Worms for Composting, Worms for Bait and Worms for Waste Processing

8/9/2019 Worms for Composting, Worms for Bait and Worms for Waste Processing

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A Publication of ATTRANational Sustainable Agriculture Information Service 1-800-346-9140 www.attra.ncat.org

ATTRANational SustainableAgriculture Information Service(www.attra.ncat.org) is managedby the National Center for Appro-priate Technology (NCAT) and isfunded under a grant from theUnited States Department of Agricultures Rural Business-Cooperative Service. Visit theNCAT website ( www.ncat.org/ sarc_current.php ) formore information onour sustainable agri-culture projects.

This publication is for entrepreneurs interested in a commercial earthworm enterprise. Informationabout vermiculture raising earthworms for bait or feed is included. Information about using theseworms, usually Eisenia fetida, to process waste into vermicompost is also included. Vermicompost isused in nurseries or the landscape industry as an ingredient in potting soil mixes and performs pestand disease control functions as a soil amendment. Production and marketing issues are covered forboth types of earthworm businesses. Whether you are raising worms for bait or using them to producevermicompost, you will need to learn how to raise earthworms. For your worm-based business, youwill have to separate earthworms from their growing environment and sell your producteither theworms or the vermicompost.

Many people use earthworms on a much smaller scale for processing their personal garbage as a meansto reduce the amount of their garbage going to the landll. This publication has information that canserve this audience as well.

Worms for Bait or WasteProcessing (Vermicomposting)

By Alice Beetz, NCATProgram Specialist 2010 NCAT

Contents

Introduction ..................... 1

Produce earthwormsor use worms forwaste processing? .......... 1

Raising worms ................. 2

Feeds and bedding ....... 4

Worm bin ecology ......... 7

Separating wormsfrom vermicompost ...... 8

Marketing wormsand vermicompost ........ 9

Economicsand budget .....................13

A word aboutpyramid schemes ......... 14

What aboutcertifying wormsor vermicompostas organic? ...................... 14

Conclusion ...................... 15

References ...................... 16

Further resources ......... 16

Appendix ......................... 19

Introduction

Before you decide to begin anearthworm venture:Read about wormsStart a worm bin of your ownIdentify marketsVisit a worm enterprise and ask

questionsDecide whether to sell the wormsor to sell the vermicompostLocate inexpensive or free sourcesof bedding and feedDevelop a business planDecide on a marketing plan

Tis might not be the proper order for yourinvestigation and research. However, eachactivity will help you determine if you should

start an earthworm enterprise. Marketing isimportant, so you must develop a plan forselling your product before you make any serious investment in this new venture.

Produce earthworms or useworms for waste processing?

he two main reasons that people grow worms are to sell them as bait or feed or touse earthworms to process waste materials

(sometimes with purchased amendments)

into vermicompost, a valuable soil amend-ment. Although the needs of the wormsmust be met in either type of system, theobjectives are different.

Raising worms for bait requires closer management than raising them to process agri-cultural or food wastes. When you chooseto sell worms for bait or as feed for sh orpoultry, you will sell off the livestock fromthe system periodically. Bait worms mustmeet a certain size standard and will need tobe separated from smaller worms and eggs

You should be consistent in your feed andbedding. You will also need to optimize

Eisenia fetida , a good composting worm of many names. Photo courtesy of Bentley Christie,RedWormComposting.com.
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Page 2 ATTRA Worms for Bait or Waste Processing (Vermicomposting)

Related ATTRAPublications

temperature, aeration, pH and moisture con-ditions to promote worm reproduction andgrowth. All of this requires consistent man-agement and attention to detail.

For a waste processing system, the goal islow-cost production. Te materials that you

process might not be ideal for feed or bed-ding, but if the source is consistent, you candesign a workable system. With skillful mar-keting, its possible to be paid tipping fees for

waste removal and be paid again by the enduser for the nal product. ipping fees arecharged to those who generate garbage forthe service of hauling it away.

Do some market research and consider whattype of worm farming system ts your sit-uation before you commit resources to set-

ting up your operation. Producing worms will require considerable attention, espe-cially at the start. If you have never manageda household worm composting system, begin with a small-scale trial and learn the basics.

Production systems Worm production takes place at scales thatrange from a bin in the kitchen for pro-cessing household scraps or raising shing

worms to large mechanized systems able toaccommodate tons of organic material on acontinuous basis. Tis publication is focusedon commercial-scale operations. In general,these production methods can be groupedinto four types:

Batch reactors (containers on legs oron the ground) are lled, allowed to work and then emptied. Tis type of processing is being tested at various

scales throughout the United States.Tese systems can be used to raise

worms or for waste processing. Stacked bins or containers are a type

of batch reactor and require con-siderable handling and lifting. Itis diffi cult to monitor bed condi-tions and to add feedstuffs. System

using stacks of large, shallow drawers reduce some of the drawbacksConsiderable labor is involved.

Windrow systems on concrete or onthe ground require the least capitalinvestment, but they are slow andlabor-intensive, even with machinery

Although windrows have been usedfor worm production, they are mostappropriate for waste processing.Continuous ow reactors are the mostexpensive of these systems. Labocosts may be less, however. Equip-ment, skilled management andexcellent marketing are necessary toensure a protable enterprise.

Continuous processing has emerged as thepreferred method for commercial produc-tion of vermicompost. he worms neverleave the bed, so tedious harvesting proce-dures are avoided entirely. Feeding, mistingand collecting the nished product can beautomated, and it is much easier to producea consistent product.

Raising wormshe kinds of worms used in commercial

systems are not the species commonly founliving in the soil. Likewise, the worms raisein these systems will not survive longliving outdoors.

he most common species raised in theUnited States is Eisenia fetida.Tey requirehigh levels of nutrients, reproduce quicklyand tolerate being raised in captivity. Teirpreferred temperature range is about 65 to80 degrees Fahrenheit.

Often called red wigglers, manure worms otiger worms, there are many common nameused to market this type of worm. Someare called hybrids; some are even called

Castings are pure worm waste. Vermicom-post includes castings, organic material andbedding in various stages of decomposition,along with living worms, eggs and otherworm bin creatures. There are not many com-mercial systems that produce pure castings. The terms castings and vermicompost areoften used interchangeably and, becausepure castings havent proved more effectivethan vermicompost, they wont be distin-guished in this publication.

Potting Mixes forCertied OrganicProduction

Alternative Soil Testing Labs

Foliar Fertilization

Notes onCompost Teas

Direct Marketing


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Page 3 ATTRA www.attra.ncat.org

nightcrawlers. rue nightcrawlers,Lubricus terrestris,are not well-adapted to commercialproduction. However, if you check the speciesof the worms you are buying, you will be ne,no matter what the seller is calling them.

When stocking a bin, start with a pound of worms for every cubic foot of bed. Tis allowsplenty of room and ensures that the worms

will be in close enough proximity to con-tinue breeding. Populations are self-adjust-ing. When conditions become crowded, larger

worms will eat less and try to avoid youngeror smaller worms. Reproduction rates thendecline and worms will try to leave the bin(Gaddie and Douglas, 1975)

As stated earlier, the emphasis is differentif you are selling worms or if you are using

worms to produce a valuable soil amend-

ment. In either case, you will need to tend tothe needs of your worms. Consider them aslivestock that have feed and housing require-ments. Worms are vulnerable to pests, butless susceptible to diseases. Care for them well to create a protable business.

