Saturday, November 15, 2008

Collecting Earthworm Locally

Different soils have different species of earthworms and choosing a local or native species of earthworm for a given soil type and for vermicomposting is an important step. There is no necessity to import or transfer earthworms from elsewhere. The advantages of using local varieties of earthworms are many. It is not advisable to use alien species as history is littered with examples of confrontations between indigenous and foreign organisms. Although the introduction of foreign species of earthworms has time and again been justified by a few scientists, it is inadvisable and undesirable to tamper with the local biodiversity.

Collecting local varieties of earthworms is a very simple and pleasurable job for a Earthworm Farmer. Soil near organically maintained trees or open culverts carrying organic wash water from domestic kitchens or restaurants, where worms are generally noticed and which is rich in vermicastings, is first identified. Handfuls of cattle dung are scattered over a one m2 area, followed by hay or leaf litter, and covered with an old jute cloth or jute bag. The place is kept moist by regular watering (not flooding with water). In about a fortnight’s time, both surface and sub-surface worms may be observed in that place. The worms should then be transferred for culture along with some quantity of native soil. This ensures not only survival but also the passive inoculation of cocoons from the area of collection.

If the first attempt is not very successful, then 1 kg of jaggery and 1 kg of
fresh cow dung dissolved in 20 litres of non-saline water should be applied to
that area once or twice a week to attract earthworms. (Do not try this on places
where there are absolutely no earthworms.)

Original Source:

Earthworm Farming using Vermicompost

The compost prepared by using earthworms is called vermicompost. Vermicompost is very important aspect of an organic farming package. It is very easy to prepare a vermicompost and should be harmless to plants.

While vermiculture is culture of the earthworms, vermicastings are faecal matter released by the earthworms.

Earthworm can be raised in different type of shed, tank or even in container or basket. A compost pit of any convenient dimension can be dug in soil of Garden, back yard, corp field. In a city or unavailability of soil, you can make a tank with cement of size 2m x 1m x .75m, which is very easy to manage. When making Earthworm Raising vermiculture, Either plastic, wooden or rubber container can also used to do so. Just remember to enable water which is sprayed to the vermicompost to drain out.

The vermibed comprises a base layer of small peace of stone, bricks mixed with sand and thickness of 6 to 7.5 cm, which will allow you to keep your drainage system on your earthworm culture. On top of this layer, add minimum 15cm thickness of local soil and add 75 to 100 number of locally found Earthworms. One should also place
small quantities of cattle dung at different places on the soil and top it with a
layer of straw or hay not exceeding 10 cm. These serve as feed providing
nitrogen and carbon to the worms for their growth and multiplication.

The earthworm pit is to be in the shade or covered with fronds or old jute bags and liberally watered. The weep holes at the bottom, in the case of containers and tanks, will enable excess water to run out. The entire bed must be kept moist, but should not be soggy. The moisture should be maintained at a regular degree for about thirty days after the introduction of the worms. During this period, the earthworms multiply in number and then one can commence laying organic wastes or domestic refuse layer by layer periodically on the vermibed. As the organic waste is deposited, it decomposes and is gradually digested through the intestines of the earthworms.

The organic wastes in the pit may be turned over occasionally. Once the pit is filled up completely and the composting is complete, one can reduce the use of water, so that the earthworms migrate below. The rich compost can be removed and the process started all over again on the same vermibed. Passage of material through the earthworm gut converts the locked-up minerals into available forms which are readily assimilable by plants. This is made possible by a large number of microflora in the gut of earthworms. Moreover, castings produced by the earthworms have a bacterial population nearly 100 times higher than in the surrounding soils.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Keep Away Predators From Worm Farm

Keeping Away Predators From Farm of Worm. Either Earthworm or Other Worm You are Rising in Your Firm

It may seem ironic that the very animals you may produce your worms for would also be the predators you have to protect your worm farm from. If you just give the worms away to the predators, there isn't much point in trying to raise them for profit by selling them to the people or businesses that use them to feed the very same types of predators!

You must keep other things from harming your worm farm, of course. One of those things is the medication residue that is left in the manure you may get from livestock farms to feed your worms. Allowing children unsupervised access to your worm farm could be hazardous for your worms.

Improper drainage is not a good thing for your worm bins. Using contaminated water to keep your beds moist is harmful. Using paper or cardboard shreds that have come in contact with pesticides is another bad idea.

But the predators can be fierce source of competition for any farm, including your worm farm. Many types of birds enjoy worms. Moles, hedgehogs, foxes, toads, snakes, beetles, leeches, slugs, and parasites all feed on worms. Parasites are another reason you have to be careful with the manure you feed your worms. Mites and cluster flies can be hazardous predators to your worms.

Anything that is a threat to eating the food you feed your worms can be a danger as well. Worms are voracious eaters, so if they aren't fed enough, they'll suffer or try to leave your worm beds. If another predator is eating up the food they need, you could suffer a great loss even if they aren't interested in eating the worms. If you have raccoons in your area, this may present a problem since raccoons are known to be great at getting into containers and figuring out latches!

There's nothing wrong with feeding birds even when you won't be making a profit from it. But you may want to encourage the birds to eat in other areas of your yard to distract them away from your worm beds.

If you have to worry about the neighborhood in which you live or if you live close to a public area, you may want to protect your worms from another type of predator. Thieves who want free fishing worms could present a problem. Sometimes even living in the country isn't a guarantee that you won't have trespassers. So, make sure your access to the worm bins doesn't make it too easy for unwanted visitors of any kind!

One way to protect your worm farm from predators is to invest in a shed that can be locked and is constructed to make unwanted access more of a challenge. Small birds can get into small places. If you can keep the floor clean, it helps guard against invasion as well. A concrete floor could be hosed off easily. You'll have more success at protecting your investment if you keep the container they are in off the floor by using something to provide legs of some sort that can also be set in a bowl of water.


