate. You have about a 2 - 4
hour window.
Use the tea at or before sun down so it does not dry out as quickly.
P.S.
When making worm tea, you don’t have to suspend your castings or
compost in a bag. You can brew them directly in the water (but I
recommend suspending the bag) and pour the tea on your plants even with
the compost in the bucket. While you’re brewing the tea, make sure you stir
it once in a while so there are no dead zones.
You may have a little difficulty, if using a shower bucket, getting the castings
or composted fertilizer to come out of the shower head.
Many people, like me, will put the worm castings back into the worm bin.
They are full of highly •aerobic microbes and possibly some worms and
cocoons. By keeping them in the worm system you’ll be able to use them
again and again.
If you plan on using a pump sprayer, you’ll want to strain the castings back
through the paint strainer once or twice or they'll get clogged in the sprayer.
Minerals
If you have any micronized minerals

like ground eggshells, Azomite®,
dolomite, glacial rock dust,
agricultural lime, Diatomaceous
Earth etc... then Do add these.
If you use minerals regularly in the

worm bin, you’ll be okay but you
should know me by now. Minerals,
Minerals, Minerals 
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Complete Setup
Here is a look at the entire setup. You

can use as many pumps and bubble
stones as you want to.
Even using another pump and another

bucket of tea is great. Tea as often as
you would like to. The more
concentrated the tea is the better. Pic
shows two pumps, but you only need
1.
Go As BIG As You Want To
This is an 18 gallon (68L) plastic tote. It contains two 14-inch (35.6cm)

bubble stones. However BIG you decide to go, multiply your ingredients
based on the common 5-gallon bucket setup.
You can add many more bubble stones and bigger and stronger pumps. Be
careful that you don’t get too strong with agitation and application.
Microorganisms do have their limits and can rip apart if pump and
applicators are too powerful.
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Some recommend pantyhose to suspend the castings. There are limits to

using this as microbes will not flow through the holes as easily. Cheese cloth
will work and basically anything that will hold the castings enough to keep
them from falling out.
P.P.S.
The hydrogen peroxide is to clean your equipment when you’re finished. Not
absolutely necessary but a good practice to keep unbeneficial microbes from
growing. Happy Worm Teaing Everyone! 
Other Ingredients for Making Aerated Worm Tea

These other ingredients are not necessary, but will aid in the overall
nutrition and growth of microbes (if you want to spend the extra money),
but I grew wonderful healthy plants for years with only worm
castings and molasses. It’s not magic or rocket science. It’s just microbes
and rich aerated water.
Add 5-10% of Any or All of the Following:
• Soybean meal, soy amino – Liquid amino, a good nitrogen source

• Yeast 500 flakes
• Alfalfa meal
• Kelp meal – There are ways to liquefy it if you want. Just do your
research.
• Kelp extract (liquid form)
• Colloidal calcium phosphate
• Volcanic ash, dark is better and granulated if possible. It has more
surface area for microbes to build on.
• Evaporated cane juice (in place of molasses)
• Langbeinite – for magnesium
• Green sand – good for potassium
Mix all to ¼ - ⅓ worm castings
“Architecture is basically a container of something.

I hope they will enjoy not so much the teacup, but the tea.”
~ Yoshio Taniguch
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~Ch 16 Harvesting worm Castings~
This is the moment you’ve been waiting for (aside from actually using them
on your plants of course), to be able to harvest the fruit of your labor. I
know that’s not fair, so we’ll have to give the worms a little bit of credit too.
The way in which you’ll harvest the castings depends greatly on what type of
worm composting system you used. The 3 major systems are,
1. Static
2. Flow-Through
3. Continuous Flow-Through
Before you begin to harvest your castings from a •static bin, determine if
you should harvest your worms first. It might be time to split your
population if they are overcrowded, and if so, then congratulations. Your
•squirm is growing and you’re doing it right. 
1. Static Bin S-B-S Harvesting Castings

Most people start with the cheapest and widely available bin which is a S-B-
S system. They’re good trainers because if something goes wrong and your
worms die, you haven’t lost very much money except for the cost of the
worms. It has also been said that, if you can master a static worm bin
(especially a small one), you can master anything.
So, what do the castings look like when it’s time to harvest them?
Sometimes this depends on the foods you’ve used, but eventually it all turns
into a light fluffy •humus. It should ideally look like a finely, crumbled up
moist chocolate cake, without the icing of course.
There should be no food or bedding present. Occasionally there may be

some bits and pieces lying around, but generally it should look 95 - 99% like
worm castings. The castings from static bins can sometimes be a little on the
wet side, depending on how experienced you are at feeding. If they are a
little too wet, don’t worry about it. They will continue to cure when you store
them for future use.
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Harvesting in an 18-gallon (68L) tote can begin somewhere in between 3 - 6

months depending on the number of worms you have. You will have to be
the judge in determining when to harvest according to the amount and
depth of the castings. Waiting for the bin to fill half-way or about 8 inches
(20.3cm) from the bottom would be a good time to begin harvesting.
If you let it get too high, harvesting can be a daunting task. Besides, the
worms love to have their bedding changed often during the year.
There can be a few different methods for harvesting castings from a static
system, but for the sake of writing a ridiculously long book (HA! I know, too
late for that) I’ll stick to the method that’s been proven for several years.
Step 1
Stop feeding worms and wait for a period of 1 - 2 weeks. The food/bedding
should be gone to nearly gone.
Step 2
Dump entire contents of worm bin on a smooth sheet of plastic like a tarp,
trash bag, or large, moist cardboard under a bright light. This can take place
on a kitchen table or outside in bright sunlight preferably. If your worm bin
has an abundance of beneficial or unbeneficial pests, it’s best to do this
outside or in a garage.
Step 3
The light will cause the worms to migrate towards the bottom so you can
begin to harvest the castings from the top. You will have to wait periodically
every few minutes in between harvestings for the worms to migrate down.
Step 4
Try not to harvest all the castings. You’ll want to put some back into the bin
to make them feel at home. The microbes will also •inoculate the fresh food
and bedding that you’ll add when you’re ready to start fresh again.
Step 5
You’re now ready to start the bin fresh again, but this time you’ll have some
castings on the bottom that will speed up the decaying time. You also have
quite a few worms which will help to produce more castings. Your squirm
may have doubled or tripled depending on your species, number of worms
you started with, food, temperature and ventilation.
If you have a lot of castings sitting in front of you, you may want to choose
to comb through and fish out any golden cocoons left behind, providing they
166
are large enough to see. It will be difficult with the P. excavatus specie as
they’re cocoons are about the size of a pinhead.
Unfortunately, there’s no easy way to do this unless your castings are dry
enough to screen them through a 1/ 8 inch (3.18mm) hardware cloth.
If you have red wigglers (E. fetida) or blue worms (P. excavatus), the
cocoons will fall through the screens. All other worm cocoons listed in this
book can be screened using the 1/ 8 inch hardware cloth or equivalent
screen.
Static Feeding & Harvesting

Migration Method
Some people use the migration method for harvesting worm castings.
Worms will always follow the food no matter where you place it in the bin.
This is because worms just tend to be migratory. They’re always in search of
food while getting a feel for their surroundings.
This is very beneficial as it lets them know how much food and how many
worms are in the system. When they can’t go very far without bumping into
each other (only they can determine this), they stop copulating altogether
no matter how much good food is in the system.
There are many directional ways to do this. It doesn’t really matter which
direction you go, so let’s keep it simple.
Step 1
Place the food only on one side of the worm bin. The worms will migrate
toward the food. When I say “food”, I’m typically speaking of kitchen scraps
and not the bedding. Although it’s all food to the worms, but composting
worms prefer the low PH of kitchen scraps over the carbon bedding. The
microbes are their food source and the microbes can break down the
nitrogen much easier than the tough carbon.
Step 2
After the worms have migrated to the food side (this may take a couple of
days up to a week), you can begin to harvest the castings from the other
side.
Step 3
Wait until the food is consumed from the remaining unharvested side before
adding fresh bedding and food to the harvested side.
167
Step 4
After step 3 is completed, you may want to wait for the cocoons to hatch
and babies to migrate to the fresh food/bedding side. This is your call.
(Done with Steps)
You can divide the worm bin into halves, quarters, and so on by drawing an
imaginary line or marking the bin with a pen or tape showing where you last
fed or harvested in order to keep track of your migratory feeding/harvesting
methods.
2. Flow-Through F-T-S Harvesting Castings
Harvesting from a F-T-S system is easy and really requires no steps other
than looking at the material to determine if it is ready to harvest.
Harvesting the castings takes place by pulling out the

bottom tray, utilizing the castings, or storing it for later
use. You can also leave them in the system.
If you’re starting a flow-through from scratch, you’ll want

to wait about 2 - 3 months (give or take a couple of weeks
depending on the species) for the cocoons to hatch and
hatchlings to migrate upward to the next trays.
You may decide to harvest sooner if you don’t mind parting ways with the
cocoons. It’s not uncommon for many people to pick out all the cocoons they
can find and adding them to the top tray before using or storing the
castings.
Here’s a  video that shows me harvesting castings from a Worm Factory®

flow-through and what worm castings should look like.
3. Continuous Flow-Through C-F-T-S

Harvesting Castings
Many prefer the hassle-free harvesting of a continuous flow-through system,
but it’s not for everyone. People really like the hands-on, “getting down and
dirty” chore of the previous systems.
168
Others like it much cleaner like these C-F-T

systems provide. Load food at the top and
collect at the bottom.
They’re still much like the flow-throughs, as

far as the way worms migrate. The big
difference is almost no disturbance to the
worms and the ability to reach underneath
and collect as many castings as you want.
Like all systems, there’s an initial setup, but it’ll take 3-6 months until the
castings are ready for harvest but well worth it. Once it’s up and running
there’s just no stopping the flow of “black gold” out of the business end of
one of these systems. This does depend on certain factors and the type of C-
F-T system it is.
Don’t let me paint any pretty rainbows for you. They do have their limits.
You’ll have to stop harvesting once you begin raking cocoons out. The fact
that they have increased air flow and no colony disruption will increase your
worm population and castings exponentially.
Harvesting Tips from Connie

One of the biggest frustrations of using a static worm bin is the dreaded
harvesting factor. To some, this is a chore and to others, a sheer joy. Either
way, it can be time consuming and anything that makes it easy and effective
is worth doing.
A friend of mine, Connie from Montana, has

shared with us her method of harvesting
castings from a static system. This method has
everything to do with separating the worms
from the finished worm castings.
This is much like a •flow-through and is very

useful when implementing in advance before
harvesting. I’ll let Connie explain.
History:
In March of 2001, I first started my worm bin in a 5-gallon bucket, but I
quickly out grew the bucket in less than a month. Someone gave me a
60-gallon barrel, and I used that for almost a year. But cleaning that thing
out was a challenge. I did not know anything about worms and worm
farming, just that I wanted to do it.
169
Everything I searched online at the time, led to worm farms that did not give
out information, unless you bought worms from them. I could see from
my own set up I had success, even though it looked rather erratic.
As I cleaned it out, I would pick out gobs of food, and the next scoop full
would be a big gob of black dense heavy material, then a gob of dense
heavy grassy looking compost. But as I got closer and closer to the bottom,
it was all heavy dense and dark, pure worm cast.
Anyway, as I learned more about bins, I found some places were selling the
migration style worm bins, which started out for a hundred dollars. Right
about that time a friend gave me a big pile of very thin hay twine. I couldn't
refuse it, as I figured I could make something from it.
Then someone mentioned about using mesh bags to extract worms

from their bins to start new bins.
I thought, I could make super size bags

to set up my own migration system,
using garbage cans and my bags,
without having to spend a lot of
money.
It took a lot of time to make the

bags though. But the twine was
free, and I had free time.
But after my bins are going for several months, I

would add the bag, add some bedding material, and
just continue to feed. After about a month, the bag
is emptied into a new ready bin, and is put back into
the old bin, and I continue to use it to collect worms
until, I no longer see them.
Then I clean out the bottom part, that is mostly worm cast, and remove
chunks of paper and food, and sift it through 1/2 screen and store. It is in
the storage bins, that I fill the very small mesh bags, like the ones that
come off a turkey, or a small bag of oranges, and still continue to extract
worms out of the processed worm cast.
170
But the cast can be used any time as needed.
The barrels are used for the storing of worm cast,

and garbage cans, and plastic storage bins are
my worm bins now, easier to manage the smaller
bins. (end)
So here it is in short...
1. Abstain from feeding the worms for 1-2 weeks. This will increase their
appetite.
2. Place a mesh bag on top of the bedding and fill it with some of their
favorite foods like banana peels and such. No wet foods as the liquids
will leach into the castings you’re wanting to harvest.
3. After a week or two, pull the entire bag out of the bin and place it in a
new bin that you have prepared for them. How long you leave the
mesh bag in really depends on how well your worms react to the new
food source. You may want to pull them out and place them into a new
bin or temporary bin periodically.
4. Once you feel the worms have migrated out of the finished castings
well enough for harvesting, you can remove the mesh bag. Dump all
the contents of the bag into the new worm bin.
5. You are now ready to harvest your finished castings for use or for
storage.
Many things can be used in place of a mesh bag. Some use a plastic bag
with several perforated holes, a colander, or another small container with
holes in the bottom for worm to crawl up into to reach the new food source.
The number of items that can be used (like Connie did in making it out of
twine) are endless.
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~Ch 17 How to Use Worm Castings~
Using worm castings comes in several forms, from the average home
gardener to the local landscaper to the commercial farmer. Worm •farming is
every bit scientific as it is a simple process of nature used by people like you
and I for thousands of years.
There are indeed many approaches on how to use worm castings.
You can blindly throw in a guesstimated amount or use a precise

mathematical equation based on years of extensive controlled testing. That's
the beautiful nature of worm castings. You cannot do that with synthetic
fertilizers.
So what are the many uses of castings?
•Vermicast is pretty much in every aspect imaginable that deals with plant
health, growth and even used as a homemade facial mask.
As I have said before the worm castings and the tea (made from the cast)
promotes growth, health, and fruit yields.
Worm castings have shown to stimulate plants into producing

certain hormones that help it to resist pests like, insects and
diseases, as we have already discussed.
The Conversion of Organic Wastes into Vermicompost and Vermicompost ‘Teas’ Which
Promote Plant Growth and Suppress Pests and Diseases.
(Edwards, C.A., Arancon, N.Q., Kai, T.C., Ellery, D. 2007)
However, I'll just touch on a few ways you can use them on your plants and
the amounts to use. You can use them when planting seeds in gardens, in
starter pots, in seed rows, in transplants, in house plants, as a top dressing
for maintenance, sprinkled throughout the lawn, in landscaping, or used as a
fertilizer in small or large agriculture. The possibilities are endless and
exponential. (my favorite word as you’ve noticed)
When to harvest worm castings

We’ve discussed this already, but for those that jump around in the book, I’ll
go over it in short.
172
You can harvest castings anytime you want as long as the material is
composted thoroughly. The vermicast will have to be manually separated
from the worms and •cocoons unless you have a flow-through system.
You may or may not (depending on how efficient you are at harvesting the
cast) end up putting some worms and cocoons in with your transplants. This
will not hurt the worms or cocoons as long as you keep the soil moist.
However, understand that the worms that are used for composting are not
garden worms.
Composting worms live in organic-rich decaying matter and a garden does

not support such rich abundant decay. Your plants will enjoy the worm's
company and the benefits they give. The worms may even live long enough
to complete another •cycle of life. The worms, after dying, will release some
nutrition that can benefit the plant, but will not make it through the hard
winter.
Worm Castings Usage in Landscaping and Gardens