Key environmental conditions for growing worms are:

High moisture percentage through-out the bedding

Continuous oxygen within thegrowing containerOptimal bedding temperatureSlightly acid pH (acidity or alkalinity)in the system

Oxygen:Oxygen is critical to the wormproduction system. Te worm needs oxy-gen, which passes through its moist skin, tolive. Te microbes that live with the wormsand help process the worm feed also needoxygen. If the bedding becomes matted or water-logged, the system will become anaer-obic (oxygen-limited). Incorporate somecoarse bedding materials that wont mat when they get wet.

Pay close attention to this critical environ-mental factor. It is diffi cult to maintain highmoisture and high oxygen conditions, butthat is what worm production requires.

Moisture:Te bedding should be very damp.In order to breathe, a worms skin must stay moist. A moisture meter will accurately mea-sure the moisture percentage in bedding.Te ideal moisture range, from 80 to 90 per-cent, is higher than is practical for maintain-ing aerobic conditions, so optimal percent-age is about 65 to 70 percent. Worms in anover-watered bed will become large, soft and

sluggish. Breeding rates decline under such waterlogged conditions. It is useful to know how bedding with the optimal amount of moisture feels. aking a handful of beddingand squeezing it should produce a few drop-lets of water between the ngers. Tis indi-cates about 70 percent moisture.

If there is not enough moisture, the wormshave trouble breathing. Other pests will alsomove into a very wet environment, especially if it becomes so wet that oxygen is limited.

Be sure that excess moisture can drain away from the production area, but be careful tocontrol such runoff, because it is consideredlivestock effl uent. Te laws designed to pre-vent livestock effl uent from contaminating

water resources apply to worm productionas well.

Excess water that drains from a wormproduction system is not the same as

Some things to know about worms:

They dont tolerate light. One hour of exposure to sunlightwill completely paralyze an earthworm and several hourswill kill it (Gaddie and Douglas, 1975).

Their skin must be kept moist so that they can breathethrough it.

Their bedding must be kept moist, but not wet.Aeration is critical to maintaining healthy worms.

If conditions in the bed dont suit them, the wormswill leave.

Once acclimated to their environment, worms can eat half their weight or more daily.

Reproduction rates slow down when worms are too crowded.

Optimal bedding temperature ranges for growth and forreproduction vary by species.


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vermicompost or worm tea. Such teas aremade by soaking vermicompost for a pre-determined period, either with or withoutamendments, often with a bubbler to main-tain aerobic conditions. eas have beenshown to provide benets similar to vermi-compost but with the advantages of liquidapplication.

emperature:Each worm species has differ-ent ranges for optimal growth and reproduc-tion. Keep the temperature of the beddingbetween 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit forall worms except tropical species. Althoughthe worms will survive relatively extremetemperatures (some will even tolerate grad-ual freezing), the goal is to maximize growthand reproduction, which is most effi cient incomfortable conditions.

Where cold temperatures are a concern,electric heating mats or cables can be usedunderneath the production area to keepthe bedding warm. You can also insulatethe production facilities with straw bales orother available materials. In areas where thesoil doesnt freeze deeply, burying the bedsbelow ground level helps protect the wormsfrom extreme temperatures, although drain-age issues must be addressed.

Increased microbial activity will raise the

temperature in the beds. Tis is helpful inkeeping beds active in colder climates, butit is a problem if the bedding or feedstock has not been pre-composted and the bedbecomes very hot. When using raw materi-als for this purpose, be sure the worms canmove away from the source of heat.

In hot climates, shade is essential to main-taining an optimal temperature range. Half-buried production facilities can be helpful inthese situations as long as there is plenty of moisture and air ow for evaporative cool-ing. Some producers have used mist systems.Remember, consistent temperatures provideconsistent results.

pH: Te pH (acidity or alkalinity) of thesystem is important, but only if conditionsrange too far from neutral or changes occurtoo rapidly. Worms can tolerate a pH rangefrom 5 to 9, which is broad, because the

difference of one number means that thelower number is 10 times more acidic thanthe next number up. Some feed and beddingmaterials will change the pH when added tothe growing area. For example, high-proteinfeeds tend to make the system more acidic,as do many vegetable wastes. Neverthelesschanges in pH are usually gradual and don

affect the worm population.Kelly Slocum, a worm production consul-tant, says that, contrary to what many havesaid, worms prefer a pH of 5, which is acidi(7 is neutral). She suggests that if you havea problem with your worm production, pHshould be the last item you evaluate. If youdecide that pH is the problem and you wantto adjust it, remember that this affects all ofthe bin residents that are adapted to the cur-rent conditions. Te whole ecology of the

bin will shift and it will take time to adjustto the new pH (Slocum, 2000).

When conditions are not within tolerablelimits, worms will be stressed. How can yotell that theres a problem?

When worms are climbing up andexiting the bin

When worms are staying low andnot coming up to feed

When worms mass together in a ballIf you see these symptoms, something is serously wrong with the worms environment.

You should immediately determine what itis and x it.

Feeds and beddingSome materials can serve as feed and bedding. Successful producers provide for theirlivestocks (worms) need for both. Both thefeed and the bedding will be consumed by

the diverse population of organisms in a worm production system and both will needto be replaced as the material is converted t worm castings.

Feeds Worms eat a wide variety of organic materi-als or, more accurately, a wide variety ofthe microbes that feed on organic materials.

Almost any plant or animal waste could

W hatsthe

best feed? The most microbe-active,diverse material that can be obtained for little or no cost.Kelly Slocum,

worm consultant


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be used as worm feed. But remember that,like other livestock, worms need vitamins,minerals, protein and carbohydrates. Feedsshould contain more carbohydrates and cel-lulose than protein.

Usually the feed has nitrogen and is balancedby the high level of carbon in the bedding. A carbon-to-nitrogen ratio of 30 parts carbon

to 1 part nitrogen is about right for a wormproduction system. oo much nitrogen cre-ates ammonia, which is toxic to worms andto many of the microbes that the productionsystem relies on. Excess carbon slows micro-bial activity and reduces overall productivity.Fat or oily materials such as soybean or sun-ower meals should be avoided because oilslows bacterial breakdown, shifting the pHtoward an acid bed.

Animal by-products, dairy products andmeat are generally avoided because they attract ies, rodents and other pests. How-ever, animal waste especially livestock manure mixed with straw or sawdust isgood for a worm business because the feedand bedding are already combined. Usegood sanitary procedures when handling raw manure to prevent the spread of infectionfrom possible pathogens in the manure.

Worms have no teeth, so it is best to usesmall feed particles. If you grind feed materi-als very nely, worms can utilize them morereadily, but be sure that there are enoughcoarse materials for bedding so that thematerials will not pack tightly and limit oxy-gen. Another way to reduce particle size is tosoak feed before adding it to the bed.

Worms have gizzards, as chickens do, andneed some kind of grit to help them reducethe size of the food particles they eat. Add-ing sand or clean garden soil periodically

will help the worms consume their feed. If the bed is tending toward a pH that is tooacidic, a small amount of agricultural lime(calcium carbonate) can serve as the grit andneutralize the living conditions. A limitednumber of egg shells will also serve this pur-pose, but watch for pest problems.

Bacteria, fungi and other soil-dwellingmicrobes also help break organic materialinto usable particle sizes. Bacteria and moldsbegin to digest organic matter very quickly.Teir activity softens and breaks down foodto further prepare it for the worms.