Mealworm Earthworm Farming Profit Compost Fertilizer

Mealworms vs. Earthworm Farming for Profit Gain and Compost Fertilizer Production

It's All About Getting Profit From Farming Worms. Either it's a Earthworm or Other Worms like Mealworms. Bellow I will talk about the Mealworms Farming to Get Profit in Cash or Supply for Pet!

Mealworms are scavengers. It doesn't necessarily make them a bad worm, but it does help to understand them. If you want to start a mealworm farm, you can find starters in damp, spoiled grain and grain products. Perhaps you have access to a grain bin of some sort, a grain processing plant, or can get infested cereal from a cereal factory.

The dark mealworm is the species found throughout the United States. Anyone who has found them in their flour or corn meal would not consider them friends! But in this instance, you can turn an enemy into a friend and gain a profit from the experience.
The trick to worm farming of any kind is to start small and work your way up. You have to learn your limits and gain experience, find a market for your mealworms, and become educated about your product. But anything worth having is worth working for.
People have been known to use the mealworm as fish bait or food for their birds or reptiles. They're people food in some places!

One interesting fact about mealworm farming is that powdery residues can build-up in the containers. This residue, also known as frass, contains mealworm eggs. You can separate this frass with a sifter of some sort once a month, keep it in a separate container, and feed it with raw pieces of potatoes or bran. It takes a month for the eggs to hatch.

Females are capable of producing up to 500 eggs, but the adults only live a short time of 3 months at most. They get their fluids from wet fruits like apples or over-ripe bananas and vegetables such as the potato or carrot. They also lay eggs on these foods. You can keep them alive and dormant at temperatures over 40 degrees. They prefer warm environments of 80 degrees to grow and change. So, don't plan on them reproducing at the lower temperatures.

Did you know you can eat mealworms raw and live? Ok, it's not your average meal, but it's healthy and is encouraged in other countries. If you want the benefits, but can't stomach the thought, maybe you could try baking them or turning them into flour to use in other recipes. Just spread them on a lightly greased baking sheet and cook for up to 3 hours at 200 degrees. They're done when brittle. Toss them into a blender or grinder until they resemble wheat germ. If nothing else, you could safely serve them to that irritating cousin just for a laugh. It can be your little secret!

Meal worm farming is one of the cheapest worm farming you can enter. It's a great way to experiment and can be a safe way to feed your pets something natural and healthy. You could add the worms to your dog or cats diet by using the flour to make your own dog or cat food. Safe, natural, and healthy is the wave of the future.


How to Make a Good Earth Worm Farm ?

How to Make a Good Earthworm Firm, Where is Other Worm Firm in World?

Worm farms on a large scale exist as follows: Arizona, Connecticut, New York, Oregon, South Carolina, Michigan, Montana, New Mexico-1 each. Florida, Massachusetts, Missouri, and the United Kingdom-2 each. Pennsylvania, Texas-3 each. Canada and Washington-4 each. California-15. Of course, there are many that aren't listed as major farms. Many people have their own backyard worm farms.

If you have wondered how popular or widespread worm farming is in the United States, or if you have ever thought of starting your own worm farm, you may find the following information interesting.

Any business, including worm farming, will take from 3 to 5 years normally to break even after their initial investment and maintenance costs. It's essential to be careful with your purchases and to do your research before jumping into any business. Careful consideration means a better chance of netting profits sooner.

What do you know about breed stock? You can find good breed stock in a city gardener's basement supply just as well as you can from any established breeder with the same type of worm. It isn't unusual for someone to try to sell breed stock at an inflated price in any animal business. The population can take as long as 90 days to double no matter where you buy your breed stock.

How many worms you should start with depends on several things. How much can you afford? How big do you want your worm farm? How much space do you have now? Are you investing as a second income, for a little pocket money, or are you hoping to grow into a big worm farm? Can you shield your worms from temperature changes? Will you be willing and able to ship your worms elsewhere for selling?

Some helpful information to know is:

1. Worms are sensitive to pressure changes in weather. Finding them in the lid of your worm bin before it rains is no reason to panic.

2.  Ants will be more likely to enter your worm bins if the bedding is dry or highly acidic. Raise the moisture content or keep the legs of your stand in a container of water. You could try applying petroleum jelly around the legs or adding some garden lime near the ant gathering spot.

3.  Cover your fresh worm food with the soil in the bed or lay a layer of wet newspaper over it to get rid of vinegar flies. If you feed your worms too much for them to finish each day, it will invite the little flies, too.

4.  A smelly worm bin is a sign that you may be feeding your worms too much for them to digest quickly. Stir the waste lightly to allow air flow and space for the worms to travel more easily and feed less. It may take a little experimentation to figure out how much your worms can process efficiently. The amount will change as the worms multiply.

How to Build Earth Worm Farm and Why I Will ?

How to Build a Earthworm Farm and Why I Build Worm Farm?

Some people ask, "Why in the world would I want to have a worm farm? There are plenty of other useful farms that sell vegetables, fruits, animals, and eggs. What good is a worm farm?" Well, it's an understandable reaction. After all, it's usually the quiet people in society that go unnoticed; so why shouldn't there be quiet creatures that go unnoticed? People underestimate the value of the worm.

It's true that there are worms that do damage to crops, animals, and people. Worms in your intestinal system are best flushed out. That's why dogs and cats, even horses and cows receive worm treatments. These worms are taking away nutritional values the animals need to survive.

What about the good worms? The first reaction to a worm is, "Ewww, gross." Or, "Is that a snake?" Well, understanding anything is the key to appreciating it more. No, a worm is not a snake. The good worms are not poisonous and have positive benefits that are not readily seen. They're hard-working little creatures and deserve our respect.

