Worms

[PCTREE]

So Im thinking about starting a worm farm, seems pretty simple and some really nice byproducts. My main interest is trying to suplement our chickens feed in the winter.

Any One done this before??

 

[woodworkingboy]

No, but apparently there isn't any better additive to a vegetable garden than the soil in which the worms were raised.

 

[Husabud]

My SIL has Red Wrigglers. There garden is phenomenal and after three yrs, she is thinking of selling some worms. Well thousands.

 

[bonner1040]

Worm dirt sells for big $

 

[FJR]

Worms are the real kings of the forest. They help breakdown organic matter into a usable form that trees can uptake. Very important. They also increase the pore space which in turn increase the amount of oxygen available.

Worm castings are incredible for gardens.

 

[jefflovstrom@sb]

My friend does and he has rabbits, he says rabbit poop is the bomb!

 

[brendonv]

My parents have a worm farm, were ive dumped hundreds of yards of chips over the years. All by accident. I was there today, you sink when you step onto the castings.

 

[PCTREE]

Thats what Im interested in somewhat. I have been splitting wood the last few days and keep finding hundreds of worms underneath the bark, Makes me think how cool it would be if we could get the worms to eat wood products, however from what Ive read they dont eat wood so why are they under the bark??

 

[SouthSoundTree]

We have a new worm compost system. I hear the worms are eating the bacteria and fungi decomposing the food. Dunno for sure.

 

[woodworkingboy]

A big fat earthworm is a thing if beauty. Have you ever noticed the little rainbow of colors that they can give off in the sunlight? It is psychedelic!

 

[cory]

Gotta put in a Dumb and Dumber reference here. Lloyd Christmas can answer all you questions re worm farming.

 

[Porkbrick]

i have a worm bin for my kitchen scraps. all my junk mail and cardboard goes through the shredder and they eat it up too. i bet they would munch on leafy woodchips if it was mixed with something like rabbit poo. i know for a fact that they will all die/leave if you put crab or shrimp shells in.
btw, did you know that the earthworm is not native to most of the US? before europeans landed there were no nightcrawlers and no red wrigglers.

 

[arborworks1]

Local worm guy swears by woodchips. He is always calling for more.

 

[SouthSoundTree]

Scott, do you know if he mixes the chips with anything? Fresh or partially composted or well composted?

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Paul... talk to Rob....
If you want, I'll PM you with some contact info.
We lay woods chips and organics for the worms right in the garden. We stared a worm farm making a box to hold organics in with bails of hay....
Then just kept adding organics. Hungry little buggers those red worms. Double their numbers about every 90 days.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

You can also join our group on Facebook .... Homesteading with freedom
Rob can answer your questions there as he checks in.

 

[cory]

Can you tell us a bit about that FB group, what does that title mean exactly??

 

[PCTREE]

Ill have to check with the Mrs about Facebook, Ive never been sucked in so have never been there.....

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Can you tell us a bit about that FB group, what does that title mean exactly??

It means that we want to be able to just do our gardening and livestock with some freedom. You can't even sell farm fresh eggs with out a permit here. Milk is a big nono...
Anyway... we trade a lot of stuff. Garden, eggs, livestock, knowledge.
It's all good

 

[NickfromWI]

Few years ago we got a black soldierfly larvae infestation in our compost. Turns out, it was a blessing! Those little guys obliterated our kitchen scraps.

But they grow up and fly away mid summer or early fall.

Can I just throw worms in the same bin?


love
nick

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Should not be an issue ... you will just have to make sure you supply enough compost and food for both.. Soldierfly larvae are voracious eaters. But you really want the worm castings for the plants and trees.

 

[ClimbMIT]

Gotta put in a Dumb and Dumber reference here. Lloyd Christmas can answer all you questions re worm farming.

 

[PCTREE]

I want to get a soldier fly colony going next year. They are great to feed the chickens. From what ive read soldier flies make it too hot for the worms so you cannot do both in one area. Good thing with the flies is they love meat so is an easy way to turn road kill into feed !!!