Comments on: Mark’s Kansas Winter Worm Report

By: Brian

Brian — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:51:35 +0000

Thanks Mark for postibng everything you do. I am waiting on worms to come for my bin. Your info is greatly appreciated and helps me explain vermicomposting to my friends and co-workers. Keep up the good work

By: Mark from Kansas

Mark from Kansas — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 21:37:06 +0000

Hi John,
(whispering)… I have lines marked off in my garage for the same thing. I live in a suburb with a 2 car garage, I am tight on space.
Mark

By: John

John — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 03:54:54 +0000

Here is a link to a Reno wormery. High desert. Great pics of what it looked like a month ago covered with snow. No auxilary heat. Other tabs on his site show some of his bin methodology.

Thanks Bently, Mark and all the commentors who add so much knowledge and fun to this enterprise… John In Huntington Beach, CA

http://www.sierrawormsolutions.com/wearegrowing.html

By: Heather

Heather — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 19:47:43 +0000

With this weather, I think you are at the forefront of a haute couture fashion trend. You better beware of hat-nabbing. I think you should vent some of that OSCR heat and get off the grid! Heck, if you have a pier and beam house or basement, just place enough OSCRs down there to heat the house (much like the Northern Europeans did in the Middle Ages–barns below, living quarters above).

By: Mark from Kansas

Mark from Kansas — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 14:11:34 +0000

Jean,
Get out there and try something on a small scale …(whispering) that’s what I did.
And thanks about my hat. I think it is cooler than worm slippers!

By: Bentley

Bentley — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 04:50:31 +0000

I have to agree, Mark – that is a truly awesome hat!

By: Jean Kruse

Jean Kruse — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 03:03:49 +0000

Mark – have been eagerly awaiting your next update because I want to try this next year. That is an awesome hat – hope you and your worms stay warm.

By: Mark from Kansas

Mark from Kansas — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 14:52:31 +0000

KUAN,
Happy New Year to you and your family!
I have the same thing happening to my bin. I don’t know if you want to try this. Remember the fan on my bin? I was going to use it to cool off the bin in the summer and then I left it on while it was cold out.
Well, I found out that the air in the harvest chamber was a little warmer than the air over the bin. What I decided to do was dig a hole in the middle of the bed. I used some 2×4 and built a “chimney”. Now the warm air settles on the top of the bed.
That cement stuff (which is dry) forces the worms up and the warm air keeps them there.
This has been working for me so far. Stay in touch we are in this cold blast together.
Best always
Mark

By: Kuan

Kuan — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 14:29:18 +0000

Happy New Year, Mark!!

The dreaded arctic cold front is here!! It is -18F wind chill outside right now as I type. My FT bin is staying warm in the unheated garage with the help of my reptile heat emitter in the harvest chamber. Due to the heat, there is a layer of “cement” on the bottom of the bin but it seems to keep the bin at a nice range of temp from 55F to 72F. Some worms are crawling up the side due to condensation but other than that, they look healthy and chomping away.

Nice to see an update from you.

Stay warm. It will be much colder tomorrow.

Kuan

By: Mark from Kansas

Mark from Kansas — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 23:22:54 +0000

Hi Heather,
I been hearing about the weather for 3 days now. I loaded up my bin and top insulated it. The only thing I have covering the OSCR is a plastic tarp. Right now my bin is about 80 degrees F and the bed is about 14 inches deep. I called my manure supplier yesterday and he told me his heap is frozen solid and I am out of manure.
Plan B: Reduce the heat to slow down the feeding rate till I get some more manure.
Mark