So, what are good worms? Earthworms, compost worms, and fishing worms are good worms. Earthworms are found in rich soil. If your plants are healthy and growing, chances are there are earthworms down there toiling away to help make this happen. Those die-hard fishermen can tell you about the benefits of a good, fat fishing worm! Catfish and bream are two of the type of fish that enjoy worms. Let's not forget the healthy birds that flock to your yard to sing and play for you and your children or husband. These birds eat more than just the seed in your feeder, which is a good thing since the seed will run out and be forgotten by the well-meaning providers. That's where the worms come in to take up your slack!

People farm worms for useful reasons. But there are also reasons most people can't accept in general society yet. Worms can be great food for people. Mealworms, earthworms, grub worms, butterworms, and tomato horn worms are all edible. There are restaurants in Singapore that offer worms as a meal choice. Worms are eaten in Thailand, Mexico, Australia, Africa, Asia, and South America. People who are trying to survive in the wild, like our military soldiers, are taught to eat worms as a source of protein. They're low in fat, too.

Although people may not readily eat worms in America, worm farms can still provide a source of exotic food for those who do. The worms can also be shipped to other places, but the temperature has to be right so they'll live during shipment and upon arrival.

Worm farms can also produce special food called "hornworm chow", meal, and flours for use in cooking breads and cakes. Hornworm chow is sold as a powder for about $10 per 1/2 pound to feed about 85 worms to adulthood. This chow also feed chameleons.

So, as you can see worm farms are special and understanding them can be interesting and helpful.


Start Earth Worm Farm Business

Preparations For Your Own Worm Farming Business, Start it Right Now!

So you've decided to take the plunge and set up your own worm farm. Perhaps you're looking for a natural way for composting waste, are interested in the nutrient rich fertilizing substance produced by the worms, or are looking to provide a constant supply of live bait or live food for exotic pets. Regardless of the reason, you're going to need to set up a bin.

Various models are available for purchase at worm farming supply companies and garden centers. These come in different shapes, sizes and colors and each have their own benefits. The frugal approach is to build your own.

The first thing to consider is how big of a container you're going to need. To figure this out, you'll need to first measure out approximately how much waste you are going to need to use for feeding. For each pound of waste, you'll need one square foot of space in your bin. Depth should be at least six to twelve inches.

A plastic tote or container works well as do wooden boxes. Metal containers should not be used as irons and chemicals can leach into the soil, harming the worms. Many worm farmers prefer wooden boxes over plastic as wood is more easily aerated. Plastic can cause more moisture to build up than wood, which can be both good and bad.
Once a container of the appropriate size has been chosen, it'll need to be prepared. Holes should be drilled or punched through the top of the container to allow for air flow. There are two ways to address the bottom of the container.

One method is to drill or punch holes into the bottom of the container to allow excess water and other liquids to drain out. Another is to install a spout at the bottom of the container. When liquid begins to fill up in the bottom, the spout is turned on and releases the fluid.

If using a spout, a raised shelf should be added within the container. This shelf should be the same width as the container, but be allowed to sit a few inches above the bottom. This will allow the empty space at the bottom to fill with liquid and prevent it from sitting in the soil and bedding. This raised shelf should be made of slats or have several holes to allow liquids to drain into the bottom of the container.

If a raise shelf is not used, screening should be installed over the holes to allow liquid to run out of the container but prevent worms from squeezing through. Screening should also be attached to the top of the container to prevent escape.
Some thought should be put into what will be used for bedding material. Soaked and shredded newspapers, cardboard and even dampened leaves can be layered in the bin. Regardless of the material used for bedding, a small amount of soil should always be mixed in. If using the raised shelf system, bedding should be layered on top of the shelf.

The container should be put in a location that will ensure optimal conditions. Temperature should remain between 72 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The bin should not be placed in an area of the yard that will gain excess rain water, either.

Once the bin has been constructed, bedding has been added and the perfect location has been found, the next step is to add the worms and begin your own worm farm. Worm farming is rewarding whether it is done for a profit or a hobby. Constructing an appropriate home for these guys is your first step towards becoming an authentic worm farmer.

Commercial Farming Earth Worm Is Naturae Helping Money Earning Source

Commercial Farming of Earthworm is Your Money Making Machine Which Also Help Compost Waste of Different Source

Worm farming is an excellent way to naturally compost waste without adding to the already full landfills. Vermicompost is produced as a result, providing a nutrient rich substance that greatly benefits gardens, crops and house plants. The worms kept in worm farms demand little to remain healthy, voracious eaters. Understanding the anatomy of these worms proves useful in understanding their needs.

A worm's body is made up of 70-95 percent water. Worms therefore require a very moist environment that should be mimicked in the worm farm. When worms die, they often shrivel up and go unnoticed as the water content is lost at this point.

These are cold blooded animals. Temperature should be maintained between 72 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit to assist the regulation of their body temperatures. Worm farms should be placed in a location that allows for this constant temperature, or bins that are insulated should be purchased.

One focus of worm farming is to have worms that will reproduce easily. Worms are hermaphrodites, meaning they possess both male and female sex organs. Worm farmers must realize that although they are hermaphrodites, they cannot self-fertilize. A single worm cannot reproduce alone. A colony of many worms will result in larger numbers being produced.

Worms used in worm farms are covered in a slimy mucus coating. This coating serves many purposes. The mucus helps the worms retain water. As their bodies are made up of a high percentage of water, an important step when worm farming is to be sure to provide adequate moisture levels in the bin. The worm will be able to hold in the required moisture level through this mucus coating.

The worm's mucus coating is also a protector. As the worm borrows into soil and bedding, the mucus provides a slick coat protecting it from harmful substances that may reside there.
The anatomy of the mouth of the worm is regarded as unique. In the worm, the mouth is called the Peristonium. Worms do not have teeth. Instead they have this mouth organ that is used for prying. Worm farmers should be aware that worms will be able to better compost food items that have been cut down into smaller pieces. Soaked paper and cardboard products will be more easily pried apart than hard, non-soaked pieces.

