Comments on: Natural Worm Farming (NWF) Defined

By: Joakim

Joakim — Mon, 14 Aug 2023 11:12:34 +0000

Makes perfect sense, as Eisenia fetida is also called “manure worm”. Their ecological niche is to finish decomposing manure and decaying organic materials on the ground. It’s their favorite food.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 16:23:03 +0000

Hi Bentley,

This post has reassured me that what I want to do should work but I would like your feedback if possible.

I live in Eastern Ontario, cold but as much as we Canadians like to brag about how cold it gets, you guys in Minnesota probably have it worse! I raise grass fed beef. Next year I will be building loofing shed for cows to get out of weather, where they will inevitably deposit most of their dung. Every week I will kick them out of shed, spread corn over dung then cover with woodchips. By spring I will have a dung, corn, woodchip lasagna (yummy dont you think?). Once cows go in field I buy piglets who will root for corn, thereby turning and composting the whole mess. In the fall once pigs have become bacon, I clean out shed and start again. I wish I was smart enough to have come up with this idea but I am not. All credit goes to Joel Salatin of Polyface Farms in South Carolina. He then spreads it on his fields, I want to take it to another level.

This is where worms come in and your advice needed. I expect to have about 60 cubic yards of turned but not aged semi-composted manure. Should I introduce a few pounds of red wigglers then (60 days or so before real winter kicks in) or wait till spring ? Or do you think the manure will be too far along to feed the worms. Remember there will be lots of woodchips in there that should decay slowly.

Once worms have fully colonized compost pile I will feed front end loader bucket of them compost and all to my chickens before collecting manure to spread on fields.

Thank you and I will try to keep you posted on how this project goes.

Cheers

By: Bentley

Bentley — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 11:05:56 +0000

Hi John – that is a really interesting idea! There are definitely some perks to having the manure exposed to the elements…but then again, also some limitations (especially if you want some really nice castings). Anyway, I’m confident that even if this dream doesn’t come to fruition, you are still going to have a LOT more fun with worms in the months and years ahead. And needless to say, I’m very glad you found the site as well! 😎

By: Bentley

Bentley — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 11:01:37 +0000

Linh – Glad you found it interesting! Using the old manure heap more as a model than as a system to actually set up is likely more practical for most people. What I like about the NWF approach is that you are taking the great aspects of the natural manure heap and combining them with the optimization/management of a more traditional system. That said, I agree there are some bins that were designed more for humans than for worms! I’ve always felt it is a shame they are so popular! 😉

By: John

John — Sat, 22 Oct 2022 03:50:58 +0000

Hi Bentley
After reading this it made me think of a dream I had about 40 years ago or so, give or take 10 years or so… LOL I dreamt I bought this farm with a barn that had a litter carrier for cleaning the gutters… then I saw these sand domes the highways use for putting salt in for road safety. I thought this dome would be great for for a cover for the manure. Then after a year or so of aging add worms to break everything down and sell worm castings and worms… There was a lot more to this dream than this, but I think this is enough for you to get the idea… At 72 years old now I don’t think this would ever come to reality… Back in the day I heard of rabbit farmers using worms to sanitize the litter boxes under the cages… the possibilities for worms are endless… I’m so happy I found your red worm site…
Blessings always…
John

By: Linh

Linh — Fri, 04 Mar 2022 17:04:00 +0000

Yes this is exactly what I’ve been looking for! Artificial systems can be made but generally become more complex as they are riddled with issues. My worm factory360 has been stalled out for over a year, I keep trying different things add more food/less food/more bedding. But it could just be not the ideal system for the worms. Seems the best approach is to just have a pile of manure in the yard (if you have the space) & leave it alone. Not as convenient for those looking to sell packaged castings, but for gardeners, you could just add a scoop to your beds.

By: Bentley

Bentley — Fri, 17 Sep 2021 03:27:39 +0000

Hi Kathleen – plastic buckets aren’t the best bins for vermicomposting since they don’t have a lot of open surface area, and continuing to add typical kitchen scraps you will tend to end up with really wet contents that takes a long time to finish. Just generally with bins (and fairly wet stuff) the best approach for separating the worms from the compost is some form of light harvesting. Basically dump out into a plastic tray or bigger bin, shine a bright light over top (sunlight works well too) and gradually scrape off the material. The worms will continue to dive down away from the light and vibration.

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Wed, 15 Sep 2021 06:05:24 +0000

I’ve had a Plastic bucket worm bin for almost a year. I collect worm tea from the bottom, and it seems like a great ecosystem (lots of worms, no smell.) but I can’t figure out how to separate the worms from the compost. So I just keep adding stuff but I haven’t gotten anything out of it. Also, it never seems quite “done.” If I somehow remove the compost “dirt” from the worms,
Should I let it sit another few weeks (months) to become more soil-like? Thank you!

By: Bentley

Bentley — Tue, 15 Jun 2021 15:25:53 +0000

Thanks for stopping by, Stephen & Joanne! All sounds great, and I would for sure be interested in more info and images. Don’t hesitate to drop me an email any time!
😎

By: Stephen Lane

Stephen Lane — Wed, 09 Jun 2021 13:40:37 +0000

Hello Bentley,

I’m glad I stumbled into your RWC domain!
Situated in South Western Australia, on the coastal limestone plains around Mandurah, I turned to vermicomposting in association with permacultural practices.

Trials aplenty in the late 90s pointed me in similar directions to what you describe here.

My latest worm bin complements a carbon-cycle that my wife and I are establishing to support experimental dragon-fruit production.

So, the concept is chokos from our vines + animal manures + paper –> worm bin –> establishing layering castings & worms around the limestone-enslosed dragon-fruit plantings.

I make use of straw hay and lettuce-broccoli-cauliflower leaves to build a moist regulating and well-aerated worm bin, making full use of the strong southerly summer breezes.

Over our recent summer period, I stimulated prolific pumpkin production in our garden by using worms to break down manures in-situ.

Seems like we have a wee bit in common in our vermicultural journey, Bentley. Happy to send over some garden pics to better show our endeavours once these storms blow over!

Kind regards, Stephen & Joanne Lane