Scientists believe that microbes themselvesconstitute a sizable portion of the worm diet.Protozoa may in fact be the dominant nutri-ent source. However, rotifers, nematodes,bacteria and fungi as well as the decom-posing remains of plants and other animals are also eaten and probably provide some

FeedsAnimal manures (no antibiotics ordeworming medications)Cardboard, shreddedHay, either legume or grass typesWaste products and compostCommercial feeds

Wood and paper productsSewage sludgeFood scraps (avoid meat and dairy)Synthetic feedsAlmost any decaying organic material

Do not feed:Meat scraps or bones, sh, greasy oroily foods, fat, tobacco or pet or humanmanure.

Worms with vegetable scraps and paper bedding.Photo by Amy Weishuhn.


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nourishment. Tis is why worms like feedmaterials that have already started to spoil.

Monitor how quickly the feed is being pro-cessed, and dont overfeed. Producers whotop-feed either remove unused feed or waituntil visible feed has been consumed beforeadding more.

You might choose to offer a fattening ration just before harvest if your system goal is toraise worms to sell to the bait market orif you are selling some worms as breedingstock. Because maximum growth is desired,you might purchase feed formulated forthis purpose. If you would rather formulateyour own ration, a commonly used recipecontains the following ingredients, very nely ground:

5 parts chicken starter (high-proteincorn, ground)2 parts bran (wheat or rice)1 part wheat our1 part powdered milk 1 part agricultural lime3 parts alfalfa, ground

If the focus of your operation is to use wormsto process plant or animal wastes into vermi-compost, few purchased inputs are required.Look around your area for conned livestock operations, canning factories and mushroomfacilities for potential sources of waste. Gro-ceries and restaurants are other possibilitiesif vegetable matter can be separated fromanimal and other waste products. Pre-con-sumer wastes are easier to handle than post-consumer garbage.

Since landlls in many areas will not acceptorganic materials, some establishmentsmight pay you to receive their wastes. Tistipping fee is commonly charged for thedisposal of garbage. Similarly, livestock

manure is subject to legal restrictions sothat it doesnt contaminate nearby watersources. Diverting these waste streams to worm production is an opportunity for theentrepreneurial worm farmer.

Manure for feed or beddingManure is a great feed or bedding material.

ry to nd a trustworthy source of manure

that is free of antibiotics, dewormers andother chemical medications. Check for anacceptable level of urine and salts. If theproduct is consistent, and you are observantabout your system, you will not need to testit often.

A pile of fresh manure, even when mixed with straw or sawdust bedding, immediatelybegins a thermophilic (heat-producing) composting process. Bacteria cause this activityand the resulting compost is microbe-rich,but make sure the thermal composting pro-cess is done before using this manure in you worm beds.

Many vermicompost systems rely on ther-mal composting prior to feeding the organicmaterial to the worms. Pre-composting, as iis sometimes called, can disable viable seedand kill some human pathogens that may have been in the feedstock.Pre-composting takes much less time thancompletely composting the feedstock mate-rial. Since pre-composting is designed toallow some of the potential heat to dissi-pate, it is usually a short (often two weeks)but closely monitored process. Materials arecombined and the pile is built. Proper mois-ture and aeration help create an active pilethat heats to 160 degrees F for three days.Te compost is often turned and allowedto heat a second time. After this stage, thematerial can be cooled and carefully addedto a working bin.

BeddingBedding and feedstock sometimes cometogether. Manure mixed with straw is an

Testing material for use as beddingFill a small container that has aeration holeswith the prospective bedding material.Introduce a small number of worms intothe container. If the worms are sti ll there 12hours later, it is safe to use the material asbedding. If they are dead or have crawled

out of the container, further processingis needed. Leach or age the manure for alonger period and test again before usingit as bedding.


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example. Worms will process the bedding as well as the feed, so why make the distinction?

Bedding is typically a carbonaceous materialthat will break down more slowly than thefeed. It is usually a coarse material that wontpack tightly and therefore maintains air pock-ets within the growth chamber. It helps toabsorb excess moisture from feedstock as well.

Some commercial systems use peat mossas bedding, but this is an expensive, non-

renewable input that might be better used inother applications. Coconut coir, a renewableresource, has replaced peat moss in many sys-tems. Its disadvantage, from a sustainability perspective, is that it is transported longdistances. Sustainable, economic opportu-nity in worm production lies in using easily obtainable inexpensive or free materials foras many of the inputs as is possible.

Worm bin ecology

A successful worm bin is an ecosystemcontaining a wide diversity of plants (fungi,bacteria, and molds) and animals, all adaptedto similar conditions. Tere are many morespecies than just the worm that the systemis managed for. Tese critters, both micro-scopic and visible to the eye, are interdepen-dent; they all work toward breaking down andstabilizing the organic materials in a wormbin. Because worms dont have teeth and

have only rudimentary digestive uids, they depend on other creatures for help to makenutrients available. Te large, visible organ-isms reduce the size of particles in the bedso that the smaller creatures have accessto more surface area. Microorganisms usetheir own enzymes or digestive acids toprocess food for themselves, which makes

the organic material more available to worms and other critters in the system. Eachspecies has a niche. Any given organismfeeds on materials or other organisms in thebed and is likely to become food to others inthe ecosystem.

o the new producer, some of the organisms inthe worm ecosystem will be unfamiliar andmight cause concern. However, most are notdangerous to the worms and are extremely beneficial to the efficient functioning of the system. Few of them eat living plantmaterial, so they are rarely a danger to plantsthat will receive the vermicompost.

Some of the critters commonly found in vermi-culture systems are listed and described in the Appendix. Tese descriptions are very brief,serving as an introduction to the residents of the worm-producing ecosystem that you aremanaging. Learn more about each of themas you observe them in the system. If certaincritters seem to be overwhelming the system,study them, learn what conditions are causingthe increase and adjust your management tobring the system back into equilibrium.

Included in the Appendix are lists of ani-mals that might threaten worms in a pro-duction system as well as benign critters thatare potential competitors for feed.

Because this is an extremely intricate biolog-ical system, using chemicals to control any member within it will affect the others. If you use chemicals, they may persist in thebedding or castings. Later, when the mate-rial is added to the soil, it might be hazardousto the growing plants.

Diseases Worms are not generally susceptible todiseases; however, they are sensitive to condi-tions in their environment. Protein poisoning

Possible bedding materials

Shredded paper (newsprint, paperbags, cardboard, offi ce paper, butnot cross-cut shredded)

Sawdust (but not from redwoods,pine or other aromatic softwoods;test rst)

Composted animal manure (cow,horse, rabbit)

Shredded, decaying leaves

Straw

Peat moss (consider sustainabilityand cost issues)

Coconut coir (consider transportationcost and sustainability)

Becauseworms dont

have teethand have only rudimentary digestive uids,they depend onother creaturesfor help to makenutrients available.


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or sour crop will result from the accumula-tion of unused feed in the bin. When thishappens, the bed becomes acidic and gasesare released into the bedding.

Symptoms include:

Swollen or burst clitellum

Knots along the worms body

Worms that are str ingy orcrawl around aimlessly on thebeds surface

Worms that stay low in the beds andrefuse to come up to eat

Worms that turn white and die inthe bedding

An increase in the population of acid-loving worm bin residents

Separating wormsfrom vermicompostNo matter what product youre selling, sepa-rating worms from vermicompost is neces-sary. If youre selling the worms, the larger worms may be separated by one of the meth-ods below and then fed a fattening feedration to increase their size or to clear theirguts if they are being sold as feed.