Vermicastings is used by several landscapers and gardeners who appreciate
the short AND long term benefits of worm castings. The cast has a time
released process that many have come to appreciate. The rich •humus is
spongy, therefore absorbing water and holding in nutrients and releasing
them when the plant feels the need to absorb the food.
Gardeners tend to approach worm castings usage as a set-it-and-

forget-it attitude. Landscapers appreciate this as well because they know
they will not have to be back continuously for high maintenance. If you do
your own landscaping around your house, especially edible landscaping,
using worm castings for the increased yields and beauty will not only make
the neighbors envious, but also want to be invited over for dinner. 
To apply the cast in your landscaping plants as transplants, dig the hole
where you will put the plant in. Put the cast in first so that the roots rest on
top. When the roots grow throughout the months they will grow through the
cast, out into the soil, and underneath.
Next, cover up the castings and plant roots. Lastly, what I like to do is
sprinkle a little in around the top since the cast is great for holding moisture
in. Mix it in a little with the surrounding soil on top. Cover with a mulch or
some form of •carbon •bedding so the castings does not dry out.
If worm castings dry out, they won’t nourish the plant. Always
maintain moist bedding in the soil. The soil is a living thing that the
plants feed from and should not be allowed to die.
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Maintain the fertilizing process throughout the spring and summer by

reapplying the top dressing or working it in a little deeper while trying not to
disturb the delicate root system. If it’s mixed with other growth medium,
applied very generously, and never allowed to dry out you should not have
to reapply the castings throughout the summer, especially when used in
conjunction with the aerated •worm tea.
The cast can be used in the soil throughout the drip line area (from the stalk
to the outer branches) to ensure that the roots, which can extend out for
many feet on some plants, are readily getting the nutrients.
Concerning the use of worm castings... a little truly goes a long way.
Worm castings usage in seed rows

A germinating seed, just like a newly hatched chick from an egg, has all the
necessary nutrients available to sustain life after the first few days, but
becomes dependent on its surroundings for the rest of its life. Of course, this
doesn’t mean that the seed shouldn’t need immediate nutrition.
To add the worm castings to the seed row, simply sprinkle a little in, drop
your seeds in, and cover up as usual. Cultivate the cast into the topsoil
about once a month.
You’ll have to add plenty more castings throughout the months (about once
a month) if you only intend to sprinkle the castings in to germinate seeds.
You should use more but “I get it”. You only have so many castings this
planting season. Generously sprinkling some in now will help you stretch it
farther until you can generate more castings throughout the growing season.
I’ve been there before and I truly understand.
Worm castings usage in starter pots

First of all, let me say (in my most humble opinion) that the best mix of all
for your starter pots is the one you come up with yourself through trial and
error. This takes patience though. Someone may tell you that this or that
mix is best, but there can be several variables that may call for several
variations.
Now don't be too concerned. Go ahead and use the worm castings. I'm just
saying that there are some plants that do better with more and some that
do better with less. Some people have a different climate and some have
different surrounding soils.
174
As a general rule of thumb, I use a mix of 25% to 33% worm castings to

other growth mediums. Studies have shown that using any more than this is
not effective. It’s just wasting your castings and if you use much more it will
begin to stunt the plant. The plant will shoot right up then peter out.
But just because you use the worm castings don't assume that you
have a magic potion.
Many healthy people can also get sick or succumb to disease when the
conditions are just right, like cancer. Cancer can show up in a perfectly
healthy person. The cancer cell only needs to have the right conditions to be
able to grow and multiply.
If you’re healthy, your chances of getting sick are reduced exponentially.

The cancer cell will have extreme difficulty in multiplying.
So let me again say that if you keep the conditions right for your plant, this
will help you to maintain healthy plants and unbeneficial microbes will have
difficulty in multiplying. Sometimes though, it's not always possible to do.
Harmful insects, parasites, and disease can also creep in when the
conditions are right for them.
Always remember, Environment, Environment, Environment!
I have said many times that the goal is for the good microorganisms to
survive and outnumber the bad ones. This gives little chance for the bad
ones to take over and wreak havoc. At times the right conditions will creep
in through many variables in an effort to preserve whatever purpose the bad
microbes were created for.
Agriculture and horticulture, to a degree, depends on us to create a healthy

environment or proper conditions. If we take a plant out of its natural
habitat where it was once thriving, we will have to work even harder to
create a better condition for that particular plant.
It might need more or less water, sun or shade, or have to be kept warm
and out of the frost. The point is, we can produce the best conditions to the
best of our ability, but sometimes nature has a way of protecting all life,
whether it be beneficial to us or not. OK! Nuff said! On with "The Mix".
• 25% +/-5.0 margin Worm castings (nutrients and moisture retention)
• 25% Traditional compost or potting soil (moisture retention and

very little nutrients over time)
175
• 25% Leaf/Hay litter (aeration and less soil compaction. Perlite may be
used but it won’t break down like •coco coir or •peat moss)
• 25% Garden soil, Sand or both (or other types of filler, sand also
helps for drainage depending on what you're planting)
• MINERALS – MINERALS – MINERALS Use plenty of minerals. Go back

to the print-out and see what types of minerals you can use. Don’t worry
about the percentage at this point. The Minerals are natural and will only
serve to be positive to the soil, plants, and you!
Don’t be concerned about getting this recipe right or wrong. The point is to
make sure you use 1 part 20 - 33% worm castings to 4 parts everything else
with other kinds of boosters if desired. Don’t worry about the math.
Mix these together, then place it in your starter pots for your seeds or
seedlings. When transplanting to the garden or landscape, you may add a
little more of the mix since this will be the last time you will put it in with the
roots. Every month apply a top dressing depending on how you applied it
initially.
Can you I use 100% worm castings as a growth medium?
You betcha! But it’s heavily frowned upon. Your plants will grow, grow, and
grow, BUT every plant is different and every •vermicompost is different.
There can be more times than not that you will do more harm than good.
(*See final thoughts below) This is not advised.
Some plants will grow too fast causing stalks to be spindly and weak. Some
will grow too slow taking too long to mature properly. Some vermicomposts
can differ in nutrient levels and ratios.
Not all vermicastings are created equal.

I have personally seen that using 100% castings caused my tomato plants
to grow tall and spindly allowing them to bend in the wind and break if not
tethered to something. Allow your plants time to grow slowly, therefore
creating a thick stalk that will stand against the elements of nature.
If you are starting plants indoors you must have PLENTY of light.
Using a small fan on them will also strengthen and thicken their stalks.
Worm castings differ from vermicompost to vermicompost. It contains not

only worm castings, but bedding and partially broken down organic matter.
176
99% castings have been broken down so much that it can contain
higher amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and calcium.
This, combined with other forms of various elements can create high
amounts of salts.
This will not burn your plants as with chemical fertilizers to the point of
killing them, but is why it is a reason to mix it with other forms of organic
substances.
Using worm castings as a top dressing for garden and landscaping

plants, house plants, and lawns
Garden and Landscaping Plants

A top dressing is used in the maintenance and care of your plants. In
gardens and landscapes, sprinkle it around the drip line of your plants
working it into the dirt a little.
Don't leave it just sitting on top of the soil not mixed in. When the cast is
exposed and sits out to dry in clumps it can set up like a brick so it needs to
be sprinkled like crumbs and mixed into the soil. You also don't want the
wind or rain to blow or wash it away as it can be very light when dry due to
its spongy nature.
House Plants
Apply the cast to your house plants in the first 1/ 4 - 1/ 3 inch of soil every 2
months or less as needed. Remove any spent soil as needed to make room
for the castings. Be careful not to let watering get away from you. Plants in
pots that have good drainage can dry out quickly.
If the contents dry out completely, it can kill the worm castings. If it remains
barely moist, the microbes will go into a stage of dormancy, awaiting new
life when you begin to water it again.
I advise always to water with worm tea or chemical-free water and NOT
bottled or tap water. This contains chemicals like chlorine which is designed
to kill ALL living organisms. If you must use tap water let it set out for a day
or in the sun for about 4 hours before using it to allow the chemicals to gas
off.
Lawns
This may actually take more worm castings than you care to part with if you
have a large area to fulfill. That is another reason why I also recommend
using the worm tea on lawns, but remember a little cast goes a long way.
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Make sure you're not using large clumps of the castings or you will spread it
too thin and run out quickly. Leave it out to dry somewhat till it will break
down into smaller crumbles, then sprinkle on the lawn evenly and liberally.
Go for coverage rather than thickness and apply once a month if you have
enough. Water with worm tea using a shower watering bucket or hand pump
sprayer. The benefit of worm tea is absolutely amazing. Let the rain take
care of everything else. Straw or hay litter may need to be applied to bare
areas to keep moisture in and castings alive.
*Final Thought
There have been multiple studies showing, that using 100% of the worm
castings, have been less beneficial to plants. As stated in Mary Appelhof's
book, Worms Eat My Garbage: 2nd edition 1997.
There was a study performed by Kalamazoo Nature Center on the use of

worm castings on African violets. This study consisted of 3 tests.100%
potting soil on left, 100% castings on right, and equal parts of castings,
perlite and peat moss in the center which would render that castings
percentage to 33%. However, I don’t know what foods were fed to worms.
Which test did the best? That's right the 33% mix. The left suffered a little
yellowing of the leaves (chlorosis) which was a possibility of nutrient
deficiency and growth was stunted. The ones on the right, although had
more of the nutrition, were also not as strong and vibrant. Likely it was due
to high concentrations of salts in the cast that also stunted their growth.
Overall when experimenting with your plants use the 25% x 4 approach. You
will find that you'll be able to back off on the worm castings if you are
diligent in your studies and take notes. Try using a controlled setting and for
each series of plants use 5% less castings each time. I have read that some
need only to use 5% cast for their plants allowing them to stretch their
"Black Gold" to even farther.
Plastic baggies can be used, but must haves have a few breather holes.
A little really does go……a long way.
Worm castings to a plant is as natural as breast milk to a new born baby,

It’s a plant’s natural food.
~Pauly Piccirillo
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~ Ch 18 Storing Worm Castings ~
Storing Castings Indoors
There are plenty of different ways to store your castings for the winter
(unless you plan on using it for your fall planting). I’ll show you my
preferred way of storing the castings.
If you worm farm indoors, chances are, you’ll likely store your castings
indoors, but you can also store them outside, in the garage, and in the wood
shed as well. I prefer to store my worm castings in my old •static worm bins.
The castings are living organisms so they need to breathe and remain moist
for optimal use in the spring.
After you have harvested your mature worm castings and feel comfortable
with the look and feel. It should go in an enclosed container, yet breathes
very well. One of the best containers to use is a plastic tote or tote
equivalent.
They can hold a lot of material while remaining durable too. You can also
choose the color you want, but make sure it still remains dark to block out
the light. Just like in a worm bin, it needs to have holes in order to allow for
proper aerating. In other words, the gasses need to be able to vent.
When storing/harvesting the worm castings for the winter it’s a good idea to
leave some worms and cocoons in the castings. Most of the mature castings
will still have bits and pieces of compost in it, even if you can't see any. The
worms and the babies that hatch from the cocoons will continue to
refine the castings along with helping to keep it aerated while the worm
castings continue to sit over the months.
Here's the cool thing about the plastic bin storage. Once you put the lid on a
plastic worm bin the entire container becomes moist and therefore the
worms feel safe crawling around on the top and sides of the bin. This is
normal. I told you previously that worms are migratory and they’re only
searching the system for a better food source or overall environment.
This is when you can simply scrape them off the sides and top and put them
back into your worm farming system. So you see, you don't have to break
your back or worry too much about being perfect when harvesting the worm
castings.
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Don’t worry about a few little worms. They’ll eat the microbes that continue
to grow throughout the storage container. The worms will last for months
this way.
Storing Castings Outdoors
You can still store them in a plastic tote, but always make sure that it's in
the shade no matter what you use to store the castings. Temps should not
be an issue since we are talking about the fall, winter, and spring seasons.
Freezing is not an issue as they are microbes and will simply bounce right
back during constant warm temperatures.
But don't let the worm castings dry out. You will lose many more microbes
and aren't guaranteed as much “bouncing back” when they are dead. When
worm poop dries out it sets up like a brick.
Cover the containers, spritz, and mix it around occasionally to be certain

they’re not getting too dry. Come winter, depending on where you live and
your particular climate, you can probably get away with very little attention
during the freeze. You’ll have to use your best judgment at this point.
Department store bags or any nylon reusable shopping bag is good for
storing worm castings outdoors, but these breathe much better than plastic
containers so spritzing maintenance will be higher.
Keep it covered with breathable material or even plenty of hay, straw, and
leaves, among others. Just don't let it dry out. You may lose some castings
throughout the months. This is normal and that’s what the leaves are for, to
keep it from drying out.
Bottom Line
Worm castings need very little oxygen to remain active or alive so using any
type of container will work if it has the ability to vent. Keeping it cool is
important.
These are simply microbes and the lower the temperature is, the less active
they are, therefore locking in nitrogen and other nutrients from becoming
spent. Storing mature vermicastings at room temperature will remain a very
valuable material for many months until used.
Using fresh, “fully” composted vermicastings harvested directly from the

system is a mix of compost and vermicastings. This is still great to use
immediately for plants. However, I believe storing it at room temperature
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with a few worms to continue to process it and refine it a couple of months

or more will give you up to 98 - 99% worm castings. For some of us, we
really have nothing better to do until springtime anyway. 
One last thing to mention, that many don’t consider, is that every worm
system contains other tiny creatures like spider mites, springtails, and pot
worms etc. whether beneficial or not. Worm castings do not contain worm
food and is not a suitable environment for them. They will decrease in
number and eventually die off.
Quick tips for storing vermicastings:
1. Don’t let vermicastings become dry and dead. It’ll set up like a brick.
2. Keep worm castings in the shade, out of the sun, and excess heat.
3. Store in a dark area. Usually an opaque container with a lid is good.
4. Microbes should remain moist and not too wet. If the vermicast stays
together when squeezed it’s not too dry. If you can form it easily,
making little figurines (ha! ), it’s too wet.
Let it dry more. Leave the lid off your bin, create several breathe
holes, and stir every few days until it’s the consistency you like.
Maintain the consistency.
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~Ch 19 Working with Other Organisms in the Worm Bin~
If you’re a beginner worm farmer, or you haven’t started yet, let me reveal
the “ugly truth” about worm farming. Now don’t let that statement scare
you away from creating the world’s best fertilizer, I’m not going to be the
one who will tell you that worm farming is all flowers and rainbows either.
The fact is, “Worm Poop Happens”.
But worm poop doesn’t just happen without the entire workings of a
miniature ecosystem. It would be nice if it was as easy as food in and
castings out, but that’s just not the real world.
Every system has little miniature creatures going about and doing their part
in order for you to harvest the great plant food you desire. But the truth
doesn’t have to be ugly if we know what the truth is in order to work with it.
You already know that the biggest mistake beginners make is not
understanding what makes a worm bin function smoothly. The number one
cause of failure is overfeeding. We’re human and therefore we tend to
take care of or treat our animals like they’re human too.
I get that urge too, but this is something that we need to let go of. If worms
took care of us the way they wanted to be cared for, we’d be climbing the
walls too.
It’s just something to think about. So, this is why you’re reading this book.
It’s to understand the ins and outs of vermicomposting. If you haven’t
started worm farming yet, you’re way ahead of most beginners.
There are many different creatures inside a worm system (too many to list)
but we’ll mainly focus on the organisms most common and easy to spot with
the naked eye.
Some organisms feed on the excrement of others, some on other organisms,

and some on both the •carbon and the nitrogen foods. The best way we can
control the infestation of many pesky organisms is by cutting way back on
the nitrogen foods for starters.
Most problems stem from introducing too much nitrogen-rich foods.
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I’m going to try to walk you through this quickly, but it can’t be said enough.
Most people will forget most of the information they read in any book, but I
hope you come back often to this one because my goal is for your success.
You should print this page because what I’m going to say will be very
important if you want an endless supply of rich castings without problems.
If you only cater to what the worms like (just like in nature) you will not
have the problems so many others do.
Remember the 5 basic principles to a successful worm system? Refer to that

section in Chapter 10.
Always maintain a cool, dark, moist, proper food ratio (C:N 20:1 ratio) and
well ventilated system. If you have the right conditions for your species,
your issues will be next to none. I’ve been vermicomposting for several
years and the only time I have an issue is when I get lazy or forget about
one of my worm bins.
I still, to this day, have to resist the urge to feed my worms too many
kitchen scraps. I know that when I do overfeed, I will get numerous
unwanted pot worms, springtails, fruit flies, and spider mites to name a few.
Always bury the kitchen scraps well below the bedding or castings 2 - 3
inches (5-7.6cm) to cut down on the irresistible smell initially attracting
them (mainly flies).
So please resist the temptation to feed them too many fruits, vegetables,
and grains. It attracts the organisms that thrive in a wet, acidic, and
nitrogen-rich environment. These are the three major factors that invite
numerous unwanted pests and leads to smelly, anaerobic conditions causing
unbeneficial microbes and other organisms to populate.
Maybe I should say, it’s the three major fingers pointing back to YOU! 
You are in control of your worm’s environment. You are the major factor.
Cut back on •food that causes the system to be...
Too Wet - Too Acidic - Too Nitrogen-Rich
When the system becomes wet, smelly, acidic, or anaerobic (or all four) you
must act fast by first adding plenty of dry carbon bedding to absorb the
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excess liquid and increase air flow. Avoid developing any •leachate that drips
into the bottom of the system.
If the system is too acidic, adding some minerals (as we discussed in

chapter 9) is a fast way of increasing the PH level.
Not all organisms are beneficial. Below is a list of some common ones that I
distinguish between friend or foe.
Common Friendly Pests -