Established worm farmers and those new to the hobby are often surprised to learn the life span of the worms that are commonly used in worm farming. The common lifespan of these worms is typically between 4 and 8 years. It has been reported that some worms have been known to live over 15 years.

These are long lived creatures whose lives are most often cut short by accidents. The myth that worms can be cut in half and therefore produce two worms is false. Worm farmers should always be careful when searching for worms, replacing bedding or removing vermicompost. Sharp or hard tools are likely to injure a worm or even cause death.

If provided a good diet, proper living conditions and a safe environment, worms can live long healthy lives. Healthy worms produce healthy compost that can be put to good use. Understanding the basics of the anatomy of these worms will aide in the understanding of how unique they are and how to address their needs.

Worm Farming Consideration To Composting West and Making Good Fertilizer

Considerations for Earth Worm Farming to Composting Waste and Make Fertilizer for Garden and Corp Field

There are many different types of worms that are both good for you and bad for you. You must first know the difference before you choose which you invest in for your worm farming adventure. Worms such as tapeworms, ringworms, and pin worms are not good investments for worm farming. The types people raise to sell and use are those they can sell for fishing bait, food for birds and reptiles, or those used to help benefit the soil and their by-products.

Worms have no exoskeletons and are not created the same inside as humans and other animals. A worm has one brain and five hearts. Earthworms breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide. They can't control their own body temperatures and can't maintain a body temperature. When they're in captivity, they must depend on you to help them survive in the right temperature.

Some people grow worm farms for their own personal adventure. Kids use them for pets. Gardeners encourage their growth to gain healthy crops or flower gardens. They create excellent natural compost and fertilizers! Some people eat worms, although it isn't something that is a big hit in the United States.

Composting is encouraged to help the environment and to keep the waste down that is hauled to landfills daily. Worm farming is one small way to help. Small ways add up to big benefits when enough people join together in their efforts. If you have complaints about the environment, if you've thrown away food scraps, newspapers, sticks and grass clippings or leaves, if you want to be involved in a positive way to help then worm farming may be just the right adventure for you to take!

Earthworms, red worms, catalpa worms, and grub worms all make good fishing worms. If you want a variety of worms, though, you need to know that not all worms are raised the same. Not all worms make good bin partners because of the different temperature requirements.

Not all vegetables or food scraps make good food for your worms either. Strong foods like onion, garlic, and hot peppers are not as readily welcomed. If the worms don't want to eat them, they'll eat everything else first. That leaves a smell to your worm bin, which can ruin your new adventure really fast! It's not like your own mom making you eat all your vegetables when you were little. These are not children and shouldn't be tortured to endure foods they don't want.

If you feed an animal something that isn't good for it or that it doesn't like the taste of, it can starve itself to death and will just end up resenting you or trying to escape to get to the better food source. Meat products are not a good idea for your worms either since they can contain diseases, poisons from the animal's system created by the medicines you must give your pet, and also a bad smell when decomposing.

Check out what the other worm farmers are doing. Their prices, shipping methods, growing bins, advertisements may all come in handy for helping you plan your own adventure in worm farming.


Beginners Guide to Small Earthworm Farm to Start The Commercial One

Beginners Guide to Start Earthworm Farm. It Might to Turn a Commercial Compost Fertilizer Firm

For the beginner, worm farming can either seem like a simple adventure or something totally foreign to them. Some people have never been brave enough to hold a worm, not to mention making a whole farm of them! So, let's explore some interesting odds and ends about worm farming.

Compost worms and earthworms are not the same. Earthworms loosen the soil. Compost worms eat the mulch layer of soil. Grub worms are not really worms at all. They're larvae from the June bugs that are pests to people in the southern parts of the United States. Catalpa worms are not really worms either. They're caterpillars from a moth species that are known to infest the Catalpa tree. Red worms are popular as fishing bait. Tomato horn worms sound like little monsters, but they're actually edible worms. Witchetty grub worms are served in restaurants as barbecued appetizers in Australia. Palm grubs are prepared by frying in hot pepper and salt. (Kinda makes you want to ask what the new dish is before you eat in a strange place, huh?) If you soak an earthworm overnight, it will purge the soil from them.

Odds are that the end result of many dishes served in other countries could be quite tasty. But most worm farming in America is done for other purposes. New word of the day is vermicomposting! It sounds really smart and sophisticated, but it only means composting with worms. Worms are great little workers for your compost bin and can enrich the end result. This means you have better luck with that green thumb you've been trying so hard to encourage!

You can build a worm bin out of wood, plastic, concrete, an old bucket, or an old bathtub. If you really want an odd bin, create one out of an old toilet! You just knew you were saving it for something, didn't you? The only problem with having strange bins is that you need to create a drain. You can't let your worm dirt get too soggy. They rise to the top of the ground after a rain for a reason, you know.

Drainage creates another benefit of your worm farm called worm tea. No, you don't drink it. That would be far too odd and might end with a sick stomach. You don't serve it to your worms either. Although it does create a cute picture to imagine them sitting at a tiny table, holding their tiny little tea cups and wearing tiny little straw floppy hats!

Did you know you can feed your worms vacuum cleaner dust? Although you may want to ensure that you didn't just fog the house for bugs before you vacuumed.

Worm farming can be as expensive or as low-cost as you choose to make it. How much does it cost to start a worm farm? Well, that's up to you. How fancy you think you need it? How large do you want to make it? What type of worms do you want to start with? How much space will you have for new growth? How much money do you have available for the adventure? What type of advertising do you want to do if it is a business venture? Whatever your choices are, odds are that you'll end up learning something valuable!