You should periodically harvest to redistrib-ute worms, even if they are not being sold,in order to keep populations from becomingovercrowded. Start with a 30-day harvestinterval (after your production area is fully occupied) and adjust it according to yoursystems requirements.

Sorting systems use worms natural aversion tolight, their tendency to move upward to freshfood offered and mechanical screening devicesto separate worms from the vermicompost.

Hand sorting wormsRemoving the top 3-4 inches of beddingfrom the growing area to a sorting table is alabor-intensive way to sort worms. A stronglight is maintained in the work area so thatas layers of vermicompost are brushed away the worms are exposed and immediately bur-row into the remaining material. Te larger

worms move down faster than smaller onesso that the top layer of bedding and thesmaller worms are swept back into the growing area. Te worms are allowed to moveto the bottom again. After several sweep-ings, the remaining bedding is swept towardthe center of the table, and the worms areallowed to move to the bottom, and the top

of this pile is swept away. Finally, the large worms are hand-picked into containers with damp bedding and readied for furtherfattening or for immediate sale.

Using screens to separate wormsTe simplest method of screening wormsfrom their bedding involves shaking a box with a screen bottom. Te screen size allowsvermicompost to fall through and the worms remain in the box. When screens o

different sizes are used, the vermicomposcan be separated from the small wormsand eggs as well. Tis method has obviousdrawbacks because of size limitations andlabor requirements.

Some production systems are based on usinstacked boxes with screen bottoms. As thefeed and bedding is used in a box, anotherbox with fresh feed and bedding is placedon top of it. Worms naturally migrate awayfrom the castings-rich environment to thenext level above it. At intervals, another similar box with fresh bedding and feed is addeto the top of the stack. After the worms havmoved up, the bottom box is removed andthe vermicompost is processed for sale.

Another harvest method uses screen wirethat is placed in the bed. Again, fresh foodand bedding are placed on the screen wireto entice the worms away from the workedmaterial toward the bottom of the bed. Te

worms move up through the screening andfeed near the surface. After the worms havebeen feeding and growing above the screenfor some time, the screen is removed withthe worms in it. What remains below thescreen is mostly vermicompost ready to beprocessed for use or sale.

he worms natural inclination to moveupward and toward fresh bedding is used toharvest worms in windrow systems as well


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In fact, this is the most common way toprepare the nished vermicompost for har-vest. New bedding is placed on the top of the windrow and worms move into it. Whenmost of the worms have moved, the toplayer of the windrow is removed to start thenext one, leaving the castings behind. Somesystems place the new bedding next to the

existing windrow, forming a wedge, but theseparation of worms from vermicompost isless complete.

Mechanical screen trommel Mechanical screening can be used for sep-arating worms from vermicompost in any of the production systems. A slanted cylin-drical harvesting machine, called a trom-mel, is commonly used in large-scale com-mercial operations. A motor turns a cylinder

that is made of progressively larger screens.Te material from the beds is fed into theraised end. As it moves downward, differentsizes of screens allow the vermicompost, thesmall worms and eggs and nally the larger

worms to fall into separate areas. Te eggsand small worms are returned to fresh bed-ding. If only large worms are wanted, only two screen sizes are necessary.

Continuous processing A continuous bed processor is a long,raised growing area. New bedding and feedare added at the top. Feed and moisture,

when needed, are applied along the entirelength of the bed, sometimes with an over-head conveyor belt system and mist sys-tem. Finished vermicompost is harvested

from the bottom using a bardragged along the screeningthat is the floor of the bin.Tis movement separates thebedding material from thebottom of the bed and ver-micompost falls to a concreteoor where it is collected for

use. It may be allowed to dry before collection.

Oregon Soil Corporation inOregon City, Ore., began usinga continuous reactor process in1988. Many adaptations havebeen built to suit a given sys-tem and plans are availablefrom several vendors. Largeamounts of vermicompost can be produced

without ever having to stop to separate

the worms.Tis type of system requires a capital invest-ment on the front end. Savings in laborexpense for harvesting and handling might justify such an investment.

Handling the worms Whatever method is chosen to separate worms from vermicompost, consider the worms needs during the process. Te worms will die if exposed to light or very dry con-ditions for too long. Wear damp gloves tohandle the worms and move the worms that

will stay in your system to fresh bedding assoon as possible. Worms that will be shippedshould be quickly weighed and placed intothe damp medium they will be shipped in.

Marketing worms andvermicompostMarketing your product is an area to address

long before you actually have anything tosell. It doesnt matter if you will be selling worms or vermicompost, you must havea buyer if you are going to make money.

Where will you sell your product? Will yousell wholesale or retail? Who are your cus-tomers in each case? Approach and begin toeducate potential buyers as you develop therest of the business. As your market grows,you can increase production as well.

VermiCo Electric Worm Harvester, plans available.Photo courtesy of Peter Bogdanov, www.vermico.com.

Continuous bed processor. Photo courtesy of www.sonomavalleyworms.com.


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he worm market, though stable, is notgrowing much. Te vermicompost market ismore likely to grow because of these trends:

Increased interest and understandingabout recycling Awareness about sustainable systemsLaws banning organic materials

from landllsExpansion of the market for organicfarming productsIncreased awareness in the gen-eral public about vermicomposting(Quillian, 1998)

Rhonda Sherman at North Carolina StateUniversity published a list of potentialmarkets for worms and vermicompost.Find it on her comprehensive website at www.bae.ncsu.edu/topic/vermicomposting/ vermiculture/markets.html.

Selling wormsTe main markets for worms are:

As baitFor feedFor household food waste processing

Approach local bait stores and ask if they would be interested in buying directly froma local grower rather than a distant seller. When you are in production, provide samples

for their consideration. Once youve made asale, you must provide continuing good ser-vice and produce a quality product to cul-tivate a customer that will buy from yourepeatedly.

Vending machines that dispense bait are arelatively new development. An excellenlocation and conscientious servicing canmake this option worthwhile.Besides face-to-face sales, the Internet provides another direct sales channel. Createa website that details your products andservices. Because most of your customer

will be remote, your presentation will bein competition with all other worm out-lets on the Internet. Learn the strategiesfor increasing your websites exposure

You will also have to decide how you wil

ship your product and set up a securepayment system.

Pet stores buy worms as feed for some otheir animals. Tey will probably want tobuy live worms. Likewise, pet owners arepotential customers.

Alternatively, worms can be dried and madinto a meal to be used as feed. Tis wormmeal is easier to transport and store than liv worms. Producing meal requires further processing. Can you get a price that justies thextra expense? Packaging and labeling musalso be considered.

Although selling worms to businesses andmunicipalities that are beginning to procestheir organic wastes by vermicomposting ia possibility, this is not a large or recurringmarket. A 2003 scam claimed to be sup-plying worms for start-up municipal ver-micomposting operations. Even if this hadbeen true, it is unlikely that a huge supply

of worms would have been required. Eachnew facility would most likely make oneinitial purchase of worms and then main-tain a working population without need forfurther purchases.

Selling to individuals and families who want to use worms to process their waste isanother opportunity. However, this is usu-ally a one-time, relatively small sale. You wWorms for the bait market. Photo by Amy Weishuhn.


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need many customers of this type to gener-ate signicant worm sales.