Friends (the annoying ones)
Spider Mites (Brownish & reddish & white)

It's not entirely uncommon to find some form of mite in the bin. These pests
are also the Creator's cleanup crew. Any time a bin becomes too acidic
or wet it can have an over population of mites, mainly the brownish or
white spider mites.
These aren't necessarily a problem as much as they are a nuisance. In

some cases, they can bring balance to your system. When worms
become sick or start dying, they will sometimes consume them, but leave
the healthy ones alone.
However, if the mites become too populated, they may choke out the
worms. The worms may look for new residence. There's a popular way
among worm farmers to get rid of these little pests.
Solution:
They seem to love cantaloupe and watermelon. Place the rinds on top
of the compost (after you have enjoyed the fruit of course). Leave it
overnight. The next day you will have mites covering the rind from top to
bottom. Rinse the mites off over the sink or outside preferably.
Keep repeating the process until you are satisfied with the results. When
you're done, leave the rinds in for your worms to enjoy. Add plenty of dry
carbon.
-Side Note-
You may have some baby worms on the rinds. It might be considered a
sacrifice to release them into your garden or compost pile for the population
control of the bugs in the worm bin instead of rinsing the rinds. You be the
judge.
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Fruit Flies
Not a friend, neither an ally, just plain annoying. They stay in your house for
what seems like weeks-on-end. I currently don't know of any silver bullet for
this pest except time. Here is a common method for ending the cycle of
nature on these pests mainly in your house.
See the detailed page, How to  Get Rid of Fruit Flies
Solution:
Fill a small bowl with apple cider vinegar, wrap it with plastic wrap, and
punch a couple of small holes in the middle about the size of a toothpick.
They will fly into the hole and eventually drown. They’re attracted to the acid
in the vinegar.
This is probably what attracted them to the bin in the first place, along with
a lot of added fruits. Remember to add the food in small areas to avoid rapid
bacterial growth and pungent odor.
A way to prevent their eggs from hatching can be to boil it before feeding it
to the worms or freeze it, but only if you see them in the fruit. Freezing will
probably only kill the larvae and not the eggs.
Make sure to bury the food under at least 2 inches (5cm) of bedding to
eliminate any flies from getting in. This will also mask the smell from
emanating from the bin, thus attracting other worm farming pests.
Pill Bugs (rollie-pollies) & Sow Bugs

They're more friends than anything else. They break down the hard matter
like wood and leaves. They're actually perfect for the bin, but I'm not saying
to grab a handful and throw them in. Rather acknowledge their presence and
thank them for the role they play within the cycle of nature.
Though, you’ll probably want to get rid of them. The female will carry up to
100 eggs in her pouch that can take 2 months to hatch.
So just when you thought you got rid of them, they rear their little heads
again 2 months later.
Solution:
If they populate too much, they are indeed worm farming pests. Let them
know that they've worn out their welcome by tossing them out one by one.
Place a piece of rotting wood or bark on top of the bedding. After a day or so
they might have clung to the bottom. Shake the wood off outside or on your
outdoor compost heap and repeat.
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Springtails
These are in fact not an enemy, but help in the breakdown of organic
material. They have an organ called a fercula (a tail-like appendage) that
they hold against them underneath their body. When they feel threatened
they release this organ that catapults them into the air thus being called the
springtail.
 Video on Springtails in the Worm Bin
They are literally small enough to fit on the head of a pin. No need to even
give these critters a second look or be concerned as a threat in the worm
bin.
Solution:
Allow the worm bin to dry out. Leave the lid off and the worms will move
further down into bedding. This will not rid you of all the springtails, but
should reduce them quite a bit. Remove excess nitrogen foods if practical.
Lay a sheet of moist newspaper over entire area. Wait a day, turn over, and
inspect it. They may be covering the entire sheet. If you’re happy with how
many are on the sheet get rid of the sheet and repeat with new sheet.
Pot Worms/White Worms

Pot worms are often confused with newly-
hatched baby worms. This is an amateur move,
but pot worms have fooled most of us at one
time or another. As •hatchlings, baby worms
will always look reddish or pink in nature.
Pot worms generally don’t get any bigger than

1 inch (2.5cm) but are usually smaller as
indicated on my index finger.
Solution:
The bin is too wet and/or acidic. Dry out the bin by adding plenty of dry
carbon material. Add PH balancing minerals (mineral chart). Remove any
larger nitrogen food chunks if practical. Leave the lid off until issue is
corrected.
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Common Unwanted Pests - Foes

Ants
Ants for the most part pose no threat to the worms. A few scouting ants
here and there are not an issue, but you know scouts can bring a slew of
others competing for the food. So be on the lookout for scouts.
Solution:
A preventive measure with bins inside or out (especially the stackable ones)
is to put the legs of the bin into bowls of water with a few drops of dish soup
in each bowl. This serves as a sticky mote. Either the ants will drown or
avoid the water altogether.
Place newspaper or cardboard on top of the bedding and sprinkle

•Diatomaceous Earth (DE) on top. DE is very effective for preventing or
ridding the system of all insects.
Centipedes
At first glance you may mistake these arthropods as a worm because of its
long segmented brownish body. They mainly feed on decaying matter, but
are also known to feed on small insects, other arthropods, and
yes...earthworms. I am not sure what makes these bugs feed on worms
from time to time but...I will categorize them as worm farming pests.
Solution:
If you see any, it's a good idea to pull them out. Be careful! Some can be
poisonous, but not detrimental to humans, just irritating. Watch out for
those pincers!
•Black Soldier Flies  Read the Full BSFL Article
They live in wetlands and enjoy

composts and manures. I'm mainly
talking about the larvae in general.
They can grow in numbers if not

taken care of. They do no harm to
the worms and they are great
composters. It’s unneeded
competition for food, thus making
them a pest if too many.
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They enjoy the nitrogen-rich food and sometimes manures in the bin. They
don’t want anything to do with the carbon material. If they exist in great
numbers the bin can potentially heat up causing your squirm to retreat to
the bottom of the bin, scale the walls, or worst case scenario, leave or die
from overheating or demophobia.
Solution:
If you only have a small handful, you might want to wait it out or pull as
many out as you can. You need to keep the adults from coming back and
laying eggs. Remove as much nitrogen food as you can and fill the bin with
plenty of absorbent shredded material.
The worms will eat the bedding while the bin will not attract the adult flies.
You may also want to put some mosquito netting around it as to not allow
any adult flies in to lay eggs, but all larvae must be gone before netting is
installed.
BSFL can be very beneficial in composting and they might even turn
out to be the next critter you decide to culture.
If there's too many and you cannot deal with them, you'll need to start from
scratch. *See instructions below.
Other Predators
Earth Dwellers
If you plan on having some type of setup outside, you better be prepared for
double trouble. Other potential unwanted visitors may include moles and
shrews. Moles live underground and burrow through the root systems of
plants and grasses.
Solution:
Be sure your worm habitat, if directly on the ground, has a bottom to it like
wood, concrete, or metal screening/hardware cloth. There's no better
delicacy to a mole than worm delight. (Note: If you have some type of
flooring, make sure it has proper drainage. You don't want to flood your
worms from too much leachate.)
Birds
INCOMING! INCOMING! That's right! We all know the early bird gets the,
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and if they're on to you, you might as well fill your bird feeder with your
worms instead.
Solution:
The best plan of action is to have all four walls and a roof. Install some kind
a chicken wire or put a cover over it such as a tarp. This also applies to
those who have backyard chickens or free range (pastured) chickens
clucking about. If they have access to a compost pile they will find the
worms.
Other Thoughts
Obviously, the list could get quite long, but these are some of the biggest
threats posed to worms. Most of you will be operating on a small scale and
indoors so you won't have to worry too much about unwanted guests.
Now you're getting scared about starting your own worm farm. Relax! It's
much easier than you think. Once you get the hang of it, the system will
practically take care of itself.
Many of you will never have a problem, but I just thought it was appropriate
for everyone to be aware of extra-terrestrials lurking about.
Rebooting instructions
*In the worst-case-scenario you have no success in managing your worm
farming pests, you'll have to start all over by pulling out all your worms. Pick
them out by hand where they’re easy to get to. Many may even be balled up
together.
Place them into a new system that has plenty of moist •carbon bedding and
no nitrogen foods. They will continue to feed on the carbon while some of
the unbeneficial organism (that may have been transferred over) will die or
be kept to a minimum.
If the situation was so outrageously overwhelming, rinse them over some

type of screen mesh or colander, rinse out the bin, and prepare it with fresh
bedding (adding only moist carbon). Add the worms back into the system.
Rinsing is very unlikely. Even though you may get some worm farming pests
in the transfer, the new system will not be in their favor and will be kept to a
minimum.
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~Ch 20 Worm Facts~  Print Out
1. Do worms have eyes? Worms do not have eyes, but possess what's
called "receptor cells". This lets them know that they are in or too close to
light. They don't like the light and will die if left in the sun light too
long. They feel around with their sensitive skin and hairs on their body.
2. Do worms have lungs? Worms do not have lungs. They breathe

through their skin through the transfer of oxygen absorbed by their skin.
Since they don't inhale, they must always remain wet so the transfer of
dissolved oxygen can take place. They coat themselves
in mucous, especially in dryer conditions to keep from suffocating.
3. Do worms smell? No. They have chemoreceptors that enable them to

taste through means of chemical stimuli. Remember they cannot breathe
like we do; therefore, they cannot smell.
Speaking of “smell”. The red wiggler in Latin is called Eisenia fetida.

Fetida means nauseating, having a rotten or offensive smell, but honestly
though, I've never even noticed much of a smell from them at all.
4. Do worms have teeth? No, but they do have a mouth. Since they don't
have teeth they suck food through their mouths using a powerful
pharynx. They have a gizzard much like a chicken which helps them
grind their food. This is why it's important for them to swallow minerals
made from stone to help grind the food.
5. What's the ring in the middle of the worm? This is called the clitellum
(also called a saddle or band) and is located closer to the mouth
(anterior) end of the worm. The clitellum is responsible for producing the
cocoon which will hold the embryo. This is where baby worms come from.
6. How many hearts do worms have? Amazingly worms have 5 hearts.
7. What are the little hairs called on its body? These little hairs are
called "setae". These bristles enable a worm to cling to the walls of its
burrow and to move around easily on the ground or up a wall. That's why
it can be so difficult to pull them out of their little holes. These tiny hairs
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are like Velcro.
8. Can worms reproduce on their own? Earthworms or composting

worms are hermaphrodites. This means that they are both male and
female. They possess both male and female reproductive organs, but it
still takes two for reproduction.
9. How do worms reproduce? Worms find each other usually in moist

conditions where food is abundant. Conditions must be just right or
worms will not reproduce for fear that their babies will not survive.
Worms face each other in a juxtaposing position. This means side by side,
but facing opposite directions. During this position they exchange or
transfer semen packets from one to another.
10. Can 2 different species mate? No, Different species will not mate with
each other no matter how hard you try to get them to coexist together.
Many species can coexist, but will not be interested in mating no matter
how identical their characteristics and mannerisms are.
11. How are the cocoons created? This is probably the most difficult to
explain as well as visualize, but here it goes anyway.
As the clitellum (thick band) slides forward, it picks up ova from its
ovaries, then picks up the semen packet. Thick mucous is produced by
the clitellum during this process. It contains a nutritious substance to
sustain the babies throughout the incubation period.
The babies are protected fairly well inside the cocoon. Cocoons can
withstand the extreme elements of nature. This is why composting
worms that live outside can make it to see spring while the adults will die
if it gets below freezing. Depending on the species of worm, the cocoons
are usually the size of a grain of rice and bigger.
12. What does an adult worm look like? Well it's a given, of course, that
adults are bigger, but the only way to tell the difference between a young
worm and an adult worm is by the clitellum. If a worm has a clitellum,
(the thick band or ring), you know that it's an adult.
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~Ch 21 Worm Farming - The New R u sh ~
Case Studies of “Real” People with “Real” Worm Businesses
In this section, we’ll go over some basics on raising your own worms or
fertilizer for profit. It is by no means a full or complete how-to guide into the
workings of a full-scale worm •farming business. Oh No! That’s a whole other
book. It’s more like a kick starter to help you decide if you want to be on the
“business end” of turning poop into profit.
Many of you that are currently worm farming are considering getting into the
•vermiculture and •vermicomposting business. I would be remiss though, if I
didn’t tell you a few things first. I’ll say it straight forward and as honest as
possible.
The fact that “worm poop” is the best fertilizer for plants, proves itself over
and over, and is so simple to do has many people seeing $$$ signs. At first,
I was going to say, “Raising worms and making compost is not your average
or even glamorous business”, but you could say that about many successful
business models.
“Glamour” is in the eye of the beholder, but the truth is that many people do
consider it to be a very worthy and fulfilling line of work. There are no words
that can describe the smile on someone’s face when they tell you how you
have changed their life and their way of thinking.
No, you’re not selling homemade soap, jewelry, or paintings on Etsy either.
You’re selling poop and slimy worms. I know… I’m making it sound like
something that hardly anyone wants now. But what drew YOU and I to worm
farming is the same thing that’s drawing many people to it as well.
There’s a reason why Wal-Mart still sells worms and plant fertilizer. It’s
because there is a profit to be made. What if you could do this better (and
you can) than their vendors?
I’m not sure if the next few pages will burst your bubble or inflate it, but I
do hope it gives you a sense of direction, depending on what your goals are.
The markets are changing in many areas. The general public is getting tired
of high-priced foods that are flavorless, filled with “added” flavors, and has
no nutritional value, among other issues.
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Many low-income families are being forced to buy this food as there are
barely any other alternatives, therefore are becoming sick, overweight and
are now having to be medicated.
Recycling is now becoming more popular as people are waking up to the fact
that their garbage is actually “Not Garbage”. It has a purpose other than to
fill a hole, out in the middle of nowhere.
Fishermen understand that culturing your own worms is cheap, easy, and
accomplishes several tasks at once. Fish prefer the taste of a fresh worm
over the lifeless refrigerated ones.
I would sum it up into a few categories,
• Recycling for environmental reasons
• Generate great fertilizer for plants instead of buying high-priced foods

that contain synthetic chemicals.
• Raising fishing worms or pet food for profit
• Grow wonderful tasting and bountiful yields for profit.
Creating your own business around eco-friendly and self-sustaining ideas

while being organic or as natural as possible in this current age is…
Extremely Lucrative!
Who knew worms were such multi-taskers 
For those of you that are just starting to •culture worms and are considering
getting your business running immediately, I would caution you. I don’t
know your particular situation, but you might be itching to get started. This
takes time to learn and you need to start slow just like in any business.
There are stories of people buying large numbers of worms, worm farming
equipment, large scale worm farms, and even falling for so-called “worm
buy-back” programs. Starting small and learning how to care for your worms
is the best way to go about it.
Worms are not difficult, but neither are puppies, right? Although worms are
much easier to care for, they are not without their problems. If you multiply
that, by a full-scale worm operation, the problems become increasingly
greater.
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When you can learn to identify, and correct any problem that may arise from
a small worm bin, you’ll definitely know what to do when you become a
much bigger outfit.
I’m going to give you a look into some real-life scenarios with some real
people who have started small and continue to grow their business as their
worms and customer base increase. This is one of the best ways to grow
your business. When you have a full understanding of how to culture worms
you only need to multiply your operation and grow from there.
As you learn to understand what your worms need you increasingly

understand what your customers need. Many people begin by using static
bins as this is how they started and is what they are comfortable with. The
best thing about this is if you can do it right in a static bin, you can grow
worms in anything.
Real Case Studies
Case #1 Supplemental Income
I want to first introduce you to Scotty

from Tennessee. He started out small
and continues to grow his business
while raising worms in regular plastic
totes.
He sells fishing worms and uses the

worm castings on his own plants.
Photo by Scotty
1. What species of worm do you raise? I raise a worm called the