Perfect Earthworm Farm to Produce Compost Fertilizer

A Perfect Earthworm Farm to Produce Compost Fertilizer for Garden and Corp Fields

Naturally composting waste, providing an organic matter that enriches soil and even supplying hobbyists and fisherman with live bait. These are all reasons for worm farming. Taking care of the worms in a worm farm is typically quite easy but there some guidelines to follow. Proper feeding is important for the health of the worms, and therefore important for the health of the farm.

Worms are fed a variety of food items, and nonfood items, for composting. Some food type items that can be offered are fruits, vegetables, greens, bread products, cereals, tea bags, coffee grounds and filters and egg shells. The worms will eat just about anything so it is imperative to know which foods are appropriate and why.

Fruits and vegetables are easily composted by the worms. The important thing to remember when serving fruits and vegetables is the size of the portions. Fruit pieces should be cut down to 1/2 inch pieces or slices. Smaller pieces will be consumed more quickly. Food blended up with water will also help the worms find the food and consume it faster.

Fruits and vegetables are highly nutritious. Worms that are fed an appropriate diet will in turn produce a nutrient rich substance that is beneficial to crops, gardens, flower beds and even indoor flower pots. Some nonfood items that can be offered to worms for composting are paper products, cotton rags, hair clippings, leaves and soaked cardboard. A pizza box that has been torn up and soaked is a wonderful treat for worms.

When offering leaves to a worm farm, be careful to only use products that have never been treated with chemicals. For the safety of the worms, grass clipping and other yard clippings should be avoided incase chemicals have been used.

Dog and cat droppings can be used in a worm farm with care. Cats and dogs that have been dewormed recently will still have the substance within their bodies. The medicine used for deworming can be excreted in the droppings. If fed to the worms, the droppings can kill the worms quickly. If a pet has been dewormed recently, avoid using the droppings in the worm farm.

Care should also be taken when offering cat droppings from a litter box. Inorganic litters are unsafe for the worms. If your plan is to use the worms to compost the droppings, using a natural and organic litter will keep the worms happy.

While there are many foods that can be offered readily, there are also those that should be avoided. Care should always be taken with items that have been treated with chemicals, medications or other substances that may prove harmful.

Meats should not be offered to the worms in a worm farm. Being voracious eaters, the worms will gladly consume whatever meat is offered. The problem with meat is with the pests it will attract. Flies and maggots will be found in a worm farm that uses meat and the best way to eliminate these pests is to eliminate the use of meat.

Citrus fruits, onions and garlic should not be used either. The worms appear to find the smell of these items offensive. Most worms will try to escape the bin to get away from the smell. Dairy products will also attract unwanted guests into the worm farm. Another problematic issue with serving dairy products is the foul smell that is emitted as it rots.

Feeding worms is a pretty easy job. The key is to know which items are good and which are bad for the health of the worms. Another point to always remember is to not over feed. New worms should be fed in small amounts when they are becoming established within the farm. Once settled, the amount can be increased over time.

Over feeding leads to problems such as foul smells and pests. Keep feeding down to a minimum, offering new food only when the old food supply is running low. Worms can eat over half their body weight in food per day. The worm population can double every few months. Overfeeding can cause a problem but keep an eye on the population as well to be sure that underfeeding isn't an issue.

A well fed worm population is a happy worm population. Happy worms produce a lot of naturally composted, healthy castings for soil enrichment therefore keeping the worm farmer happy as well.

Commercial Earthworm Farming Needs Different Level of Facts

Commercial Earthworm Farming and It's Different Facts

Worm farming is a great way to naturally compost waste and other discarded materials. As a result, nutrient rich soil is produced and can be used in flower beds, crops, and gardens. Regardless of all the reading and research one does, issues may arise and can cause some concern.

Here are a few of the commonly reported questions and issues with worm farms.

Smells on Earthworm Farming:

It is often thought by many that a smelly worm farm is normal. In fact, it is not. If worms are kept in an appropriate environment, they will not smell. If the farm has an odor, the most likely cause is overfeeding.

Material to be composted is placed on the top layer of soil for the worms to consume. If too much is given to the worms, it can begin to rot causing a build up of bacteria within the walls of the worm farm. This is the cause of the smell.

To remedy the situation, simply discontinue feeding of the worms until any uneaten material is gone. The soil should also be stirred for aeration and to allow the worms to move more freely.

Bugs and other pests on Commercial Farm:

Using a container with a tight lid can help prevent many pests from infesting the worm farm but some are sneaky enough to make it in regardless. Small vinegar flies are often a complaint among worm farmers. This type of fly is of no harm to the worm farm but typically is a result of overfeeding. Large flies appear when there is an abundance of food.
Ants are also a common issue. If ants are seen in the worm farm, the chances are pretty good that the soil is too dry. Adding water to the soil to increase the moisture can help eliminate ants. If using a worm farm that stands on legs, simply apply some petroleum jelly to the legs to prevent the ants from being able to climb up.

Maggots can be found in worm farms where meat is offered to the worms. The best scenario is to eliminate meat from the diet altogether. If maggots have made their way into the worm farm, they can be eliminated by placing a milk soaked piece of bread into the farm; the maggots will be drawn to it and can simply be removed.

Worms leave the farming Area:

This topic leaves it up to the worm farmer to figure out what the problem is and fix it. If a worm is leaving, he is unhappy with his environment and is in search of a more suitable one. Worms will escape for reasons such as the soil being too dry or there isn't enough food. On the other hand, soil that is too wet could also be affecting the worms, causing them to want to leave.

The source of the problem should either be eliminated or fixed. If the soil is too dry, fresh water should be added to the farm. If it is too wet, the excess should be drained and new bedding should replace the old. Locate the cause of the excess moisture and eliminate it.

Ensure that the worms are getting enough food and the farm is in a location where the temperature will remain constant.