Packaging and shipping wormsDepending on where you will be sellingyour worms, you will need individual con-tainers or bulk containers for packaging andshipping. If your market is local bait shops,you will probably count or weigh and cupthe worms yourself. You or an employee willdeliver and provide service to your custom-ers. However, if your market is farther away,packaging and shipping require a differenttype of system.

Ship worms as quickly as possible after har-vest and be sure to maintain optimal condi-tions for their survival. Peter Bogdanov, inhis excellent book Commercial Vermiculture:

How to Build a Triving Business in Red-worms,recommends sphagnum peat mossas a shipping medium. Te bedding shouldbe damp and air must be available. Bogda-nov has determined that, for his operation,

waxed cardboard containers are best for asmall to medium amount of worms. Otherauthors have described many types of con-tainers, including plastic foam, wax-coatedpaper and rigid plastic. Breathable paper orcloth bags are also used for bulk shipping.

Choose a shipping company according toaccessibility and services offered. Since

worms will not survive extreme tempera-tures, plan for their protection. Label thecontainer so people handling them in tran-sit can safeguard the contents. Live earth-worms and Perishable and Do not expose toextreme temperatures are suggested. Pre-cooling the shipping medium and worms to68-72 degrees F results in lower fatalities inhot weather, according to Roy and Dianne

Fewell in As the Worm urns (Fewell andFewell, 2007).

Bogdanov recommends doing practice runsby shipping to friends or relatives to makesure your containers, shipping materialand methods will succeed in delivering the

worms in good condition. Your rst cus-tomers will appreciate the results, and youmay save the expense of having to repeat

orders because you had not perfected yourshipping system.

Selling castings or vermicompost Vermicompost is a high-quality soil amend-ment that has been shown to offer growthand yield advantages as well as resistanceto plant pests and diseases. Likewise,vermicompost tea has been recognized asa provider of considerable benets in plantproduction systems when it is used as asoil drench or a foliar spray. However, thegeneral public and even many businessesthat would clearly benet from its use areoften unaware of the advantages of usingvermicompost. Do not assume that if youhave it, people will buy it.

Plan to educate your customers and developa market as you generate the product. Spend-ing time and resources with nurseries, land-scapers and garden supply store managerscould be well worth your time. Other poten-tial buyers of bulk vermicompost mightinclude organic farmers or turf farms, as wellas golf course and sports eld managers.

You may even want to conduct trials com-paring your product with whatever is cur-rently being used. Perhaps you can help cli-ents set up a trial at their place of business.Remember, once you secure the business of

a customer that requires large volumes of materials repeatedly and you can deliver aconsistent product, you will be on your way.

Some buyers will want to buy small amountsfor gardens and others will buy by the truck load. Tese are issues you must evaluate dur-ing your market research. You will need todecide how to sell your product. Who is yourtarget market? Will you need to package or

The effects of vermicompost and vermicompost teas in plant productionsystems are being studied at several universities. Although vermicompostdoesnt test high in nitrogen, phosphorus or potassium, it does containsignicant micronutrients. Biological activity is very high, and evidenceof plant growth hormones has accumulated. Disease suppression, pestresistance, better growth and higher yields have been documented andare under investigation.

For more information about the research into these qualities especiallyif you need it for promoting your product please contact ATTRA at1-800-346-9140 or www.attra.ncat.org.
http://www.attra.ncat.org/http://www.attra.ncat.org/http://www.attra.ncat.org/http://www.attra.ncat.org/http://www.attra.ncat.org/


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further process the product? If you packagethe vermicompost, you will likely have tocreate a legal label; this can be a challenge initself. Consult with your state Departmentof Agriculture for applicable regulations.

Remember that your vermicompost prod-uct must be consistently available and be of dependable quality. Tese attributes are key to return business

How to ensure consistent quality vermicompost

he nutrient content of vermicompost isextremely variable. Although you will seeanalyses for various manures or vermicom-posts, the actual content depends on twomain factors:

Te feedstock and beddingTe environmental conditions under which it is produced

Feedstock and bedding are the two majorinputs. Te nutrient analysis of the vermi-compost will reect these materials. Cat-tle manure with straw produces a differ-ent product from chicken litter with woodshavings. Te relative amount of nitrogenand carbon will also affect the compositionof the biological community inhabiting thenal product (Slocum, 2000).

In addition to the nutrient content, the

material fed or used as bedding can poten-tially contain substances toxic to plants orhumans. If landscape waste materials areincluded, be sure they dont contain persis-tent pesticide residues. Livestock waste cancontain residues from medications or feedadditives. Know your inputs.

Seeds in the feedstock provide an addi-tional challenge. Be sure that no viable seeds

make it through the worms, or your productmight cause weed problems for customers.Such a mistake is not easily xed, especiall

when you have lost your customers trust.Pre-composting the feedstock and beddingmaterials, if they contain seeds, can preventsuch problems.

Be very careful with any input that mightcontain human pathogens that might sur-vive worm processing. Develop a systemto handle such resources by isolating themfrom contact with the nished product,maintaining aerobic production conditionsand separately pre-composting them in athermal system to ensure that they are safeto use. Tis is serious business and yourliability here is absolute.

he second factor that affects the finalproduct is the environmental conditions in the

worm bins. emperature, moisture and pHall determine which organisms thrive and

which do not. If these conditions are keptconstant, the microorganism community

will also remain relatively steady. In a simila way, the microbes that live in the worm gutprocessing the organic matter adapt to

whatever conditions they are subjected to.Continually changing these conditionsreduces the efficiency of your productionsystem and affects the uniformity of the namerchandise (Slocum, 2000).Te length of time the material is in the bedaffects the nal product. If the temperature isnot optimal or other environmental conditionsare not ideal, worms will take longer to procesthe same materials. If conditions are not stablemonitor them and adjust your procedures toensure the reliability of your product.

Your product will be consistent if your pro-duction system uses known materials in

unvarying proportions. Monitor environ-mental conditions and establish routines sothat you do not have to test often to be con-dent that your product doesnt vary in con-tent or quality.

Check with your local Cooperative ExtensionService about testing the macronutrients andmicronutrient content of your product. Manystates provide this service. Labs that speciali

Reasons that current demand for vermicompost is low:Lack of consistent supplyLack of large producersUneducated consumersLack of tests for content and qualityLack of eld-tested researchLack of research in commercial settings (Quillian, 1998)


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in testing the biological components of com-post or vermicompost are a little harderto nd. Consult A RAs Alternative Soil

esting Laboratories for a list.

When you bag your product to sell, the label will probably be regulated by law. Check with your state Department of Agriculturefor information on what is required.

Economics and budgethis publication is about raising worms

as a commercial venture. Te focus of theoperation might be on using animal or food wastes to produce a valuable soil amendmentor on producing worms for the bait worm oranimal feed markets. In any case, the goal isto make the venture pay. As was stated ear-lier, if bait worms are the product, inputsmight cost more and management must beattentive in order to produce a larger, mar-ketable worm. Vermicomposting is often lessdemanding, and the inputs should be inex-pensive or free.

Protability depends on the price receivedfor the final product minus the costs of inputs, labor and capital expenses. Tese willvary for every business situation. Terefore,it is essential that you research and build abusiness plan. Business plans will go a long

way toward ensuring a protable businesslater on and can be instrumental in securingstart-up funds.