European Nightcrawler, which is a cousin of the red wiggler only much
larger. It’s a dual-purpose worm which is good for both composting
and fishing.
2. Many people raise worms for profit in static bins like yours.
Why did you choose to raise them in these bins and do you
have plans to use something different in the future?
I use bins because it is the cheapest method I've found and easy to
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keep organized. I keep them in my cellar. I might consider growing

them outdoors in larger wood built bins once I move to a warmer
climate. I am planning to move to Florida soon.
3. How do you harvest your worms? I incorporate a sifting method I

learned over the Internet using a letter-holder type of mesh basket.
You can get them at some office supply stores.
4. What do you feed your worms? I juice a lot, I feed them the pulp
and melon rinds (blended) they also eat the bedding (carbon) which is
leaves that I gather during the fall.
5. What do you sell your worms in? I sell them in foam food
containers with lids that already have holes in them. I print my own
labels on my computer.
6. Who are your clients? They are local mom and pop convenient
stores.
7. How did you get your clients? I just went in and gave them my
business cards and asked if they need a live bait vendor. Most only
want to do it on a consignment basis.
8. Do you advertise? No at least not yet, I can barely keep up with

current clients demand.
9. How do you grow your customer base? Right now I can’t grow
because I don't have the supply to meet the demand.
10. Do you have any advice for those that would like to start a
business like yours in their area? If they live in a cold place, put
them in totes in the basement. Warm places they could build a wooden
bin outside.
11. Where do you see your business in the near future? I hope to
grow much bigger, and eventually, after they breed more, sell some
vermicompost, and use it to grow and sell produce. I eventually want
to do this business full time.
Thank you for your help in showing others how to get started in their neck of
the woods. We wish you all the best Scotty  (end)
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Patrick is owner of The Worm Outlet (formerly, Red Worms Express). He

cultures worms, fulfills orders, and sells worm related products. After being
duped by several so-called worm “professionals”, he decided to take matters
into his own hands.
Here’s his story.
Case #2 Full-Scale Commercial Biz
1. Why or how did you get into culturing worms?
In 2011, after researching organic gardening methods, we were

introduced to Vermicomposting, the art of composting using worms to
break down the organic matter.
In 2011 our family ordered 1,000 (1 pound) red worms from a "Big
Name" long term worm farm in the Northeast, while we waited for the
worms to arrive we made a worm bin using a Rubber-made
Container. The worms arrived, and to our surprise and dismay there
were at best 250 worms, most of which were old and dead, bone dry.
We contacted the company who agreed to send replacement worms

another package arrived with about 100 live worms… We cut our
losses and put the worms in the bin to do their work…
About a month later, there was an ad on Free-cycle for composting

worms. We drove the hour drive to pick up the 3 pounds of red
worms, 3,000 - 3,500 live healthy worms. After a few weeks in the
bin we didn't like the setup and ordered a Worm Factory® Composting
Bin by Nature’s Footprint. We moved the worms, and active compost
over to the new system, the worms thrived and we fell in love with
composting with our worms. (They lived in our kitchen).
In 2012 we decided to get more worms, and use that Rubber-made

bin from before, this time we ordered worms from a Southern Worm
Farm, they arrived, about 300 worms that were in poor packing loose
in the box.
The communication with that vendor was poor, we never received any
replacement or refund. We looked on-line found another "big name
worm company, and same results, except 100 worms were sent when
we ordered 2000. We filed a chargeback with our credit card company
and said enough worm farmers. They were turning out to be crooks.
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In 2013 we still had more organic matter waste than our current
worms could handle and we’re a good size family. We tried several
other smaller worm farms to get new worms but the same story.
Either the worms came in crushed packages dead, or they would send
a quarter of a pound of worms and a bunch of wet bedding as weight,
that is until we found Special T Worms.
We ordered 3 pounds they sent nearly 4 pounds of worms, and total

package weight of 6 pounds in perfect shape and packing, only after
getting our order did we learn that the owner was set to retire and
close the business in less than 2 months. We expressed our sadness
with hearing this as this was the only time we had good luck with an
HONEST worm farmer and he was going out of business. That is when
he offered to sell us his worm farm.
After a few weeks of discussion our family decided, there were too
many dishonest worm farmers in the country and Red Worms
Express was born. We are committed to providing our customers
with HONEST, DEPENDABLE customer service. Like John we always
include more worms than our customer orders, because a happy
customer and honest service is much more important than making a
few extra dishonest dollars in our book.
We take pride in our products and services, sending extra worms with
all orders, carefully packing the worms to ensure a safe live delivery.
2. What species of worm do you raise?

We raise red wiggler worms (E. fetida), European Nightcrawlers (E.
hortensis), Blue Worms (P. excavatus) (Just started)
3. What do you feed your worms?

We feed our worms a variety of items in order to have a well diverse
diet in order to both provide a wide range of nutrients to the worms,
and to have superior worm castings. Our feed includes items such as
kitchen scraps from local dining establishments, coffee grounds from
local coffee bar, old/spilled grains from feed mill that would not be sold
for feeding livestock, and rabbit manure.
4. What type of containers do you use for culturing worms?

We use large 4-foot-wide x 20 to 40 foot long beds, farm stock tanks,
and stacking plastic totes made for commercial worm farming.
5. How do you harvest your worms?

We harvest our worms by hand using modified hand tools to pick out
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of the beds. We then place the bedding that contains castings, worms,
and unfinished compost in to one of several harvesting machines we
have.
During summer months we use a 20 foot long rotating harvester that

separates the castings into one bin, refuse castings with cocoons in
another, worms in another and finally unfinished compost into the last.
In colder months we use a smaller version of this inside our farm

building. We also have a sifting table (electric) and hand sorters for
smaller batches.
6. Did you need expensive equipment to start a farm?

We purchased an existing farm that was going out of business, but to
get started you don’t need expensive equipment, you can start small
and build over time.
7. How did you get your customers?

That can be tricky for any business and you would think buying a
business we would get the customers, not with this purchase even
though we tried. I get my customers from local ads, internet ads,
referrals, and networking.
8. Do you advertise?
We advertise mainly online, with some print ads locally for targeted
groups.
9. How do you grow your customer base?

Social media, referrals, and networking.
10. I always tell people to get as much information from several

sources whether in books or on the Internet to avoid costly
mistakes. We all make mistakes that we learn from. Can you
tell us of any mistakes to avoid?
First mistake to avoid is buying just because the price is cheap;
remember you get what you pay for! Secondly, do not over or under
feed your worms! Third, as much as you want check out your worms,
limit disruptions to the bin so not to stress out your worms. Lastly,
get on a forum where you can ask questions when you need to, and
DON’T be afraid to ask questions.
11. Where do you see your business in the near future?

In the near future we are planning a major change in our business. We
are planning on moving from Upstate New York to Lower Tennessee,
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where we are planning a major farm expansion allowing us to produce

larger numbers of worms and castings.
We are planning on focus marketing our European Nightcrawlers as

fishing bait worms and have already been in negotiations with several
bait shops. We also are planning a major campaign on worm castings.
Finally, once moved we will be hosting vermicomposting workshops at

our worm farm, where clients can learn proper home vermicomposting
techniques, and take home their bin and worms once done. Finally, we
are working on an online vermicomposting course.
12. How can someone get a hold of you to purchase worms?
The best way to purchase worms or related products is on our…

 Website thewormoutlet.com
 Email thewormoutlet.com/pages/contact-us
Thank you very much Patrick and Valerie. You have proven to several people
that starting a commercial-sized vermiculture business is becoming more
lucrative every single day. Keep up the great work!
Case #3 Owning an Informational Website and Selling Your Own Ideas.
If you didn’t know the name of my next guest, then it would have only been
a matter of time. My friend, Bentley Christie has been vermicomposting
since 2000. He’s the creator and publisher of  Red Worm Composting.com
and has been blogging on just about anything related to worm composting.
If you like learning about worm composting and the many ways in which to
do it, then Bentley is your “goto” source. He has several projects going and
if you’re thinking of a certain way to compost, chances are he’s done it.
I think everyone should always get their information from several sources. If
you’re reading this book right now then you’re off to a great start, but it’s
only 1 source. You need several perspectives.
So let’s pick Bentley’s nerdy worm brain 
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1. Hey Bentley, Can you briefly tell us how you got involved in
vermicomposting? At the time - just over 15 years ago, as I type
this - I was working at an environmental consulting firm, and I caught
wind of a co-worker keeping a weird "worm bin" under her desk, which
she periodically tossed compostable lunch scraps into.
I was actually fairly familiar with Red Worms by that point. Originally it
had stemmed from my passion for fishing, but later it was linked to my
keen interest in the topic of "live foods" (mainly for aquarium fish).
But once I actually saw this bin in action - all that changed!
I was blown away by the fact that these little worms were converting
what most people consider to be "garbage" into the most amazing
compost - all inside this plastic box sitting under a desk in an office.
Crazy!
[Aside: what's hilarious - and something I had no clue about at the

time - is that she was actually doing a pretty lousy job maintaining the
bin. Yet those hardy little wigglers were still doing their job!]
Anyway - long story short, when she saw how fascinated/excited I was
about her worms (most others likely looked at her nervously, while
slowly backing away. lol) she insisted that I take some home with me
so I could start my own bin.
I definitely had some crazy misadventures with that first bin - but
that's a whole other story altogether!
The important thing is that's how it all started - and I haven't looked
back since!
2. Worm castings are low in Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium.

Why would anyone want to use it then? Yeah, this highlights one
of the big misconceptions people (not you of course! lol) have about
castings/vermicompost. We've been so indoctrinated with this
obsession about "NPK" that it's difficult for some to accept the fact that
there are other really important factors to consider.
From a bare bones standpoint - just the structural benefits

vermicomposts offer - things like the improved porosity, and water-
holding capacity - makes them worth the effort. But the really BIG
deal about these materials relates to their microbiology, and the plant-
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growth-regulating compounds such as growth hormones and humic

acids that researchers have isolated.
If you look at the results from multiple research studies conducted at

Ohio State University - under the supervision of Dr. Clive Edwards -
you'll see time and time again demonstrations of vermicomposts
stimulating additional plant growth above and beyond what can be
explained by nutrients alone. i.e. even when plants received all the
nutrients they needed for maximum growth, the addition of (even
small quantities of) vermicomposts resulted in further growth.
There has also been considerable research to demonstrate the plant

disease- and even pest-fighting abilities of vermicomposts as well.
Again, something closely linked to the unique microbiology of these
materials.
Notice I keep saying vermicompostS/materialS. Another mistake

people tend to make is to think of vermicompost/castings as referring
to ONE specific material. The fact is, there are countless different kinds
of vermicomposts - largely determined by the starting materials they
are made from. If well made, they will tend to have similar beneficial
properties, but certain vermicomposts might be more effective in
certain applications/situations than others.
Getting back to the topic of NPK - I strongly encourage people to think

of castings/vermicompost as more of a (highly beneficial) soil
amendment than as a "fertilizer". That being said, I should also point
out that there ARE even some vermicomposts that can have pretty
high levels of nutrients (e.g. according to Dr. Edwards, pig manure
vermicomposts typically have all the nutrients - at sufficient levels -
that plants need).
3. Out of all the worm systems, which one is overall the best
system? I'm afraid that's a bit like asking how long a piece of string
is, Pauly! LOL
I'm teasing of course - but it really DOES depend on what you are
trying to do. If you asked what the best system for creating high
quality vermicompost was, I'd definitely say a single-compartment
flow-through (aka "continuous flow) bed.
If you asked my opinion about the best indoor home system, my

(admittedly biased - lol) answer would be the Worm Inn. It helps
vermicomposters to process more of their food wastes, without a lot of
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the hassles encountered with various other home "worm bins" - such
as roaming worms, critter population explosions (and even if you DID
end up with fruit flies, for example, the zippered lid would keep them
contained), foul smells, slow processing speeds etc.
When it comes down to it, the key is to focus on your goals, any
environmental factors you may be faced with (indoors, outdoors, hot
environment, cold environment) and just generally to make sure you
are well versed in the requirements of your worms (and potential
hazards).
Something as simple as a plastic Rubbermaid tub can actually be a

fantastic worm bin if used properly!
4. What is your favorite thing about vermicomposting and/or

what gives you the most satisfaction? I think there are two main
"favorite" things - and it's safe to say that they both give me the most
satisfaction.
Relating to my own vermicomposting activities...
I'm just completely blown away by what the worms have done for my
gardens. I have never really been a serious "green thumb" - I'm just
not focused or dedicated enough to really garden properly! lol - but
the worms definitely help me look like I know what I'm doing!
I have lots of outdoor systems closely associated with my garden beds