Feeding on Commercial Eartworm Farm:

There may be some confusion on what to feed worms. Appropriate foods to feed include fruits, vegetables, egg shells, greens, tea bags and coffee grounds and filters. Non-food items can also be fed to the worms and include soaked cardboard, paper products, cotton rags, leaves, dirt and hair.

More important are the items that should not be fed. Dairy products, meat, citrus, onions and garden waste that has been treated with chemicals are all things to avoid in a worm farm.
These are just a few of the common topics when it comes to worm farming. Although they are pretty easy to care for, it is important to realize the reason for some of the changes or issues noticed within the worm farm. Problems should be corrected early to prevent the loss of the worms.

Providing a proper environment, correct food, appropriate moisture level and temperature will help ensure a supply of happy and healthy worms.

Commercial Earthworm Farming and The Effect on Current World and Economy

Earthworm Farming and The Current World. It can be a Money Making Machine!

Worm farms are in effect in different states all over the United States including diffrent region of world. Because of the interest in recycling and the eco-system, these farms make sense. Landfills get less bagged waste, crops are improved, other animals are fed a natural food, and the worms provide natural bait for fishing.

Worm farms can provide many things besides worms. Worm gifts, worm candy, worm flour, worm breads, worm cookies, books, dvds, cute worm songs on cds, worm-related toys, fertilizer teas, compost, potting soil, cupped fishing bait, and hands-on activities for youngsters are some ideas.

Worm farming is technically known as vermiculture. It can be a lucrative business, but it is not a way to make a lot of money quickly. It takes patience, education, money, space, and marketing skills. You can't just toss a handful of worms in your yard and expect them to go to work and make you rich!

If you want a different kind of worm farm, you first would want to research the other worm farms that are in the market. If you make your worm farm unique and fun, you'll draw families. Families spend money on souvenir type items and knick knacks as memoirs of their adventures. Kids like games. Maybe you could create some playground equipment for your little visitors with designs that are based on worms. Demonstrations can make your worm farm different.

You can make your worm bins decorative as well to help maintain public interest. People like "eye candy". Things that are brightly colored and designed catch the eye. A person dressed in a worm suit to chat with the children would be a fun addition to make your worm farm different. A small worm farm museum would be interesting for school groups to visit, which would increase public interest and make your worm farm different.

You might want to figure out how to have a worm festival on your worm farm. Provided you have enough room for parking and someone to direct traffic, this could provide advertisement and fun for you and for your visitors. Worm contests such as who can eat the most worm cookies or design the best worm poster, the most creative worm art made with playdoh, or races in worm shaped cars are some ideas.

Educational benefits exist as well. Your worm farm can be used as a way to enlighten the public on how important the worm is to our natural environment. It can teach people about other worms besides the earthworm and the worms that cause harm.

If you want a different kind of worm farm, it takes a good imagination and some ingenuity. Creating interest and a public need is a good way to succeed. It also means you'll have to stay "on-your-toes" to maintain that interest. Of course, it means more of an investment, too. But in the business world, it takes money to make money. You just have to "worm" your way into the public eye and get noticed!


History of Earthworm Farming and Compost Fertilizer

Long History of Earthworm Farming and Using Compost on Gardening 

When many of us think of worms, we think of the few pink earthworms that hang out in the garden, strolling through the soil and showing their faces after a heavy rain. We don't often stop to think about the history involved in these legless creatures. Some people even put these guys to work for profit and natural soil care through a process known as worm farming.

So how long have worms really been around? To take a look at the history of worm farming, we have to go way back before the age of man. Worms have been around almost since the beginning of time. Even in the age of the dinosaurs, earthworms worked hard breaking down excrement and waste. Their job was to produce a substance more useful to the soil. In turn, the level of fertility of the soil would remain high promoting a better rate of growth.

From 51 and 30 B.C., the Queen of Egypt, Cleopatra VII realized the importance the worms played in the fertilization of the Nile. The export of worms from Egypt was then banned and became a crime punishable by death. For this reason, the Nile has been reported to contain the most fertile soil in the world even today.

Many years later, Charles Darwin published "The Formation of Vegetable Mould through the Actions of Worms with Observations on their Habits" in 1881. He mentions here that the plough was one of the best inventions made by man. It changed the lives of farmers everywhere.

The worm however, has been doing the same job long before man although later they were once regarded as a pest. It was thought that worms destroyed plant life, chewing through the roots of crops. In reality, the worms plough through the Earth carrying water and air beneath the soil aerating and fertilizing it. Darwin continued to study earthworms, their habits and their benefits to man for over forty years. He even went so far as to label these crawlers as one of the most important creatures on earth.

During the Industrial Revolution in the 1800s chemistry was discovered and Darwin's studies were cast aside. Worm farming as a natural method for ploughing was ignored. Instead, man-made products were used for the job for a quicker more efficient way of producing a larger yield of growth.

Chemists produced fertilizers that increased the growth of crops. These fertilizers also damaged the soil, requiring even more fertilizers to continue to produce this increased growth yield. Other chemicals such as pest sprays and poisons have caused the decrease in the population of earthworms in the soil, thereby causing a fall in the fertility of the soil.

Because of the availability and ease of use, fertilizers and pesticides have been primarily used in crops across the world. However, some farmers began to culture their own worms on a smaller scale. Worm farming, or vermiculture, is the use of earthworms to aerate soil and change organic matter into compost. It only became a commercial process in the 1970s.

Worm farmers experience fluctuations in production and revenue depending on market requirements and demand. While commercial worm farmers still exist and function efficiently, many individuals have begun to establish their own methods of farming worms. This has been made easier through readily available worm farming supplies and equipment to encourage a more natural way of producing well fertilized soil and for composting waste.

The views about worms and how they effect the environment have changed dramatically over the years. Whether they're held sacred or regarded as nasty slimy critters, worms have proved to be hardy and beneficial enough to last this long; they're probably going to hang around for many years to come.


What Is Earthworm Farming Mean?