Here are some tools to help with evaluatingyour potential new enterprise:

USDA Risk Management Agency http://farm-risk-plans.usda.gov Building a Sustainable Business:

A Guide to Developing a BusinessPlan for Farms and Rural Businesseswww.sare.org/publications/business/ business.pdf Starting an Ag Business?

A Pre-Planning Guidehttp://agviability.cornell.edu/pdf/ Pre-businessPlanWorkbook.pdf Cornell has developed many other business planning tools.www.nybeginningfarmers.org/index. php?page=plan

Te records you have kept on your small-scale learning experiments will serve you wellas you put together your own business plan.

You should have already found and testedmaterials that can serve as bedding and feed-stock. You will have learned how much feedthe worms need and decided on the type of system to raise your worms.

It is time to build your budget. It shouldinclude at least these items. Make your esti-mates as realistic as possible.

Budget

Price/unit Quantity Amount Your estimate

ReceiptsWorm or vermi-compost sales

Other sales

Tipping fees

Total receipts

Variable costs

Feed

Bedding

Labor to feed

Harvest labor

Packaging

Advertising

Cost to operatethe system

Other var. costs

Total var. costs

Fixed costsInitial investments

Equipment

Building

Other xed costs

Total xed costs

Source: http://agalternatives.aers.psu.edu/Publications/earthworm.pdf
http://www.attra.ncat.org/http://farm-risk-plans.usda.gov/http://www.sare.org/publications/business/business.pdfhttp://www.sare.org/publications/business/business.pdfhttp://agviability.cornell.edu/pdf/Pre-businessPlanWorkbook.pdfhttp://agviability.cornell.edu/pdf/Pre-businessPlanWorkbook.pdfhttp://www.nybeginningfarmers.org/index.php?page=planhttp://www.nybeginningfarmers.org/index.php?page=planhttp://agalternatives.aers.psu.edu/Publications/earthworm.pdfhttp://agalternatives.aers.psu.edu/Publications/earthworm.pdfhttp://www.nybeginningfarmers.org/index.php?page=planhttp://www.nybeginningfarmers.org/index.php?page=planhttp://agviability.cornell.edu/pdf/Pre-businessPlanWorkbook.pdfhttp://agviability.cornell.edu/pdf/Pre-businessPlanWorkbook.pdfhttp://www.sare.org/publications/business/business.pdfhttp://www.sare.org/publications/business/business.pdfhttp://farm-risk-plans.usda.gov/http://www.attra.ncat.org/


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Your business plan and budget estimatesserve at least two functions:

1. o evaluate your potential for developinga viable business

2. o convince a bank or other lending pros-pect that you are serious and have doneyour homework.

Continuing to keep nancial records, andtaking the time to analyze them, are keys tobuilding and maintaining a protable busi-ness. If you assume that there are alwaysplaces that you can improve your effi ciency or reduce your costs, and search them out, it will prevent unwelcome nancial surprises.

A word aboutpyramid schemesFor some reason, the worm business hasrepeatedly been plagued by dishonest schem-ers. Te promoters use a pyramid scheme.Tey sell the initial batch of worms withthe promise of buying back all of the wormproduction at guaranteed high buy-back prices. Often, exaggerated claims are madeabout how quickly the worms will repro-duce. In reality, all the worms are being soldto others to begin their production systems.

A worm scam promoted during 2002-03fooled many honest people across the UnitedStates. Many of the people who got into pro-duction enjoyed raising the worms, but whenit came time to sell them, the promised market

was not there. Homes and pensions were lost.Te perpetrators were not brought to justice.

If approached with such a business proposal,be wary. If it sounds too good to be true, itmight be. Ask a prospective company for ref-erences of satised clients who have been inbusiness with the company for several years.

alk with those producers. Do not be rushedinto something that you may later regret.

Te Federal rade Commission maintainsa website with information for prospectivebusiness or franchise buyers. Here is advice

worth heeding to protect yourself in themarketplace: www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/con-sumer/invest/inv07.shtm.

What about certifying wormsor vermicompost as organic?Recently interest has been high in every-thing organic. Here are a few thoughtsabout so-called organic vermicompost and worm production.

Te use of the word organic is controlled by afederal law. For more information about thelaw and its application to organic produc-tion, see A RAs publication Organic FarmCertication and the National Organic Prog

Organic vermicompost Organic certication is restricted to agri-cultural products such as food and livestockfeed. One could argue that vermicompost issuch a product and get it certied. Howeverthere is no need to do so. Vermicompost canbe used as it is in organic production just likecompost can be used without being certiedorganic. Te main stipulation is that no pro-hibited materials be used in its production neither as feed nor as bedding. reated

wood chips or sawdust from treated woodare examples of materials that would not beallowed if the vermicompost were going tobe used in a certied organic production sys-tem. Carefully examine commercial wormfeed formulations, if used, to be sure that theycontain no prohibited materials.It is unlikely that there is a market of any size for organic certified vermicompostIf there were, it would probably benon-commercial gardeners who want to beelite-green. Be sure that you have identiedcustomers who will pay a premium price tha will cover the cost of certifying your producand maintaining its certication before pur-suing this option.

In order to promote their products to organicproducers, manufacturers often seek OMRIlisting. OMRI (Organic Materials ReviewInstitute) reviews commercial products todetermine if they comply with NationalOrganic Standard requirements. Several products with vermicompost have gone throughthe exacting procedure required to obtainOMRI listing. You can learn more about howto qualify by visitingwww.omri.org.

Continuingto keep

nancial records, and takingthe time to analyzethem, are keys tobuilding and maintaining a protable business.
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/invest/inv07.shtmhttp://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/invest/inv07.shtmhttp://www.omri.org/http://www.omri.org/http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/invest/inv07.shtmhttp://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/invest/inv07.shtm


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feed ration in a separate certied organiclivestock system. In the case of chickens,

worms have been considered as an organicsource of the amino acid methionine. Teamount of worm meal or fresh wormsrequired would probably be small enoughto be considered a supplement. If used as asupplement, the worms or worm meal would

not have to be certied organic as long as noprohibited materials were used to raise the worms. Tis is, again, an area in which theperson who certies that livestock system would have authority to interpret the law.

Conclusion Worms can be used to process animal wastethat was considered a potential environ-mental problem. Worms can process foodgarbage that would have gone to a land-

ll. Tese are worthy services. Many wormgrowers report that working with worms is asatisfying activity. What if you could makeit a protable business?

Realistic planning will reduce the risks thataccompany such a venture. Raise wormson a small scale rst. Create business andmarketing plans based on your experienceand thorough research. Always rememberthat you will have to sell your product tocreate a commercial enterprise. Concen-

trate on combining the satisfaction of rais-ing worms in a sustainable system with aprotable business model.

Steps toward developing a national vermicompost market(ideally some of these would be accomplished by a producers association)

1. Consolidate existing research results and knowledge into a useful form.

2. Field test vermicompost in a commercial setting. Producers must:

Work with growers associations and university agriculture departments to fund and/or conduct eld research

Work with Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) and organic farming groups to doon-farm research

3. Develop a program for testing and quality assurance (pH, organic matter, moisture, biological activity)

4. Make marketing a signicant part of the business plan and budget. This includes targeted market research,educational materials, package design, trade shows, and promotional events (Quillan, 1998).

Organic worms Just as in the case of vermicompost, it is dif-cult to imagine the market for certiedorganic worms. What would they be usedfor? Would potential buyers pay a premiumfor organic worms?