(this all started almost "accidentally" with my very first
vermicomposting trench - pretty funny story behind that actually...but
I don't want to get side-tracked here!).
It STILL literally seems like "magic" or alchemy to me. All I do is give

the worms a bunch of "waste", and they then turn it into something
amazing for the plants.
I've become pretty well-known in the neighborhood for my gardens

every year - but most people don't know about my secret army of
"helpers"! lol
The other hugely satisfying aspect of vermicomposting is educating

people about the topic via my various websites and (hopefully)
inspiring them to try it out or to get more serious about it if they are
already involved. The web has been a fantastic tool for helping to
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"spread the worm", and to connect with many thousands of like-

minded people I wouldn't have otherwise connected with.
5. When it comes to worm composting, I’d say you’ve probably

seen just about everything. What is the biggest mistake most
people make when 1) Starting a worm system from scratch and
2) Starting a worm business from scratch? I'll give you two major
ones for new vermicomposters - 1) Impatience, and 2) Failure to
really learn the core fundamentals of vermicomposting (primarily
comes down to the requirements of the worms and the hazards to
avoid).
Unfortunately there is a lot of bogus or at least misleading info floating

around online - some of it has been around for so long it's even
considered gospel. This idea that worms will consume their weight in
food per day is a particularly frustrating example. While there are
certainly some situations (and particular foods) where this will be true
- to actually EXPECT this from your very first vermicomposting system
is just an invitation for trouble.
People get these ideas in their heads and (understandably) want to

see results - so naturally this leads to overfeeding, which in turn can
lead to all manner of different problems.
Taking a much more mellow approach, and making sure to get a solid
handle on the fundamentals before going to crazy, can help to make
things much easier (and more enjoyable as a result)!
As for worm businesses...
I think you could almost say it's the EXACT same things! LOL
People tend to want results "yesterday", so they often invest a lot

more money right off the bat than they need to - sadly, often before
they have the necessary experience to operate a serious worm farm.
My recommendation for budding entrepreneurial vermicomposters is to

start small and slow - and to let things grow from there! This is the
beauty of worm farming (vs a business where you need to purchase all
your stock before selling it) - if you take care of the "herd" it can
actually expand quite quickly for you.
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You save money, and you give yourself a bit more time to really learn
the ropes properly!
One other quick thing to touch on is lack of focus. I know firsthand

how easy it can be to fall into the trap of wanting to try EVERYTHING
when first starting a business. Trying to grow multiple species of
worms, creating a huge line of products to sell (especially bad if you
have to purchase some of them wholesale).
It is MUCH better to pick one or two main things to focus on (eg

growing and selling Red Worms; producing and selling castings etc) -
and then work hard at getting good at those things before expanding!
6. Your website has a lot of great information but can you

recommend some other great material for those wanting to
increase their knowledge and also to get into the business side
of selling worms and castings? Something I've become increasingly
excited about are Facebook groups. Our own (RWC) group is growing
very quickly (and let me take the opportunity to give a "shout out" to
my awesome admin, Larry Shier - I couldn't have done it without his
help!), and the quality of discussions there is fantastic:
 https://www.facebook.com/groups/redwormcomposting/
And there are so many other great groups (relating to

vermicomposting and countless other interesting topics).
The vermicomposters forum has been another fantastic resource in

recent years:
 http://vermicomposters.ning.com/
(I don't own it, in case any readers are wondering! I wrote a blog post
about it way back when Stephen Chow started it and he took it upon
himself to post a banner to my site on the homepage! Nice guy! :-) )
For those interested in the science of vermicomposting, I highly

recommend bookmarking these pages:
Ohio State University Soil Ecology Publications Page (quite a few of

their journal articles are actually downloadable):
 http://www.biosci.ohio-state.edu/~soilecol/NewPubs1.htm
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Cornell Vermicompost Page:
 http://cwmi.css.cornell.edu/vermicompost.htm
As for worm business resources - there are actually surprisingly few

serious web groups/websites dedicated to the topic of entrepreneurial
vermicomposting. So I'm afraid I'm going to have to toot my own horn
once again (sorry)!
My Worm Farming Alliance website and membership was actually

created for exactly this reason - i.e. to provide a community and
educational resource for worm farming entrepreneurs. That being said,
I've recently been shifting to more of a "serious
vermicomposting/vermiculture" focus, since there are plenty of
members who aren't necessarily planning to start a business, and I'd
love to get more people who are in this boat involved as well
  http://www.wormfarmingalliance.com
7. Worm composting was more popular than ever in 2014. I

believe the worm composting industry has come a long way
and is still in its infancy stage but we are about to see the
second domino fall. What are your hopes, goals or any
aspirations for the near future in this industry? More and more
I've come to think of vermicomposting as one piece (albeit an amazing
piece) of a much bigger puzzle. I think this is where the REAL potential
lies - rather than in the "power" of vermicomposting as a stand-alone
waste management practice.
I get SO excited just thinking about all the various ways it can be
"plugged into" existing systems. This offers great promise from an
environmental standpoint obviously - but I also think there is amazing
potential in terms of food production, and eco-entrepreneurship.
I still clearly remember the web video I came across many years ago
that likely got me headed in this direction in the first place. It featured
an experimental, multi-level "living machine" system (created by Dr.
John Todd) in Vermont. It started with brewery wastes, which were
sterilized and used to grow oyster mushrooms. The spent mushroom
grow media was then fed to Red Worms, which in turn were fed to
yellow perch in an aquaponics system used to grow food crop
Obviously I don't foresee these sorts of operations springing up

everywhere any time soon - lol - but I would definitely love to see
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more multi-level systems tied in with existing businesses and

institutions. Imagine a restaurant where the (typically excessive) food
waste is fed to worms, which in turn fertilize herbs and veggies (used
by restaurant) growing in a greenhouse or on a rooftop garden?
From an entrepreneurial standpoint, integrating vermicomposting

systems just makes good sense in so many cases. The worms help you
deal with a waste you might otherwise need to pay to have hauled
away - but you also end up with marketable goods that can help you
boost your bottom-line.
I think this will also help to improve the public image of

vermicomposting. While keeping a bin full of worms in your house
might still seem "gross" to a lot of people - having them serve an
important role in (for example) multi-level waste management & food
production systems will likely seem much more "cool"!
8. Can you leave us with one great tip or inspiration that would
keep us encouraged us to stay the course and help others too?
Based on my many years of experience, I've come to realize that the
folks who end up as serious "worm-heads", myself included, are
absolutely NOT the ones who have never killed off worms or
encountered loads of challenges.
I still kill off worms occasionally and encounter plenty of challenges to

this day (as anyone who has followed my blog for a little while will
likely know).
So I guess I would urge people to not to give up too soon! Believe me

when I say you will be HOOKED once you really start to see what
these worms are capable of.
Again, a mellow approach along with an investment in learning the

core fundamentals of the process will go a long way towards helping
you become a vermicomposting success (and of course making it a lot
more fun)!
9. Thank you so much Bentley for your insight and inspiration for
the vermicomposting industry but one last question, is there
anything we can do to help you at your website if so tell us how
or where to go. Thank you  As touched on earlier, I would LOVE to
see lots of readers join our thriving Facebook community:
 https://www.facebook.com/groups/redwormcomposting/
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And if you are a Facebook user, a "LIKE" for our Facebook fan page
would be greatly appreciated as well
 https://www.facebook.com/RedWormComposting
Lastly, if you want to stay in the loop with RWC in general, I'd love to
have you join the email list as well:
 http://www.redwormcomposting.com/vermicomposting-newsletter/
Thanks for the opportunity, Pauly!
Thank you for your years of knowledge and insight Bentley. I would have
answered many of these questions in the same way. This only proves a fact
that when you listen and do it nature’s way, even if you didn’t know how
others were doing it, you would end up on the same page.
I hope you listen to Bentley, whether vermicomposting for yourself, or for

profit. Take it slow and grow with your business. Don’t give up. The market
is growing by leaps and bounds. We need you even if you don’t raise worms.
T i m e Out !
Let’s take a quick break and discuss some areas to profit from as an
entrepreneur, or as I like to call it, an “entre-manure”. 
Someone who is considering getting into the worm culturing business will
need a lot of worm food and I mean A LOT OF WORM FOOD! The cool
thing about worm farming is that it can be a 3, 4, 5, or even a 6-edged
sword. Allowing you to swing in multiple directions. 
Obtaining large amounts of food may not be as difficult as you think and
when you do find a great source, then turning garbage into something
usable can profit many fold. What do I mean by that?
Consider making money from at least 6 different avenues if you choose to.
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1. Recycling – Get paid to take trash (could be few, but anything helps)
2. Worms – Get paid to sell worms for fishing, composting, & pet food.
3. Castings – Sell the best fertilizer on the planet.
4. Produce – Successfully grow your own produce to sell.
5. Worm Tea – If done properly and used quickly on a local level.
6. Information – Sell books, DVD’s, downloads, live presentations, etc.
You might even be thinking of other ways to profit that’s not on the list
above. The possibilities are indeed out there as you read what Bentley and I
discussed. The dominoes are beginning to fall. It has taken quite a bit of
time to change the “synthetic” thinking of a multitude of people, but it is
happening and very rapidly.
It took a lot of time to convert from using VHS tapes to DVD’s, from cassette
tapes to CD’s, and now to digital downloads, whether it’s out of
stubbornness to change or just lack of good information, the next domino
will hit hard and fast. What position will you be in when that happens?
There are many dominoes in the equation, and when one falls, it generally
doesn’t take much time for the next one to fall, depending on how big the
domino is. If it’s a very big domino, it’ll hit extremely hard and have a
rippling effect felt around the world. Believe me! It has hit already and there
are more big ones coming.
Selling worms for fishing may have come first, followed by worms eat
anything (for recycling), followed by great fertilizer or vice versa. One big
domino we’ll look at is the recycling industry.
You’ll want to be sure that you can start such a business in your city by
checking with your local city hall or government. They may require a permit,
and if they do, I wouldn’t think it would be too hard or expensive to acquire
one (given the nature of your business). If your intention is to have several
windrows in your backyard, then that might be a different story. 
Again, check with your local government before you start any type of worm
business. It would be terrible to put in a lot of effort just to be stopped when
you’re in so deep.
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Recycling
More and more people are becoming conscious about their environment,
where their trash is going, and how it is wasted or repurposed. A lot of it has
to do with the concern about the environment and just being eco-friendly.
You may or may not agree with the “climate change” agenda, but you don’t
have to agree with the theory behind global warming to want to be eco-
friendly. Trash that can be turned into something reusable (instead of going
to a landfill to become toxic) should be widely accepted if it’s not too
onerous on the consumer/recycler.
I would think most of us would want to do this rather than be forced upon us
through mandates. However, I think as time progresses and more
awareness arises it will become easier and more beneficial for the consumer
(the one who must actually make the time and effort) to keep everything set
apart for such purpose.
You may or may not be able to profit from the initial garbage pickup for the
feeding of your worms, but even “free” is saving you money. Many grocery
stores and restaurants throw away a lot of produce. If you can set up a
pickup time, then you really can’t beat free food for your worms or turning
“trash into Cash”.
Think of how many companies throw away potential worm food. Grocery
stores, coffee shops, convenient stores, fast food restaurants, schools,
prisons, airports, military bases, paper mills, hospitals, assisted living
centers, community food drive organizations, churches, bakeries, food
preparation companies, or even in your local neighborhoods.
You may be able to convince some people in your area to set aside a
container full of fruits, vegetables, tea bags, and coffee grounds for you to
collect once a week.
Let the companies know (like coffee shops) that their waste is going back to
the land and being repurposed as plant fertilizer. Companies can then hang
a sign that states that they support a waste recycling program. It may result
in more (or just really happy) customers that will continue to do business
there.
Don’t forget about the many sources that you can get manure from that we
covered in chapter 8.
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One last thing, about recycling, is that many cities already require by law
that you separate glass, metals, yard waste, and now the recycling of
produce is starting to gain momentum in the U.S.A. Could it be possible that
you could be the one to pick up such organic waste and get paid by the city
to do it? Maybe you could present and start a pilot program for your city. 
Selling Worms
As you’ve already learned selling worms is profitable, whether supplemental,
or for a full-time income. It takes patience and a lot of motivation if you plan
on going full scale as is with any business.
The market is usually for fishing and composting, but some also buy worms
for their pets. I should also mention that, along with the worms, you can sell
the composting bins with which to raise them in. You can set people up with
composting or fishing worms, a homemade or commercial bin, and some
worm food (usually in the form of peat moss, coco coir, and/or grains) all in
one order.
You can sell fishing/composting worms to convenient stores, bait shops, or

general customers locally, online in social media or forums, a website, etc.
Note:
Setting up a website should NOT be taken lightly these days. Today it is
much like setting up a real brick and mortar store. It takes a lot of time to
do it right as you are competing on a global scale. If you use a cheap
hosting company, remember, you get what you pay for. It takes a long time
to get listed with search engines. Don’t believe what others tell you.
I’ve done a lot of research on this topic and talked to those even in the
worm composting industry who wished they went a different route. You must
go with a company that will be your mentor and help you build an online
business if you want traffic (especially to be listed on the first few pages of
the search engines). There’s only one company I recommend for the
best online training. Read my story here. If I had to start over, I
would do it ALL the same way again.
Castings
Year after year the idea of growing natural and organic plants is ever
increasing. As more people venture into becoming more dependent on
themselves they need a “fool-proof” method, or better yet, a fertilizer that is
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safe, will not fail, and won’t keep them guessing unlike •chemical fertilizers
do.
Most people today think of store-bought fertilizer as a nasty word. To them,

it either has to do with the harmful chemicals and smelly manure, or
expensive and untrustworthy commercial potting soil. So, the good news
here is that even amidst all this negativity somehow it still manages to fly off
the shelves. I guess people are more concerned about growing their plants
rather than their soil.
You may also want to throw the doubt factor into the equation. How many
times have you stared at the product wondering if it really works? People
just don’t know that they and their kids already walk all over it bare foot in
the grass every day.
Worm castings to a plant is as natural as breast milk to a new born

baby. It’s a plant’s natural food.
No one questions that, do they? One day this will be normal, widely
accepted, and preferred over chemical fertilizers. Your potential customers
will be just about everyone who grows any kind of plant.
They will be people with house plants and gardens, commercial nurseries,
landscapers, parks, arboretums, community gardens, or any store that sells
gardening supplies and so forth.
The one big domino that continues to keep falling is the fear in the media
and elsewhere of the effects that chemical fertilizers have on our bodies. I
talk to people continuously who are waking up to this fact. They are no
longer using the chemicals and continue to seek more natural ways.
I understand how politics work. Big corporations hire lobbyists to protect and
warrant the need for their products to exist to the consumer, but one day
synthetic chemicals may be illegal, and even if they are not, will you be well
established and ready to fulfill your customer’s needs for worm castings?
Produce
Another domino that has already hit is the unstable economy. High prices
(among many reasons) are driving more people than ever to grow their own
food. Why do you think they’re getting into vermicomposting? But not
everyone is able or even has the time to grow his or her own produce.
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This is your opportunity to fulfill a need in your community. You can grow
your own natural and organic produce to sell to others for a cheaper cost
than what the markets can, due to high inflation and shipping costs.
The best thing is that you didn’t spend any money on fertilizer. You had
everything you needed or received money to pick up garbage to feed to your
worms to create the wonderful fertilizer.
You may also want to ship your own seeds across the country via the
Internet. The demand has become greater than ever. Another idea is to give
a few of your seeds away for free with the purchase of some worms or worm
castings.
It’s becoming more difficult to trust the commercial “organic” market as

some GMO’s are being grouped in the “natural” category. This is what
happens when greed gets in the way of quality and integrity. This is why we
need your help to grow “REAL” food.
Worm Tea
This product is a little trickier to accomplish, but very achievable and should
be greatly warranted in your area.
We’ve already went over the effects of aerated worm tea on plants, but it
must be used relatively quickly on plants before there is a loss of oxygen. No
tea is better than freshly made tea and used as quickly as possible.
There are some companies that sell bottled compost tea and their method is
proprietary, but it won’t even come close in quality compared to that of the
freshly brewed tea that you make. So how do you attempt this on your own?
Worm tea can last up to 4 hours (sometimes a little longer) after the
brewing is finished. Having tea brewing constantly every day for your
customers is a fantastic idea.
It should brew anywhere from 24 – 36 hours. If started in the morning, it

can be ready to sell any time during the following day. Simply bottle it for
them in their own container or you can sell them a sterile container with the
tea. I doubt it’ll take your customers 4 hours to get home. 
5 gallons (19L) of the aerated tea can be diluted with up to 50 gallons