What Exactly Is Worm Farming?

Worm farming has been around for years on various scales. While the reasons for worm farming are not widely known, those who participate are big believers in the benefits that these worms have on the environment.

Many worm farmers commercially culture worms for profit. Specific breeds of worms are bred and are typically kept in breed specific quarters. Commercially raised worms are typically sold for composting. Some worm farmers distribute to landfills providing a natural method for composting waste.

These specifically bred worms are also used for soil fertilization. As worms dig through the soil, they aerate and stir up the soil carrying water with them. The waste that is composted by the worms is broken down into a substance that can be better used by the soil, improving the fertilization of the soil. A healthy soil is then produced for better growing plants, vegetables and crops.

In recent years, the supply of worm farming equipment and accessories has made it easier for individuals to make a hobby of this technique. Household sized bins are on the market in a variety of shapes and sizes. Home owners and apartment dwellers have been given the opportunity to raise their own worms for waste compost and soil fertilization.

Worm farming provides worms with a nutrient rich diet of what many times is thrown out with the garbage including discarded fruits and vegetables. Other compostable materials include paper products and cotton rags, leaves, egg shells and hair. Excreted by the worm is a nutrient rich substance called vermicompost or worm compost.

Worms are also farmed for bait. Small bait and tackle shops often receive their livestock inventory from worm farmers providing fishermen with various worms to use as live bait. Fishermen who fish on a larger scale than the hobbyist often use these worms for bait for anglers and other large catches.

Many different worms are available depending on the job. Each variety of worms is used for its own reasons. Red worms are commonly used for composting while the Belgian worms are good for both composting and bait. Home owners looking for worms to keep in lawns and flower beds will find success with Night Crawlers and Wigglers.

Worm farming can also be an excellent educational tool. As using worms provide a more space effective way for composting, small kits can be purchased and even hand made to be used in a classroom setting. Students are able to participate in the project learning about how composting occurs. Using natural methods for composting and reducing waste in landfills is easily demonstrated by classroom worm farms.

Worms can be farmed just about anywhere. With the various systems available on the market today, home owners can raise their own supply of worms outside or in an apartment. Providing the correct amount of moisture, light, bedding, temperature and food will ensure a long living worm population. In return, the reward will be a natural way for composting without filling up local landfills. As a result, nutrient rich soil is provided that can be used right away or stored for use during gardening season.


Why Earthworm Farming Important for Earth!

What Benefit We Can Get by Farming Earthworm!

It may come as a surprise to some that worm farming is beneficial to our environment. After some research into the topic it may be shocking to learn how important these hidden crawlers really are. There is more to them than just crawling through the garden.

Worms have been around since the beginning. During the age of the dinosaurs, worms ploughed through rotting debris and excrement, composting it into a more usable substance. Millions of years ago they were efficient creatures and today they remain the same.

So why is worm farming so important? There are three common reasons for worm farming both commercially and individually. The first reason is for composting.

Worm farming provides an effective and efficient way for composting food waste and other biodegradable items. On the larger scale, worms are used in place of landfills by commercial companies. The worms compost waste eliminating unnecessary overflows in landfills. Certain landfills also use worms to help compost the waste that has build up over time to try to prevent an overflow.

On a smaller scale, home owners and apartment dwellers are able to run their own personal worm farms. The purpose is to provide a more natural way for composting discarded food products and other items, instead of sending them to the local landfills. Various sizes of personal worm farms are available on the market today. These can typically be used both outdoors and indoors for those with limited space.

Having a personal worm farm means that individuals are able to employ worms to naturally compost items such as fruits, vegetables, breads, cereals, paper products, soaked cardboard, egg shells and hair. What is given in return by the worms is a naturally nutrient rich organic substance that can enrich soil for gardens, crops and house plants.

This brings us to the next reason for worm farming. Vermicompost, or worm castings, is the product the worms produce as they compost and digest their provided diet. These castings are as rich in nutrients as the food items provided to them. This substance is so rich in nutrients that it can be used as an effective plant food for a small pot for up to two months. Vermicompost is one of the best fertilizers available.
Chemical fertilizers can be replaced by using natural vermicompost. Chemical fertilizers often produce a fast effect, but when the soil is analyzed, it is found that the nutrients in the soil are being further broken down by the chemicals. This requires that even more fertilizer be used later on to produce the same effect.

Chemical pest removers and poisons have led to the destruction and evacuation of worms in many areas. The worms are either killed by the poison or they leave the area as the soil is no longer healthy enough for them to live in.

Using vermicompost as a natural fertilizer helps eliminate the need for chemicals that destroy the soil and rid the area of these helpful worms. Some worms can be used in garden beds, improving the quality of the soil as they plough through pulling water into the soil and aerating the bed as they go.
Another reason for worm farming is the production of worms to be used as live food and live bait. Many exotic pets, birds and aquarium fish require the addition of live worms to their diets. Offering worms for this reason gives pet owners an opportunity to purchase live food that has not been chemically altered or treated.

Professional fishermen, bait and tackle shops, and the fishing hobbyist are often on the search for good suppliers of various worms that are best suited for live bait in both freshwater and salt water. Worm farms offer these buyers a chance to purchase organically raised worms that will produce the best results when fishing.

As surprising as it may seem, worms are a very important part of our environment. Worm farming is just a way to be able to appreciate their effects on a more personal level. They are hard workers and keeping them happy in a worm farm will help ensure a healthier environment, less overflow of the landfills and a higher level of plant growth.


Earthworm Farming in a Bucket

Earthworm Farming in a Bucket to Harvest Black Gold

Childhood memories stay with you. When I was a child, our neighbor turned his long chicken house into an earthworm farm. Today earthworms are grown for fishing bait, bird food and compost/fertilizer. Worm Castings around a plant's root ball, or applied as a mulch, makes plants grow unbelievably well. This is the kind of stuff giant pumpkin farmers use to grow world record crops.