If worms were the major feed ingredient for

some other animal that is being raised ina certied organic production system, thenthe worm production system might alsohave to be certied. Tis is a grey area on

which the National Organic Program hasnot set standards. Offi cial ly, if you apply the federal Rule, feed formulas for certi-ed organic livestock production cannotcontain manure Tis might be applied to worms, but possibly only if the worms werefor direct human consumption.

If manure were not allowed, organic wormscould be fed a ration of certied organicgrains, though that would be very expen-sive. Is there a market that would bearthis cost? Another option would be to feed

wastes from an organic food processor. Teproduction waste from, for instance, organicbaby food might become the main input foran organic worm ranch. Your certicationagency would be the one to interpret andapply the federal law to all aspects of yourproduction system.

It is much more likely that worms would beused as a relatively small proportion of the


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Fewell, Roy and Dianne Fewell. 2007. As the Wormurns: New and Easy Methods for Raising Earth-

worms. Shields Publications, PO Box 669, Eagle River, WI 54521. p. 43.

Gaddie, Ronald E., Sr. and Donald E. Douglas. 1975.Earthworms for Ecology & Prot. Volume I: ScienticEarthworm Farming. Bookworm Publishing Co., POBox 3037, Ontario, CA 91761. p. 59.

Quillian, Mike. 1998. Earthworm castingsthe key to unleashing the vermiculture market. Worm Digest. August. p. 13, 25, 27, 29-30.

Slocum, Kelly. 2000. Going Sour on Lime. Worm Digest. No.24. p. 20.

Further resourcesInclusion in this list is not an endorsement nor isexclusion meaningful.

Web resourcesIf you have access to the Internet, there are many websites with information about worm farming.Many resources for the producer, including books,breeding stock and equipment, can be located by visiting the sites listed below. Many include linksto other sites of interest. Under the Website sectionbelow, there is a list of websites that offer informa-tion or products of interest for those raising worms.

Web addresses frequently change, but a search of worm farm or worm production will locatethese and many other sites.

Manuals related tovermiculture/vermicompostingSherman, Rhonda. 2003. Raising Earthworms Suc-cessfully. EBAE 103-83. North Carolina CooperativeExtension Service, Raleigh, NC. 26 p.www.bae.ncsu.edu/topic/vermicomposting/pubs/earthworms.pdf

Mason, William ., Jr., Roger W. Rottmann, and JohnF. Dequine. 1992. Culture of Earthworms for Bait orFish Food. Circular 1053. University of Florida IFASExtension.http://edis.ifas.u.edu/FA016 Munroe, Glenn. N.d. Manual of On-Farm Vermicom-posting and Vermiculture. Organic Agriculture Centreof Canada. 52 p. www.oacc.info/DOCs/Vermiculture_FarmersManual_gm.pdf

Ferris, Amanda, Mark Jackson and Angus Campbell.2002. Best Practice Guideline to Managing On-siteVermiculture echnologies. Recycled Organics Unit,University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. 106 pwww.recycledorganics.com/publications/reports/ vermiculturebpg/vbpg.htm Tis publication provides an easy-to-read account oto establish and manage an on-site, mid-scale verm

ture unit for the commercial and industrial sector. guide includes practical information on developmincluding feedstock preparation, monitoring, mainnance procedures and use of the vermicompost.

General worm farming Worm Powerwww.wormpower.net

A vermicomposting business site. om Herlihy, thauthor, has a lot of videos and information about tactual process as well as who uses the material an

Sonoma Valley Worm Farmwww.sonomavalleyworms.com

Experienced producer Jack Chambers uses a conti processing unit. He also sells vermicompost to vinand others.

Rhonda L. Shermans home pagewww.bae.ncsu.edu/people/faculty/sherman/index.ht

Sherman is an Extension specialist with vermicultvermicompost expertise. She hosts an annual wormconference in early summer. Scroll down to the vecomposting link for access to many resources.

California Vermiculture LLC George Hahnwww.wormgold.com

Worm farms in several states produce consistent branded products, complete with testimonials.

Worms Wranglerhttp://wormswrangler.com

Tis site contains many useful articles related toworm production.

Happy D Ranchwww.happydranch.com/index.html Commercial site offering worms, bins, books, arti

on home- and farm-scale vermicomposting. Speci for teachers.

References
http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/topic/vermicomposting/pubs/earthworms.pdfhttp://www.bae.ncsu.edu/topic/vermicomposting/pubs/earthworms.pdfhttp://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fa016http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fa016http://www.oacc.info/DOCs/Vermiculture_FarmersManual_gm.pdfhttp://www.oacc.info/DOCs/Vermiculture_FarmersManual_gm.pdfhttp://www.oacc.info/DOCs/Vermiculture_FarmersManual_gm.pdfhttp://www.recycledorganics.com/publications/reports/vermiculturebpg/vbpg.htmhttp://www.recycledorganics.com/publications/reports/vermiculturebpg/vbpg.htmhttp://www.wormpower.net/http://www.sonomavalleyworms.com/http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/people/faculty/sherman/index.htmlhttp://www.wormgold.com/http://wormswrangler.com/http://www.happydranch.com/index.htmlhttp://www.happydranch.com/index.htmlhttp://wormswrangler.com/http://www.wormgold.com/http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/people/faculty/sherman/index.htmlhttp://www.sonomavalleyworms.com/http://www.wormpower.net/http://www.recycledorganics.com/publications/reports/vermiculturebpg/vbpg.htmhttp://www.recycledorganics.com/publications/reports/vermiculturebpg/vbpg.htmhttp://www.oacc.info/DOCs/Vermiculture_FarmersManual_gm.pdfhttp://www.oacc.info/DOCs/Vermiculture_FarmersManual_gm.pdfhttp://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fa016http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/topic/vermicomposting/pubs/earthworms.pdfhttp://www.bae.ncsu.edu/topic/vermicomposting/pubs/earthworms.pdf


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Vermi echnology Unlimitedwww.vermitechnology.com Florida worm farmer Larry Martin has lots of

experience setting up systems in several locations. He offers organically certied castings (not vermicompost) products, worms and books.

rinity Ranchhttp://mypeoplepc.com/members/arbra/trinity/id14.html

Tis website has a wealth of information about worms and vermicomposting. Tey sell worms, equipment and books.

Flowereld Enterprises, Mary Apelhofs sitewww.wormwoman.com/acatalog/index.html

Emphasis on using worms for education. Also provides worm composting and compost tea products and infor-mation including books, videos, worms, worm bins and other vermicomposting resources.

Unco Industrieswww.vermiculture.com/uncosystem.html

Offers a worm growing system, complete with equipment and training.

Bentley Christies worm sitewww.redwormcomposting.com

A very active hobby worm grower experimenting withworms and gardens.

Worm species photo album

Amy Weishuhns Worm photo albumhttp://community.webshots.com/album/93031731AZXEzc

Photos of many worm species.

Commercial worm equipment sourcesOregon Soil Corporationwww.oregonsoil.com

Experienced in vermicomposting, offers commercial and residential scale equipment and consultation services.

VermiCo, Peter Bogdanovs sitewww.vermico.com Tis site has an emphasis on business and marketing. It

offers blueprints for building a continuous harvest worm production system as well as tools to monitor productionbeds. Items for sale include a rotating screen harvester (electric and gas models) and plans to build a harvester,as well as compost tea brewers and applicators.

Worm World Inc. and Brian Paleys Te Burrowwww.jetcompost.com/burrow/index.html Worm harvesters for sale and a lot of older material

on vermicomposting.