(189L) of chlorine-free water. The water is only a carrier of the beneficial
microbes. It will have a greater effect when less diluted though.
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You can sell the tea per gallon or liter, but since it’s cheap for you to make,
treat your customers generously. The biggest expensive for you is the cost
of the molasses unless you plan to use other boosters.
You might consider selling the whole tea kit with castings to last all summer
long. Sell your customers a permeable/aerated bag of moist castings. Tell
them to not let it dry out. Sell them the air pump with hoses & bubble
stones, bucket, molasses and any other types of minerals and microbe
boosters.
If they aren’t going to culture worms for themselves, all they need from you
next year is more worm castings. Ask them how many batches they will
make, and sell to them based on weight or volume.
If you’re making the tea, the castings can be reused and placed back into
the worm bin for reprocessing. The possibili “teas” really are endless, and
you’ll be giving your customers the abili “tea” to get off the chemicals. 
If you haven’t read about •worm tea or how to make the tea in chapter 14, I
highly recommend you do.
Information
Getting in on the informational side (wormformation ) can be lucrative as
well. Many people who purchase worms for composting/fishing will need to
learn how to raise them. You can come up with your own guide to culturing
the worms as well as how to use the castings.
A good idea is to implement a free vermicomposting guide with the purchase

of worms and/or worm castings. This can help to seal the deal when your
customer is uncertain if vermicomposting is for them.
Although it’s more likely that you wouldn’t profit from giving a presentation,
(although I would love to be wrong ;) you would more likely profit from the
peaked interest in vermicomposting and related products. When you have
someone’s undivided attention and interest, there’s no better time to sell
something to them.
Also publishing your own website is extremely advised, but know this,
building a website must be built properly. Search engine algorithms are
becoming increasingly affective and efficient. Building a really cool looking
and informative website will not guarantee you any traffic. If you want a
mentor in building an online business for any product or service, then please
 read my story.
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You will save yourself valuable time doing it the right way.
So information can be used as profit or as an incentive. Create a book,

guide, literature, or really anything that you feel there is a market for. There
may be several things that aren’t in this book or in videos that need more
researching or just educating people with. If you don’t want to create a book
or some type of worm farming guide, you can always affiliate yourself with
many products already on the market or with the sale of this book for a
commission.
This book pays a good commission and you don’t have to go through the
trouble of reinventing the wheel. If you’d like to be a reseller of this book,
here’s the link.  Worm Farming Revolution Book.html
I hope these 6 little ideas have encouraged you to think outside the “worm
bin” in order for you to turn your passion into profit. Just to recap, they were
recycling garbage, selling worms, selling castings, selling produce,
selling tea, and selling information.
Let’s continue on to our next case study. I think this one will really give you
some creative ideas for both profiting and helping those in your community.
“Only those who attempt the absurd,

Can achieve the impossible.” ~ Albert Einstein
Case #4 Food Banking for Profit
Melissa Corichi and Cynthia Moss are working with the Palm Beach County
Food Bank in Florida. Their mission is to decrease the carbon footprint of
Palm Beach County via reduction of methane emissions by diverting 15,000
pounds of food annually (to start with) from landfills. Can you guess how
they’re going to do this?
You guessed it, by feeding it all to the worms.  Their goal focuses on
reducing hunger and reducing the Palm Beach County’s carbon footprint
while still profiting the Food Bank by selling worm castings.
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Melissa and Cynthia pitched their idea on LivePlan.com, and their program
called  Let it Rot was awarded $17,500 from the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors
College through Florida Atlantic University™
The plan of Melissa and Cynthia (Let it Rot) is to start with a large
•continuous flow-through system in which food, that has outlived its shelf
life, will be added at the top of the bin while worm castings will be harvested
from the bottom. They also intend to give purpose to any leachate that is
collected from the bottom of the C-F-T-S.
To start with, Melissa plans to deliver most of the worm castings herself to
clients and customers such as: nurseries, private farms, garden centers, and
landscaping companies. Once the operation grows large enough Let it Rot
will use the Food Bank’s large distribution trucks.
Let it Rot also plans to raise awareness about the benefits of worm
composting along with what their purpose is within the community through,
1. Community Education Awareness Events

2. Green Market Campaign (vending)
3. Experimenting w/ growing plants in castings
4. PBC Food Bank website about our project
5. Partner with Local Growers etc…
Coming into a large sum of money is a huge score for starting a worm
farming business or even as a service to the community. Getting funded
through crowd funding sources is one of the best ways to get started while
also raising awareness of the benefits of vermicomposting.
Thank you, Melissa and Cynthia for the service you provide in your area. I
hope it will generate a lot of awareness in the community for recycling and
producing natural fertilizers for the health of people and plants.
I hope this gives many of you ideas in your area for collecting food waste
and turning it into something reusable in your local communities. The
biggest initial cost will be buying or building a flow-through system and
purchasing the worms to get started. This is assuming you have land or a
building already.
 Facebook Page
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Case #5 Kids and Worming for Profit
You all know the cliché, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade”
Right? Well, say “Goodbye” to old fashioned lemonade stands and “Hello”
to…
Country Kidz Worms! 
That’s right! Ashley and Cody from LaCygne, KS have their own worm
farming business in the works right now. In a separate conversation with
their stepdad one day, he told me it was getting tougher these days for
younger kids to make any money, especially in this economy.
I whole heartedly concur with him. Gone are the days of selling lemonade
and throwing newspapers from your bicycle. In a world, where technology
and products are at our disposal, it’s become increasingly difficult to fulfill
the needs of consumers.
But Ashley and Cody have managed to put their finger directly on the pulse
of what consumers are going to desperately need in the coming years due to
the effects of technology and other products putting workers out of business.
More and more people will be growing their own food, recycling, and fishing
to avoid having to spend so much money on high-priced food.
So let’s ask them some questions so they can help us become a little more
knowledgeable about how to start up a worm business in our area.
1. Why did you get into worm farming? We started our business
because as 13 and 14-year-old kids we wanted to be able to have a
little bit of our own money to spend on things like a car in a few years,
college, things like new clothes, and maybe some new stuff for my
sports.
2. How did you get into worm farming? The way we got our business
started is we went around and asked different businesses if they would
be interested in supplying our worms in their store. Then after we
went around and found some stores we started building our business.
First, we started building our tubs.
Then we went and found a guy that gave us some compost to put the
worms in. Then after that we ordered the worms and put the worms,
compost, and food in the tubs and started raising them.
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3. What species of worms do you raise? We raise European night

crawlers and the worms that are native to our area.
4. What do you feed your worms? We feed our worms coffee grounds,
non-acidic fruits and vegetables, egg shells, and Purina worm chow.
5. What type of tubs do you use for culturing? We use plastic tubs,
55 gallon barrels cut in half, and 6 foot stalk tanks.
6. How do you harvest your worms? We harvest our worms by

putting a piece of bread in the bottom of the tub and let it sit for a
couple days. Then we move it up and up till we get to the top then we
take that pile of dirt out that has the bread on it because all the worms
will be on the bread. Then after that we screen them.
7. Do you need expensive equipment to start a farm? You don't

have to use expensive equipment. All you need to start is plastic tubs,
compost, worms, and food.
8. Do you advertise? Currently we are just putting our information on

our packaging.
9. How do you grow you costumer base? What we do is we go

around and ask stores if they will buy from us since we don't have a
name yet.
10. Can you tell us of any mistakes to avoid? If you start your own
farm try to avoid under watering and over watering your worms. You
also should avoid over feeding your worms. Also try to keep the
temperature at about the same where the worms are located.
11. Where do you see your business in the future? I see our business
in the future growing. I think our business will be very big one day.
Right now we are trying to build another shop or garage, to keep our
worms in as we begin to grow. I think that will give our business a big
head start to be more successful in the future.
12. Do you have customers who want to buy worm castings? At the
moment we have only one person wanting to buy our worm castings
but I think we will get more eventually but we are still trying to grow
more worms for selling.
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13. How do you get costumers for worm castings? We go around and
ask just like we did for the worms.
14. How can someone get a hold of you to buy worms? We currently
just have my step dad’s phone but we also have a Facebook account
that people can message us. We will have phones soon. (end interview)
I’m continually amazed at the fact that a tiny little worm can be so
responsible for multiple ways to make products and money. Thanks Kidz! 
“You know it’s a great product when it transforms not only

the user, but everyone around them” ~ Pauly Piccirillo
Case #6 Worm Farming with Rabbits – Selling Castings
For those of you that already have rabbits you will certainly need to compost
all your rabbit poop and the easiest and fastest way is by utilizing worms.
Many rabbit breeders are beginning to see the benefits of this as they can
sell the vermicastings as a supreme fertilizer over traditional composted
rabbit poop. Although they aren’t ruminant animals some will chew their
food again only not the way you’d expect.
But I’ll just say it. They eat their poop. Yep! This can be a sign of deficiency
at times and is completely normal. This is to ensure they get all the nutrition
that they need. This can be beneficial to the worms. The more the waste is
broken down the more complex and full of microbes it will be for the worms.
Pamela Alley is one such rabbit breeder out of North California. She’s been
using composting worms under her cages for quite some time now and is
making the best out of it by selling worm castings for profit.
She got into rabbits when a friend wanted some company at her 4H
meetings for the rabbit project, and at 15, that started it all. She raised
rabbits for show with food and fur being secondary products and still does,
but now raises rabbits mostly for meat and well…
I’ll let Pamela tell her story:
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“Way back about 15 years or so, I started

seriously looking at worms to deal with my
rabbit manure.
When I say 'rabbit manure', I mean a lot of

rabbit manure. With a herd of well over 200
meat and show rabbits at the time, plus hay
and straw bedding, the heaps under the cages
were nothing short of spectacular and they
not only stunk, they were a major draw and
breeding ground for flies. I even got a visit
from code enforcement and thus began the
war.
They wanted to limit me to a mere 35 animals, based on some very flimsy

figures. It was a very good thing that I'd remembered that I had looked at
worms some years back and not done anything with them.
I did my research and came up with a rough figure that each medium-sized
adult rabbit produced each day...and calculated that I'd need just about 4
ounces of worms per adult breeding rabbit, and about double that for does
with litters.
Once code enforcement got over their bitter disappointment and we had
negotiated to get things cleaned up (we all agreed that it was very
necessary!), I had some guys come in and shovel ALL of that stinking,
mucky, maggot-ridden mess out and take it away.
It's been at least fifteen years and they keep showing back up, hoping for a
buildup; apparently, it did wonders for their gardens for years! Not too
surprising, considering how well rabbit manure and hay breaks down once
you get it in a decent pile or layer somewhere.
219
To prepare the beds under the cages, I first

dug down a full pitchfork-depth across the
entire area covered by the cages themselves,
leaving a walkway where I needed/wanted
it. The excavated material was surprisingly
inhabited by worms already--apparently,
they'd been moving in from all over anyway.
This material was moved to the compost pile

area.
Once the beds were dug and the bottoms roughly leveled, with no loose dirt
left, I put in about an inch of clean river sand, to assist with drainage, and
made narrow channels across the walkways to backfill with coarser material
later to make drainage easier.
On top of the sand, I then put a layer of a crushed-volcanic-rock-type

material called DryStall. Basically, fine cinder type material, it's well-riddled
with tiny holes and I figured it would be of many uses. Drainage, retention
of oxygen, and as it turned out, the worms loved to use it to get out of their
cocoons, too. The layer was only an inch or two deep.
These layers were dampened and then rabbit manure, somewhat

composted, was laid over the top for about an inch and moistened. This was
then left pretty much alone for a couple of days. Incoming worms were
mostly •bed-run Eisenia foetida with a few Lumbricus rubellus in there, and it
surely wasn't cheap.
Let me tell you, twenty-five pounds of worms looks like a LOT, but when you
spread them out like I did, it looks vanishingly small and not like it's going to
do what I needed done....which was to convert rabbit manure and bedding
to compost, if not castings, as swiftly as possible.
The worms were spread by handfuls over the

new beds, allowed to settle in for about a
month, and moistened fairly regularly since it
was high summer and very hot, in the 110°F
(43.3°C) range.
The misters and fans for the rabbits helped

considerably to keep the ground temperature
cooler than out in the yard.
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I knew I couldn't expect the worms to just dive right in and solve all my
problems immediately, so for the next three months or so, I was raking
manure off and spreading it all over my third of an acre to help them keep
up.
Every week or two, I'd flip the beds--first add a few handfuls of a mix of
'whatever was a buck a pound' from the feed store (usually mostly bone
meal, then blood meal, kelp meal, cottonseed meal, a bit of greensand),
then just fork them over and move stuff around a bit, then soak them well
with plain water, using the force of the hose nozzle to break up clumps and
all in all kept it pretty wet, since that's where the worms tended to gather.”
(end) Pamela and pics 2014
Pamela is now bagging the worm castings and

selling it for a profit. This is a great way to
show others the amazing harmony between
the rabbit and the worm.
So you see? You don’t really have to go into

the worm farming business to make money.
You only need to incorporate a few worms
into what you’re already doing. 
A Word of Encouragement
So you see! There are many avenues to pursue and several ways to start a
worm farming business. Because there are so many people all around the
world becoming more interested in safely growing successful plants, is
enough to peak anyone’s interest into profiting from the worm business.
There are already many people in this business full time and making a good
living and if you ask any of them if it was easy they would tell you no.
Culturing worms is not always easy and starting a business is even harder.
I won’t be the person that tells you anyone can do this and that everyone
will be successful. I’m just not that kind of rainbows and unicorns person.
I’m a realist and writing this book was not exactly easy either. It was a
challenge to get a lot of good information to you.
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I’ll even tell you that many people will fail trying to start a business like this.
It’s not because of anything I’ve already said, but because many will simply
give up when it gets a little tough and they’ll succumb to fear and doubt.
Much of this book is based on the challenges of my own failures and

successes with worms and gardening throughout the years. As a matter of
fact, I never knew that I would actually sit down to write a book until fall of
2014.
Starting a business is scary! I know! I own two of them. It’s a lot of hard
work too. But where there is a need there is opportunity and opportunity
doesn’t mean sitting on your butt and watching the money roll in.
It’s a lot of hard work, but a lot of fun all along the way too. If you let fear
and doubt get a hold of you then that’s how you’ll run the business, and
your customers will see it too.
But if you believe in the product you’re selling and are passionate about
serving others, then have fun and let nature run its course. If you’re willing
to wait and wait (while having fun in the meantime), then it’ll only be a
matter of time before patience and passion pay off.
This might seem like a weird little niche to many people, but it’s a necessary
one in order to fulfill the need of millions of people who are looking for an
alternative they can trust in.
I can honestly say though, that any business will require hard work and
dedication. Ask anyone who has a successful business today and most of
them will tell you so. You are branding yourself and will be competing
against others who are trying to set themselves apart as well. But this is
good as it brings us to greater heights of products and services to our
customers.
Most things in life are not easy because gravity exists in many forms.
There’s always something trying to bring us down and nothing in life is
free...Nothing!
Take a look at the so called “free” things in life. Anything will take a great
deal of something.
1. Talent – Some people are just born with it and they get paid very
well, be it a singer, actor, or sports player. They had to practice hard
to perfect it and must continue working hard to maintain it.
222
2. Winning the lottery – Not free, this will take a GREAT deal of luck
and you’ll spend a lot of money getting there.
3. Inheritance – Not free, somebody thought you were worth it to write

you into their will. What was your worth? A lifetime of love and
dedication? Also, if you inherit your parent’s business you must work
hard to maintain the high level of quality products, services, and
relationships that they did.
The most common reason why people don’t start a business is the fear of
failure, yet if you ask anyone who’s ever started a business from scratch
how many times they made a mistake, the answer shouldn’t be surprising.
You should welcome failure as this is the ultimate trainer for success.
Thomas Edison said, “I have not failed. I just found 10,000 ways that
won’t work”.
He also said, “Many of life's failures are people who didn’t realize how
close they were to success when they gave up.”
Are you willing to go that route whether it be a long or a short road to

success? Do you have the passion and the belief in yourself to serve others?
Theodore Roosevelt said, “Believe you can and you’re halfway there”.
I truly hope you aren’t afraid to at least try something even if it’s completely
different than making great plant fertilizer. I hear a lot of people talk about
what should be done, but that’s all it is, just “talk”. When will it ever
translate into “doing” something.
To me, a lot of talk is just like synthetic fertilizers. It seems good, but the
plant is full of a whole lot of nothing. This is why we need more people like
you helping the community to switch from “synthetic thinking to organic
doing”. It’s a BIG world out there and there aren’t enough of us yet to help
others out of the talk and into the walk.
I have a saying of my own, “There are two kinds of people in this

world. There are thinkers and there are doers. I sincerely hope you
are both.”
223
This concludes a quick look at the “Business End” of:

T h e Ne w Rush!
Caution!
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the term “Worm Buy-Back” programs.
There have been a lot of people (even recently) who’ve been duped into
purchasing thousands of dollars’ worth of worm culturing equipment. These
companies promise “buying back” all the worms that have been cultured
from these innocent and hardworking people only to take their money and
run.
There are deceitful and honest people in every industry so please do your
due diligence first and get involved with vermicomposting groups and ask
around. Also, seek help from the governing city that they claim to operate
out of.
The best way to get into the worm business (in my opinion) is to just do it
yourself and build your business slowly. Slow and steady will assure that
your roots grow deep into a strong foundation of mistakes and successes.
“99% of success is built on failure.”