Dictionary.Com defines Vermiculture as "The raising and production of earthworms and their by-products". Some would consider Vermiculture a 4-syllable word for poop! Earthworms are masters at turning landfill waste vegetation into an all natural, nutrient filled soil amendment. The technical name for this soil amendment is Worm Casts, and considered by those in the know as the best soil amendment available, bar none.

Worm Casts can be applied around a plants drip line; mixed directly into the plants roots, or applied as a mulch, adding valuable nutrients to strenthen the root system, thus making plants grow unbelievably well. This is the kind of stuff giant pumpkin farmers use to grow WORLD record crops.

Earth worms come in several varieties, the most popular being Red Wigglers, with African Night Crawlers coming close behind. Don't those names just get you excited about the underground world?

We raise our African Nightcrawlers in buckets, with tiny airholes drilled around the neck of the bucket (Also in raised beds). They are so active, I can put protein feed on top of the peat bedding, and within an hour they are actually "Swarming" the food. They make a run for the top, grab a bit of food, and drop back down into the bedding. They actually remind me of is an amazing sight.
There are two things that will slow African Nightcrawlers down.

1. Cold temps (below 70 or so)

2. Excess water

Strategies for Composting with Earthworms

"If the worms are getting fat, you are doing things basically right. We raise ours in buckets, and drill small air holes in the NECK of the bucket," Jerry explained. This does two things:
1. Nightcrawlers cannot crawl out.

2. Allows us to stack our buckets.

Buckets allows you to keep your black gold worms under the kitchen sink if you want to. Makes garbage disposal easy.

City and County Vermiculture Composting Programs
Jerry Gach of Blue Ridge Vermiculture has worked with a number of cities and counties to adopt worm composting programs such as the City of San Jose, Alameda County and the State of California worm composting program.
"I'm trying to spread the word that there are options for worm composting, and African Nightcrawlers can do the same job as Red Wigglers faster, plus they are great for fishing, reptiles, birds when they get big!"

Carolyn's Worm Tub
It was with great glee that I nestled my first batch of African Nightcrawlers into my compost tub...and watched them devour my organic veggie scraps. I get a weekly delivery of organic fruit and vegetables from a local service and wanted to find an alternative to putting the scraps into the trash or the food disposal -- (both very non-green options). I've started putting odd scraps into a plastic bag in the freezer and taking out just enough to feed my new pets when they need it.
I now have a light, fluffy soil amendment to add to all my house and patio plants. No giant pumpkins...but some gorgeous flowers!

Vermiculture in Office Settings
Vermiculture is a wonderful way to bring composting into a business setting. The process is clean, silent, and helps people get over the "uhhh!" reaction to natural soil processes.
Jerry Gach
Managing Partner of Blue Ridge Vermiculture

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Worm Farming: Livestock for the Home Gardener

Who says that you need big acreage, fencing, and a place in the country in order to raise small livestock? You can ignore zoning ordinances, noise restrictions, or the neighbor’s objections when it comes to worm farming no matter where you reside.

Composting worms are the perfect breed of livestock for the gardener who wants to raise a little more than fruits, vegetables, and herbs in the backyard. The worms won’t put meat on the dinner table but they’ll happily recycle your kitchen waste and turn it into a rich, organic plant food known as worm castings.

I was fortunate enough to inherit a four-story worm bin, complete with red wriggler composting worms when a co-worker relocated out of state this summer (thanks Gretchen)! I’ve written about the perks of vermiculture and worm castings here in the past but this was my first attempt at vermicomposting.

The worms spent the summer contentedly out on the patio but this weekend I decided it was time to bring them indoors for the winter. The transition gave me a perfect excuse to tear things apart and take a close look at what was happening inside the worm bin. The experience was very similar to inspecting a colony of bees inside of a hive.

Read More About Worm Firming Livestock...

Earthworm Farming for Garden as Compost Fertilizer

Earthworm Farming for Garden as Compost Fertilizer

From my age of 12, my favorite hobby was gardening and fishing. On that time, my father was my guide to build and maintain my garden. He also helped me on my fishing hobby. As I live in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, there was not too much space for my common hobby like Gardening or Fishing. So my father suggests me to make my house roof as garden. On that age, it was really tough for me to go fishing without guidance from any one bigger then me. So I have to spend more of my free time on roof. I can imagine that days, full of joy, flowers around me, preparing any new tab for new tree or reading book. At that time it was hard to find fertilizer in my city as very few of Hough population care about garden in city! I can remember that hard time to get fertilizer from other rural area.

One day, one of my father’s friends came to my roof. He was an expert on agriculture. Actually he was an officer of Agricultural Department of Bangladesh Government. He was really surprised to see my garden on a rooftop and later he expresses his willingness to help me build a Better garden. He was the first man from whom I hear about the Earthworm, which can replace the industrial fertilizer and do a big help of any garden. He is also helped me to Farming Earthworm for my Garden, even it can help my other hobby like Fishing.

This was a real discover for me about the earthworm, which can be use as fertilizing my garden’s tree and give me an unlimited source of material for fishing. What I need to raise the earthworm on my hand is Compost made from my house trash bin!

It was a long time; my father died on heart attack, my uncle, who was friend of my father also passed away, but these days, I still use his formula on my Earthworm Firm and use it to my Garden. This is really fun to Farming the Earthworm by own method. I started this Blog to shear my knowledge of Earthworm Farming with others who may still straggling with their garden and collect the industrial fertilizer.

I will post the step by step of Farming the Earthworm and use them on Gardening. This Earthworm Farming can be a source of Income, if you have plenty of time in hand and willingly work under open sky. So stay tune for more posting on this Blog. Don’t forget to leave a comment, if you have any Idea bout it. Till my next posting, bye and take care.

Earthworm Farming - Around Other Blogs