Comments on: Mark From Kansas – RWC Staff Writer #1

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 02:56:30 +0000

Mike, I live near Wichita Kansas. Is there someplace local where I can purchase worms to get started? Many thanks!

By: Mark from Kansas

Mark from Kansas — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 02:16:48 +0000

Hi Mike,
if I remember right, I think it took 3 -4 weeks. I used 2 sheets of news paper and then piled finished VC on top of that.
In hindsite, I wish I had used cardboard and so it would have taken longer time to breach. Once the paper broke, I spent every day for two weeks rescuing worms.

By: mike

mike — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 02:40:16 +0000

Mark when you started your OSCR around how long did it take for the layer of newspaper on the bottom to deteriate? I made copycat version using fence on the bottom. I check it everyday hoping that the VC will start raining down into my tubs…..but so far no luck. I plan to add another 10lbs of reds to it this week. I hope you give an OSCR update soon and show off some of those worms. Sigmund Freud was right….I am envious of your Very Large OSCR.

By: Stan Slaughter

Stan Slaughter — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 15:29:43 +0000

The local Kansas Junior college (Johnson county Community college) just called to inquire about the availability of red worms for the Environmental Science lab. Last post I said that I don’t sell worms. Actually I sell $2-300 worth a year as starter colonies. Lots of folks buy a pound of worms but don’t know how to operate a bin so they don’t give the thousand or so worms the conditions they need right away after a several day trip through the mail. What I sell is a chunk of my colony. Worms, bedding, castings. food all in one quart ziplock bag for $5.00. My biggest event is the local Farmer”s Expo, where I play the “green musac” for the event. My wife sells worms while I sing. As you all know lots of people are wanting to learn about worms these days. I have a worm-composting poster that sells well also, Finally I give the purchasers a single sheet titled Stan’s Redworm Do’s and Don’t's. Don’t buy the posters online without calling. I’ll give you a special blog buddy discount.
Stan

By: Jessica

Jessica — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 22:33:41 +0000

Just thought I’d let you know I checked out your site. Pretty cool! Now you can google yourself!

By: Stan Slaughter

Stan Slaughter — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 16:06:07 +0000

Hi Mark and especially the Kansas contingent.
This is Stan from almost Kansas. Actually I’m twenty miles into Missouri. I work as the recycling educator for the state of Kansas and have been touring Kansas schools for 13 years with musical assemblies for elementary schools. For several of those years I’ve offered Red Worm Workshops in elementary schools. I even sing about worms on my album Rot N’ Roll. I have four bins in the basement year-round and a 3 ft. cubic bin in the backyard that is a part of a three bin compost unit. I’ve had good luck overwintering the worms outside in the bin just by loading it up with extra food in the fall. As mentioned here these worms know what to do and if the pile gets active, actually starting to heat up in the compost sense they just move back and wait. I don’t sell the worms and really only want the 4-500 pounds of castings I get each year for my yard and garden. You can check out http://www.compost-education.com for more information about my work, but Bentley and Mark have a good thing going here for sure.
Stan

By: Tom Stewart

Tom Stewart — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 00:51:57 +0000

Mark,
Thanks for the responce. To answer your questions, I have a lady who has 5 horse’s and I can pick up all I want by the truck load (free) and If you are right (and I hope you are!), I can get all the lumber to build boxes as needed, also free! I can see it now, 3 acres covered with boxes full of worms. Man-o-man, I hope so!
Tom

By: Mark from Kansas

Mark from Kansas — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 23:16:21 +0000

Thanks Tom
Just a thought, while you have a bin that HUGE, may I suggest that you look into a getting a steady food source before you run out. I ran into this problem in January but, I was able to get enough manure (or so I thought) to get me through summer and I think I only have enough manure for 3 weeks.
I am not sure if I should wish you good luck but, my bet is that your bin is going to explode with worms. Then what?!!!!
Mark

By: Tom Stewart

Tom Stewart — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 05:40:25 +0000

Mark,
I found Bently’s web site back in November and have read all of it front to back. I ordered my first 5000 worms back on March 25 and they arrived 1 April and I set them up in a 30 gallon tote in my utility room as the weather here in North Caolina was still a little iffy. I have located a place where I can get free lumber and built a bottomless box (3′ X 7′ X 13″) and installed the worms on 19 April. I used rotten hay as the main bedding material and used 3 lbs of aged horse manuer and .5 lbs of kitchen scraps as food. I also added 3 – 4 gallons of water to get every thing nice and moist. The tempreture in the bed is still kind of low, But I found the first worm egg on 26 April.I have no out buildings on my place and will add more boxes as I devide box # 1 as it starts to get crouded.
I have been reading your posts on your OCAR and have learned alot from you and Bently at RWC. Keep the posts coming.
TOM

By: Mark from Kansas

Mark from Kansas — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 16:58:38 +0000

Thanks Danielle,
It will take you about a month to read all the information Bentley has provided. I would like to read more about your worms, if you got time, send me an E-Mail.