~ Charles Kettering
224
Worm Farming -The New Rush!

(Continued - long version, 85-page download)
Bentley “Compost Guy” Christie’s
Contents
• Introduction
• Getting Started
• Selling Worms
• Selling Systems &

Supplies
• Selling Worm
Castings
• Vermicomposting
Services
• Online Income
Generation
• Wrapping Up
Wouldn’t it be great to have this book in front of your eyes right now without
having to pay for it? Well, I have great news. You can download it now, for free,
from Worm Farming Revealed from the link below. Your potential awaits you!
Download Making Money with Worms Now
225
~Conclusion~
Many of you may be reading this book because you only want to grow
fishing worms for yourself or you want to recycle or maybe other reasons.
Most are reading this book because they want to change their life by growing
their own food safely, successfully, and with sustainability.
No one understands this desire more than I do. That’s why I had to share
my success with you. That’s why others have joined me and contributed to
this book. I know it may have seemed like a long read but I had to cover a
lot of ground in order to help as many people as possible.
I know what it feels like to repeatedly fail, but we are all in this world
together and we need each other to glean from and lean upon from time to
time until our roots have grown deep enough to be able to support ourselves
and offer our fruits of knowledge to others.
Help the message of “Successful Gardening” to reach as many people as

possible, not by following me or my message, but by leading with me and at
times I will follow you. Neither of us have all the answers, but all of us
together do. So, let us lead with each other and glean from one another. If
we all really listened to Creation, we’d have arrived at the same destination
without ever communicating to one another. However, at some point, we let
our guard down and our eyes became dim.
Someway and somehow weeds have drifted in and have entangled us into
believing that there was a better way. But they have only served to line their
own pockets and convince us that there is only one way to feed the masses.
They have choked out the founding principles that were taught and passed
down to us throughout our generations.
It may have started out honest and innocent, but why have they been able
to keep choking us out when sickness and death are so prevalent? Have you
become a frog in boiling water too?
It’s getting harder and harder to trust so-called “organic” labels. So many
big corporations are getting into organics that the word “organic” doesn’t
mean anything anymore. Standards are being lowered every day and I fear
that the term “organic” one day will simply mean that it was grown from the
ground or grown from seed.
The only one you can truly trust is yourself. It has never been more
apparent or self-evident that we need to get back to what our Creator has
shown us if we’ll only look and listen to creation. He has already proven to
226
us what works. We see it every day when nature has been allowed to grow
on its own where there are no chemicals or man to gain his arrogant riches.
We only need to step in where we have become so disconnected and

uprooted.
There’s been a quiet revolt arising for some time now against corporate
greed, dangerous chemicals, and high food prices. Quietly and one by one
the dominoes have been falling, especially in the worm farming and
gardening industry.
As each domino falls they become bigger and bigger and the outcry becomes
louder and louder until this revolt is no longer a mere few without a voice,
but an army of proud thinkers and doers who won’t wait for the answers to
come but will make them happen no matter the cost.
There’s a new gold rush occurring, but the “gold” doesn’t lie hidden in the
ground far away or out of reach and I’m not necessarily talking about the
worms either. It lies within the heart of every man and woman who will
choose to rise up and reinvent themselves.
There have been hard times in the past and even harder ones to come. I
don’t know if you want to start a new business or if you only want to grow
your own food or both. Every day we see families reinventing themselves.
Either they wanted to make a change or hard times caused the change, but
the fact is that they made the change. They chose to “make it happen”.
The Internet has made it even easier to be successful and to reach one
another. Don’t treat your particular situation as an excuse anymore, but
treat it as an opportunity and a new beginning. We need you and your ideas.
If you’re angry at the reason for your situation, use that fuel to passion the
desires of your dreams for a better tomorrow. You must not only think but
do. You can’t change the past, so it’s time to change the direction of your
future.
It’s time to take back your health and to stop depending on someone else to
grow your food. It’s time to trust in yourself and to uproot those who only
plant fear and doubt.
It’s time to start listening to nature and help your neighbor once again
become reconnected with their land and its bountiful fruits by being an
example first.
227
It’s time for a new beginning and revelation into a cause that produces hope
and whose yields and bounty are that of health and happiness. For the
answer lies not in man’s ability to “recreate”, but in the restoration of the
Creator’s simplest of creatures.
Never has it been more evident that a tiny creature, such as the earthworm,
has been responsible for so many things. Let’s help each other restore the
balance between man and nature. Let’s join in and restore our
understanding of what and where our food comes from.
Let’s not ever forget that our roots of responsibility and stewardship run
deep in restoring our land back to an arable state for our children and
grandchildren. Let this generation not become the generation of
acquiescence and apathy, but of honesty and integrity.
For the restoration to the founding principles is already here, the •revolution
has already begun and you are now ready to join...
“Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the
end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.”
~ Winston Churchill
P.S. If I gave you an entire bucket of failures with one successful outcome inside, would you open it? Chances are you would, since you’re reading this right now :)
228
Foods to Potentially Avoid in a Worm System ~  Print Out
You can put anything in a worm system and the worms will eventually
consume it after the microbes have broken it down. But what are your
goals? A) Do you just simply want to recycle, or B) Do you want to generate
worm castings and increase your population as fast as possible?
A. If your goal is to simply recycle, then anything goes, but in

moderation. However, use your best judgment. It can get quite smelly
or irritate the worms depending on what you place in the system.
B. If your goal is the production of worms or castings, then keep all the
below items out of your system. It will impede the process or stop it
altogether. Worms will avoid it in nature until conditions are right.
Avoid
1. Milk or any dairy products
2. Meat, fat, bones, leather or fur (no animal products)
3. Oily/greasy substances
4. Citric, or highly acidic fruits (tomatoes are okay in moderation)
5. Spicy or hot peppers or plants. Mild and sweet peppers are

okay (onions/garlic in moderation, but this will impede the process)
6. Salt, sodium, baking soda, baking powder or vinegar
7. Hair, or dryer lint (long hair can strangle worms)
8. Woody materials, straw and tough, fibrous plant stalks
9. Fresh needles from coniferous (cone-bearing) trees. Must season first.
10. Fresh green leaves or lawn clippings (may get hot, use in moderation)
229
Fat Worm Recipe (fishing & pet food) ~ Print Out
Ingredients:
• 4 parts chicken layer pellets or crumbles
• 2 parts bran or wheat meal
• 1 part powdered milk
• 1 part corn flour or meal
• 1 part rolled oats
• ½ part sugar (the more natural the better, but this may be omitted)
• 1 part of quality micronized mineral like agricultural lime, dolomite,
Azomite, rock dust, volcanic dust, glacial dust or ground eggshell or
oyster shell (or others etc.) Using a mix of all minerals is okay.
Directions:
1. Ground or mix the ingredients into a dry powder or mash. This will
allow you to store dry for several uses.
2. Sprinkle into the worm system as a top-feed.
3. Spritz the dry Fat Chow so that it becomes just moist. Do not let it
remain dry. The worms will not like dry food. If your bin is moist
enough, then the fat chow should become moist eventually, but it’s
best to spritz it anyway.
4. Use 1-2 times per week until the appearance of the worms look fat for
fishing or pet food.
Be careful as overuse may cause other organisms to grow out of control. If

this happens, stop using the fattener and any kitchen scraps.
Let the worms eat fresh bedding and refer to the pest section of this book.
This is why it’s not recommended to use the fattener too often.
Parts may be substituted for percentages.
Note:
Tweaking or diverting from the recipe is fine if you do not have some
ingredients. Just remember to substitute the right Fats, Carbohydrates, &
Proteins. If you absolutely can’t get your worms to fatten, you have
too many worms. Overcrowding causes stunted growth. Remove worms
until down to ½ to 1 lb. of worms /sqft or start another bin with much fewer
worms at ½ lb/sqft. Create more horizontal space than vertical.
230
Growth Rates & Reproduction Cycles of Composting Worms Print Out

Red Wiggler (Eisenia fetida)

3 Hatchlings per cocoon on average 53 - 76 Days to sexual maturity
546 Young /year based on 52 wks Size = 2.5 - 4 Inches (7.6-10.1cm)
European Nightcrawler (Eisenia hortensis)

93.6 Young /year based on 52 wks Size = 5 - 7 Inches (12.7-17.8cm)
Blue Worm (Perionyx excavatus)
Can lay 22 cocoons per week 10 - 14 Days to cocoon hatch

1 Hatchling/cocoon on average 30 - 40 Days to sexual maturity
1,248 Young /year based on 52 wks Size = 3 - 4 Inches (7.6-10.1cm)
African Nightcrawler (Eudrilus eugeniae)

416 Young /year based on 52 wks Size = 6 - 8 Inches (15.2-20.3cm)
* Based on Ideal Conditions & Feed Stocks -Outcomes Will Vary *80% Hatch-Rate Success Not Figured In
231
Glossary
~Worm Farming Terms~
Acidic
Containing high amounts of acid. Generally, something is considered
becoming acidic when the PH is fewer than 7.
Aerobic
Basically means full of air but more importantly oxygen. Worm bins, worm
tea & soil should always remain aerobic as living organisms depend on
oxygen for survival.
Ambient
Relating to the immediate surrounding conditions.
Anaerobic
This is the opposite of Aerobic. It is simply the lack of oxygen.
Anterior
The mouth or head end of the worm where food is taken in.
Bacteria
These are microscopic, parasitic & symbiotic organisms that have
relationships with plants and animals. Bacteria in a worm system have many
beneficial qualities. These microbes are responsible for the breakdown of
food stock within the worm system and the intestines of a worm.
Bedding
The carbon material used as a buffer or filler to house worms. Not to be
confused with “food” but is still considered food for worms.
Bed-run
Referring to worms harvested straight from beds. Generally, a term used
when fulfilling orders. These orders can contain worms of varying sizes and
even, but not too common, worms of different species. Contact your supplier
if your order contains worms other than what you ordered.
Black Soldier Fly Larvae

They are considered a pest in a worm system. Larvae from the black soldier
fly can out populate your worms and compete for food. They can also
potentially heat up a worm system. They are great composters should you
decide to raise them. They show up in systems that possess nitrogen foods.
232
Breeder Worms
Adult or sexually mature worms.
Carbon
Considered as browns like fall leaves, shredded paper, coco coir etc. It
serves as the worms bedding to create air pockets for the increased
circulation of oxygen, moisture retention, PH buffer, etc. throughout the
system. It’s also food for the worms as it contains the carbohydrates needed
for energy.
Chemical Fertilizers
A synthetic material, generally derived from oil and gas, that is used for
sustaining plant growth.
Clitellum
The raised band or collar (saddle) in the middle of the worm, but located
much closer to the anterior end of the worm. This is its reproductive organ
and will only be found on an adult worm.
Coco Coir
The fibers of a coconut. This makes an excellent bedding material and is an
alternative to peat moss.
Cocoon
The pod that houses the sperm and egg. It was once the clitellum that has
been slipped off in which offspring will emerge from.
Colloid
Microscopic particles that are in a non-soluble form.
Colloidal
Being in a form small enough so it’s able to be suspended in a liquid without
settling to the bottom.
Continuous Flow-Through System - CFTS

This is a system made of 4 sides, a false bottom (mesh bottom), and
sometimes a lid or covering of some sort. Food is placed at top while
castings are collected from the bottom. The worms never migrate up or
down. They stay in one area undisturbed thus increasing your production.
Culture
To grow and multiply an organism under a controlled environment.
233
Diatomaceous Earth
The fossilized shells of ancient diatoms used in a worm bin for insect control,
nutrition and grit.
Decompose
The process of the breaking down of material, such as what is in a worm bin,
into a smaller usable substance. A worm bin is mostly dependent on
microbial life for this process.
Docile
Generally considered as calm and submissive.
Drilosphere
These are the tunnels or burrows created by worms other than the species
belonging to the epigeic class.
Egg
The cell of a female that will host the male DNA.
Farming
In the widest sense, it’s the activity of raising living organisms specifically of
plants or animals. To cause something to grow and multiply.
Flow-Through System
This is a worm system that employs the use of trays. Food is placed in the
top tray while castings are collected from the bottom trays. The bottom tray
is then placed back on top thus repeating the cycle.
Food
Worm Food can be a bit confusing for beginners. While food is generally
everything added to a worm bin that worms feed on, it is most commonly
recognized as the nitrogenous kitchen scraps. It will be used synonymously,
at times, in place of kitchen scraps, fruit, nitrogen, etc. Generally, the term
“food” isn’t referred to as bedding but can. Carbon is referred to as bedding.
Fungi
The plural form of fungus. These are microbes that feed on dead decaying
vegetation and can present themselves in large numbers in the form of
yeast and molds especially.
Grit
Tiny particulates of stone or sand added to the worms bedding or food
supply to aid their gizzards in the grinding of food.
234
Habitat
An environment, place, or home that an organism lives and thrives in.
Hatchling
A young organism, such as the worm, that has emerged from its egg.
Hermaphrodite
An organism containing both male and female sex organs.
Humus
The mature material that is found after the breakdown of organic matter.
IMO's
This is an abbreviation for Indigenous microorganisms. They are the
microbes that are found in your area (city, neighborhood or your garden and
lawn). It’s a good idea to introduce a little soil from your area into a new
worm system. The idea is to inoculate your bin with the organisms that are
already hard at work in your area.
Inoculate
To boost a system or new system with a set of organisms.
Leachate
The liquid run off that pools at the bottom or below the vermicompost or
worm castings. Another word is "the seepage".
Life Cycle
The series of changes in an organism throughout the course of its life.
Litter
This is a term generally used for the description of leaves, hay, straw etc,
scattered on the ground but can also include other decaying plant or
organisms.
Mesophile
This is a microbe that thrives in temperatures between 68 - 113°F
(20 and 45 °C). When composting between these temperatures it is known
as a mesophilic process.
Microbes
Microscopic organisms mainly made up of bacteria, fungi, nematodes, and
protozoa. The word microbes is just a shorter version for microorganisms.
235
Minerals
An inorganic substance added to worm systems for nutrition, grit, and at
times, to raise the PH level.
Moody
Bouts of unpredictable behavior. This is usually the traits of the Blue Worm
and the African Nightcrawler.
Nematodes
Mostly microscopic in size, it’s a roundworm that can be free-living and
parasitic. Their diet can be wide but consists of other organisms, fungi and
decaying matter.
Nitrogen
This is considered the greens like fruits, vegetables, grains, fresh moist
grass or foliage, etc. Nitrogen is rich in proteins and is the building blocks for
creating tissue and new life and should only be added in modest amounts. It
is generally the kitchen scraps that is also known as “food”.
N-P-K
These are the abbreviations of elements for Nitrogen, Phosphorous and
Potassium.
Oligochaetology
is the study of earthworms. From Oligochaeta, the taxonomic class of
earthworms. One who studies earthworms is an Oligochaetologist.
Pathogen
This is a microorganism responsible for diseases. They can be found in large
numbers when composting with materials especially from humans and even
animals considered as carnivores and sometimes omnivores.
Peat Moss
This is a sphagnum moss which is mined from peat bogs and is excellent for
bedding and a favorite of many worm suppliers to ship worms. It can have a
low PH of around 5. Many are uncomfortable with its use as it’s
unsustainable and alternatives exist like coco coir and newspaper pulp.
Phytotoxin
Poisonous to plants. Phyto - of a plant, Toxin – poison, especially by
microorganism.
Posterior
The bottom or butt end of the worm where the castings come from.
236
Protozoa
Microbes that commonly range in length between 10 micrometers up to
1 mm. Their prey can be other forms of microorganisms and generally swim
around using their flagella, a tail or whip-like appendage.
Prolific
The ability to produce several offspring.
Recycle
To reuse or repurpose something that would have normally been discarded.
Revolution!
A turning, changing, or uprising of an event, organization or idea that can be
difficult to ignore or stop. This has nothing to do with worm farming, other
than a revolt against chemical fertilizers, high food prices, GMO’s, etc.
Seeping
This is usually in reference of liquids that flow through holes or a porous
material such as the worm bedding. This is how leachate is formed.
Sperm
The cells that contain the male DNA.
Static Bin System

This is a worm bin system that typically has 4 walls, a floor, and sometimes
a lid. A plastic tote or Rubbermaid™ equivalent. Static – lacking in change.
Steeping
To soak a substance (worm castings) in water to extract or draw out its
beneficial properties.
Squirm
A large quantity of worms concentrated in one area. Some say, “I love my
herd of worms so much!” This could also refer to all their worms in the bin.
Although herd probably sounds better, Squirm is the techy use.
Thermophile
This is a microbe that thrives in high temperatures between 106 and 252 °F
(41 and 122 °C). These are the microbes very useful for when you want to
precompost such things as cow, pig or chicken manure to bring the compost
pile to high temperatures to kill unwanted insects, seeds, & pathogens.
When composting between these temperatures it is known as a thermophilic
process.
237
Ventilation
To allow for the movement and exchanging of air or gasses.
Vermicastings
Vermicastings (worm castings) is simply worm poop. It is the excreted
substance that comes (or is cast) out of the back end (posterior end) of the
worm. Many purposes of vermicastings are used in household plants,
gardens, lawns, commercial farming and the list continues to grow.
Its primary purpose is to rejuvenate, or reclaim the spent state of ordinary
and adulterated soil to a rich, vibrant and reusable substance. Often times
people use this synonymously with vermicompost, but it has an entirely
different meaning. This will become useful in the future should you ever
have to make a distinction.
Vermicomposting
Vermicomposting (worm composting) is the process of using worms, often
red wigglers (Eisenia fetida), to consume dead vegetation and turn it into a
rich soil amendment. Vermicompost can contain not only the worms but the
bedding materials, organic waste, microorganisms, and worm castings.
Vermiculture
This is the artificial rearing or cultivation of worms for a specific purpose.
Many worms and various species are raised for bait, food, pets, school
projects, waste management, and my personal favorite harnessing their
excrement. See also as worm farming.
Worm Tea
A nutrient rich liquid teaming with beneficial microbes for the use of feeding
and maintaining healthy plants including their root systems.
(Vermi-tea or Vermicompost tea)
The "worm tea" comes from a process in which the vermicastings are
steeped or suspended in a highly-oxygenated water supply in order to
multiply the beneficial organisms which are essentially food for plants.
238
Common Abbreviations for Groups and Forums  Print Out
AACT –Actively Aerated Compost
ACT – Aerated Compost Tea
AG- Amynthus gracilus, sometimes spelled A. gracilas, also Alabama Jumper

(AJ)
AJ- Alabama Jumper or Amynthus gracilus (AG) Pheretima hawayanus (PH)
ANC- African Nightcrawler or Eudrilus eugeniae (EE)
ASP – Aerated Static Pile
AWT – Aerated Worm Tea
BSFL – Black Soldier Fly Larvae or BSF
CB – Cardboard
CFT – Continuous Flow-Through
CG – Coffee Grounds
CM – Chicken Manure, Cow Manure, Cold Manure
CNC- Canadian Nightcrawler or Lumbricus terrestris (LT)
CT – Compost Tea
DE – Diatomaceous Earth
EA- Eisenia andrei, a cousin to Eisenia fetida (EF) & virtually identical
EE- Eudrilus eugeniae, also called African Nightcrawler, (AN)
EF- Eisenia fetida or Red Wiggler
EH- Eisenia hortensis or European Nightcrawler (EN, ENC) Dendrobaena

veneta (DV) or Dendro
ENC- European Nightcrawler or Eisenia hortensis, (EH) or Euro or

Dendrobaena veneta (DV)
239
FT – Flow-Through
HM – Hot Manure
LR- Lumbricus rubellus or Red-Headed Worm
LT- Lumbricus terrestris or Canadian Nightcrawler (CNC)
MO – Microorganisms
PE- Perionyx excavatus or Indian Blue Worm, Malaysian Blue Worm, Blue
Worm, or Blues
PM – Pig Manure
PP – Protein Poisoning, see String-of-Pearls (SoP)
RM- Rubbermaid or Plastic Tote
RW – Red Wigglers or Eisenia fetida (EF) foetida, old spelling
SB – Static Bin
SoP – String-of-Pearls, see Protein Poisoning (PP)
WB – Worm Bin
WC –Worm Castings, Worm Compost
WT – Worm Tea
(Reserved for Future Abbreviations)
240
~References & Attributes~
• Etymology of Oligochaetology
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Oligochaeta
• Worm anatomy diagram illustration & coloring pages,

by my daughter: Ambrea Hansen
• Synopsis on vermicomposting/vermicastings, George W. Dickerson,

Extension Horticulture Specialist, New Mexico State University
http://aces.nmsu.edu/desertblooms/nmsugardening/docs/chap_1/chap1.h.pdf
• Quick synopsis on Vermicompost,

Norman Q. Arancon & Clive A. Edwards, professor at Ohio State University Dept.
of Entomology in his publication on:
The utilization of vermicomposts in horticulture and agriculture
• Walnut trees toxicity

http://web.extension.illinois.edu/homecompost/materials.cfm
• Sand as a mineral
http://www.soilbuildingsystems.com/products/sand
• Bone meal as a mineral

http://healthcare.utah.edu/healthlibrary/library/herbs/all/doc.php?type=19&id=BoneMeal
• Volcanic lava rock as a mineral

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volcanic_rock
• Zeolite as a mineral
Donald D. Carr, “Industrial Minerals and Rocks”, 6th Edition, Society for Mining,
Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc., 1994
also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeolite
• Baking powder/soda as a mineral

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_bicarbonate
• Biochar as a mineral
https://www.soilreef.com/index.php
http://hawaiibiochar.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terra_preta
241
• Eggshells as a mineral
http://homefoodsafety.org/
http://www.cdc.gov/foodborneburden/
• Mineral deficiency warning from Charles Northern in 1936,

Senate Document #264, 74th Congress 2nd Session
http://www.senate.gov/reference/resources/pdf/modernmiraclemen.pdf
• Many types of worm systems,

Homemade Bin 1 - Pauly Piccirillo, Spring Hill, KS author of this book.
Photos: property of Pauly Piccirillo, all worm systems are his.
Homemade Bin 2 - Robert Bishop, Cedar Mountain, North Carolina,

Photos: property of Robert Bishop
wormfarmingrevealed.com/flowthrough-outdoor-vermicompost-system.html (original)
wormfarmingrevealed.com/roberts-flow-through-outdoor-vermicompost-system.html(update)
Homemade Bin 3 - Egg Bear, Republic of Ireland,

photos property of Egg Bear wormfarmingrevealed.com/continuous-flow-through-bin.html
Homemade Bin 4 - Jorge Fernandes, Pedrógão Grande, Leiria, Portugal,

photos property of Jorge Fernandes
http://www.wormfarmingrevealed.com/chest-freezer-flow-through-worm-bin.html
Homemade Bin 5 - Jacob Boswell Clyo, Georgia,

Photo property of Jacob Boswell
http://www.wormfarmingrevealed.com/cobs-worm-fridge.html
Homemade Bin #6 - Robert Hoaglan, Oxnard, California,

http://www.wormfarmingrevealed.com/worm-bin-tumbler.html
Homemade Bin #7 – Pauly Piccirillo, author of this book

Billy Trihn’s homemade wooden flow-through based on Pauly’s concept.
Last 4 photos property of Billy Trihn:
https://plus.google.com/116609751620986371267/posts/TJaLkbdJ8gG
http://youtu.be/A9lO7emUKk0
 Commercially Made Worm Bins
Commercial Bin #1 - Worm Factory®

photos and diagram courtesy of Natures Footprint, Bellingham, WA
http://naturesfootprint.com
242
Commercial Bin #2 – The worm Inn by Jerry “The Worm Dude” Gach
http://www.thewormdude.com/
Commercial Bin #3 – The Worm Wigwam, by Sustainable Agricultural

Technologies, Inc., http://www.wormwigwam.com/
Commercial Bin #4 – A Worm Reactor (Industrial and Large Scale Units), by

Sustainable Agricultural Technologies, Inc, http://www.wormwigwam.com/
Commercial Bin #5 - The Garden Tower,

http://www.wormfarmingrevealed.com/garden-tower.html
• Blue worms (Perionyx excavatus) , info from Larry Shier, Canada,

Photo & Perionyx excavatus information, property of Larry Shier
Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/633512553461827/
• Some Alabama Jumper info,

M.T. Datar and A.B. Moore's study entitled "Vermicomposting-A
technological option For Solid Waste Management"
http://www.bvucoepune.edu.in/pdf's/Research%20and%20Publication/Research%20Publications_20
06-07/International%20Conference_2006-07/Vermicomposting%20Mr%20AB%20More.pdf.
• Vermicomposts & aerated worm tea,

The Conversion of Organic Wastes into Vermicomposts and Vermicompost ‘Teas’
Which Promote Plant Growth and Suppress Pests and Diseases by Clive A.
Edwards et al. professor at Ohio State University, Soil Ecology Laboratory.
http://www.biosci.ohio-state.edu/~soilecol/NewPubs1.htm
Also see the Ohio State University’s publication, Website & an excerpt below:
“Our current research focuses on the effects of vermicompost aqueous solutions ('teas') on plant growth,
pathogen suppression, plant parasitic nematode suppression, and arthropod pest suppression.” And also
“Dr. Edwards is currently working on the 4th Edition of his well-known book, 'Biology and Ecology of
Earthworms' (currently in its 3rd Edition: C.A. Edwards and P.J. Bohlen, publ. Chapman and Hall, 1996,
283 pp.)”
All Publications: http://www.biosci.ohio-state.edu/~soilecol/NewPubs1.htm
 Using worm castings, 25% to 100%,

Mary Appelhof's book, Worms Eat My Garbage: 2nd edition 1997.
Publisher: Flower Field Enterprises LLC
243
 Worm harvesting tips from Connie, Montana,

All photos property of Connie
 Worm businesses - Real Case studies contributors,
Case 1: Scotty from Tennessee - photo is his

http://www.wormfarmingrevealed.com/tote-worm-system.html
Case 2: Patrick Cartwright, owner, The Worm Outlet

Website: thewormoutlet.com
Email thewormoutlet.com/pages/contact-us
Case 3: Bentley “the compost guy” Christie, Canada,

Website: RedWormComposting.com
Group: http://vermicomposters.ning.com/ Site Publisher is: Stephen Chow
Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/redwormcomposting/
Website: http://www.wormfarmingalliance.com/the-new-worm-farming-alliance/
Newsletter: http://www.redwormcomposting.com/vermicomposting-newsletter/
Case 4: Melissa Corichi and Cynthia Moss, Palm Beach County Food Bank,
Florida, pg. 213 www.letitrot.org
Case 5: Ashley and Cody, LaCygne, KS. Country Kidz Worms,
Case 6: Pamela Alley, North California,

All photos property of Pamela 2014
 Recycling in the United States Reference,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recycling_in_the_United_States
244
Other Resources:
 Author’s: Clive A. Edwards, Norman Q. Arancon, *Rhonda L. Sherman *see below
Bring you a book that’s 623 Pages & 134 B/W Illustrations
Vermiculture Technology: Earthworms, Organic Wastes, and Environmental Management
• Sites for worm Identification

Natural Resources Research Institute (University of Minnesota Duluth)
http://www.nrri.umn.edu/WORMS/downloads/identification/dichotomous_key.pdf AJ Species
The Open Air Laboratories (OPAL) network is a UK-wide citizen science initiative
http://www.opalexplorenature.org/identification (may not contain the Amynthus Specie)
Environment Canada and NGO Nature Canada et al

https://www.naturewatch.ca/wormwatch
https://www.naturewatch.ca/wormwatch/how-to-guide/identifying-earthworms/
Cornell University
http://cwmi.css.cornell.edu/vermicompost.htm
*North Carolina State University - Rhonda Sherman

http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/topic/vermicomposting/
Note: All above links active at time of publishing.
And Elohim made the beast of the earth according to its kind, livestock
according to its kind, and all that creep on the earth according to its
kind. And Elohim saw that it was good.
~ Gen 1:25
Your Journey Has Only Begun :)
245

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Ch11 Many Types of Worm Systems................................................................. 99

Bentley’s (85 Page) “Making Money With Worms” Download Link or

Helpful Print Outs In the back and throughout

Glossary Worm Farming Terms......................................................................... 232

References & Attributes................................................................................... 241

STOP! What You Need to Know Before You Begin.

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 = Links to publications, documents or other writings.

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As we have slowly found ways of feeding millions of people at a lower cost

We must go from synthetic thinking to organic doing,

Years ago I awakened to this forgotten blueprint of agricultural success

What were these beneficial living creatures…?

They’re everywhere! But why?

This is what I was doing years ago, before

Year after year I became better at raising worms

I’ve awakened to a truth we’ve walked away from

You can't simply sow a seed and expect to reap

We all live in a continuous perpetual world that’s constantly revolving and

Well, the truth is…We Don’t.

I guess this is why I’m a worm farmer.

This book teaches you how to be successful with plants because…

If you can get the soil right

The Worm Farming Revolution!

As concerns about •chemical fertilizers, pesticides and global climate

Even as the economy continues to be uncertain people want to rely on

It's not rocket science

If you're using regular compost (•decomposed

If you were to ask anyone off the street or even

It's hard to comprehend how much of an easy and sustainable concept of

Vermicomposting is still relatively new.

If we all play a tiny role in feeding worms our garbage, then

“Worm Castings, It’s not a dirty little secret anymore.”

First of all, let’s quickly go over the word vermi.

Well, that was pretty simple, but I got to pondering about

In the 16th century there was sometimes confusion with

Oligochaetology is the study of earthworms. From Oligochaeta, the

1. The word oligo is New Latin meaning “few”.

Pronunciation, (olee-gok-ay-tall-i-gee) It still doesn’t have anything to do

You're probably wondering, what's this got to do with raising worms?

~Ch 2 Types of Worms & Groups~

Knowing which type of worm to culture is very important.

Earthworms are invertebrates and there are thousands of species

1. Anecic Group 2. Endogeic Group 3. Epigeic Group

Anecic Group (deep burrowing)

Like the common Nightcrawler (species

They come up to feed on decaying matter,

Endogeic Group (lateral burrowing)

Epigeic Group (surface dwelling)

Species (Eisenia fetida, earlier spelling

These composting worms spend most of

This is presumably a defense. In my experience with these little guys you

~ Ch 3 The Worm Anatomy~

Earthworm Anatomy Diagram

Worm Farming Revealed.com

To understand a worm anatomy and physical functions it is also a good idea

Not necessarily in that order of course. I know, it’s a tough life 

The Digestive Tract

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