Vermitech.comwww.vermitech.com/home.htm Tis site has a clear description, photos and schema

the continuous processing system the company off

Books on vermiculture & vermicomposting Appelhof, Mary. 1997. Worms Eat My Garbage.Flowereld Enterprises, 10332 Shaver Rd,. KalamazooMI 49024. 162 p.Barrett, Tomas J. 1942. Harnessing the Earthworm.Shields Publications, Eagle River, WI. 166 p.

Bogdanov, Peter. 1996. Commercial Vermiculture:How to Build a Triving Business in Redworms.VermiCo, PO Box 1134, Merlin, OR 97532. 83p.

Edwards, C.A. and P.J. Bohlen. 1996. Biology andEcology of Earthworms (3rd ed.). Chapman & Hall,London. 426 p.

Edwards, Clive, Norman Arancon, and RhondaSherman (eds.). 2010. Vermiculture echnology:Earthworms, Organic Wastes, and EnvironmentalManagement. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.

Fewell, Roy and Dianne. 1998. As the Worm urns:New and Easy Methods for Raising Earthworms.Shields Publications, PO Box 669, Eagle River, WI54521. 56 p.

Gaddie, Ronald E., Sr., and Donald E. Douglas. 1975.Earthworms for Ecology & Prot. Volume I: ScienticEarthworm Farming. Bookworm Publishing Co., POBox 3037, Ontario, CA 91761. 180 p.

Gershuny, Grace. 2004. Compost, Vermicompost andCompost ea: Feeding the Soil on the Organic Farm. A Project of the Northeast Organic Farming Associa-tion. Highland Press, Athol, MA. 90 p.

Minnich, Jerry. 1977. Te Earthworm Book: How toRaise and Use Earthworms for Your Farm and Garden.Rodale Press, Emmaus, PA. 372 p.

Morgan, Charlie. (1975-revised). Protable Earthworm

Farming. Published by Shields Publications, P.O. Box669, Eagle River, WI 54521. 95 p. Other titles by Morgan include:

Earthworm Selling and Shipping Guide (82 p.)Earthworm Feeds and Feeding (90 p.)Te Worm Farm (70 p.)How to Raise, Store and Sell Nightcrawlers (40 p.)Raising the African Nightcrawler or ropical Giant (Terapeutic Medications & Pesticides for WormGrowers (100 p.)
http://www.attra.ncat.org/https://www.vermitechnology.com/http://mypeoplepc.com/members/arbra/trinity/id14.htmlhttp://www.wormwoman.com/acatalog/index.htmlhttp://www.vermiculture.com/uncosystem.htmlhttp://www.redwormcomposting.com/http://community.webshots.com/album/93031731AZXEzchttp://www.oregonsoil.com/http://www.vermico.com/http://www.jetcompost.com/burrow/index.htmlhttp://www.vermitech.com/home.htmhttp://www.vermitech.com/home.htmhttp://www.jetcompost.com/burrow/index.htmlhttp://www.vermico.com/http://www.oregonsoil.com/http://community.webshots.com/album/93031731AZXEzchttp://www.redwormcomposting.com/http://www.vermiculture.com/uncosystem.htmlhttp://www.wormwoman.com/acatalog/index.htmlhttp://mypeoplepc.com/members/arbra/trinity/id14.htmlhttps://www.vermitechnology.com/http://www.attra.ncat.org/


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Payne, Binet. 1999. Te Worm Caf: Mid-ScaleVermicomposting of Lunchroom Wastes. Flower Press,Kalamazoo, MI. 180 p.

Shields, Earl. (1994-revised). Raising Earthworms forProt. Shields Publications, P.O. Box 669, Eagle River, WI 54521. 128 p.

Sellers of worm booksNote that many vermicomposting sites also sell books.Shields Publications offers many practical books aboutraising worms. www.wormbooks.com/index.htm

Publisher of many practical books about raising worms, including a current buyers guide. Small books at reasonable prices.

New York Books Earthworm bookswww.nyworms.com/books.htm

Annotated list of practical worm farming books.

Rhonda Shermans list of worm farming books andbook vendorswww.bae.ncsu.edu/topic/vermicomposting/ vermiculture/booklist.html

Worm periodicalsVermiCoPO Box 1134Merlin, OR 97532(541) 476-9626www.vermico.comwww.vermico.com/newsletter1.htmPublishes: Casting CallSix bimonthly issues for $18e-subscription for $10

Back issues available individually and in volumes;also electronically.

Te JG Press, Inc.419 State AvenueEmmaus PA, 18049(610) 967-4135, ext.22www.jgpress.com/biocycle.htm

Publishes: BioCycle: Advancing Composting, Organics Recycling, and Renewable Energy . Monthly annual subscription for $74.

Worm Digestwww.wormdigest.org

Tis site has been recongured and is under different management from the original, very useful website and periodical. Te Worm Digest that contained practical,hands-on articles and news relevant to worm producers is no longer being published. However, some of the old

materials are available for purchase on this site. T periodical has not been evaluated, so no opinion is

Budget and economicsBuilding a Sustainable Business: A Guide to Developinga Business Plan for Farms and Rural Businesses. www.sare.org/publications/business/business.pdf

Doherty, Brigid A., and John C. McKissick. 2000.Market Opportunities for Biosolid-Based Vermiculturein Georgia. Center Special Report No. 9. Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development, Te University of Georgia. www.agecon.uga.edu/~caed/Pubs/ vermiculture.html

Warco, Dan. 2002. Shipping and Handling Included. Worm Digest. No. 29. p. 7.

Budgets for building a traditional on-the-ground bedabout 12 X 3. http://agalternatives.aers.psu.edu/

Publications/earthworm.pdf Also a sample budget with production estimates.

Marketing resources Anon. N.d. Earthworm Buyers Guide & Directory 2008-09. Shields Publications, P.O. Box 669, EagleRiver, WI 54521. www.wormbooks.com

Bogdanov, Peter. 1996. Commercial Vermiculture:How to Build a Triving Business in Redworms.VermiCo, PO Box 1134, Merlin, OR 97532. 83p.

Quillian, Mike. 1998. Earthworm castingsthe key to unleashing the vermiculture market. Worm Digest. August. p. 13, 25, 27, 29-30.

Research review articlesTree review articles in popular press:

Arancon, Norman Q., Clive A. Edwards, RichardDick, and Linda Dick. Vermicompost tea productionand plant growth impacts. BioCycle. November 2007.p. 51-52.

Edwards, Clive A., Norman Q. Arancon, Eric Emerson,and Ryan Pulliam. 2007. Suppressing plant parasiticnematodes and arthropod pests with vermicompost teas.BioCycle. December. p. 38-39.

2007 Literature Review of Worms in WasteManagement, Vols. 1 and 2. Recycled Organics Unit,University of New South Wales (Australia).www.recycledorganics.com/publications/reports/ vermlitreview/vermlitreview.htm
http://www.wormbooks.com/index.htmhttp://www.wormbooks.com/index.htmhttp://www.nyworms.com/books.htmhttp://www.bae.ncsu.edu/topic/vermicomposting/vermiculture/booklist.htmlhttp://www.vermico.com/http://www.vermico.com/newsletter1.htmhttp://www.jgpress.com/biocycle.htmhttp://www.wormdigest.org/http://www.sare.org/publications/business/business.pdfhttp://www.agecon.uga.edu/~caed/Pubs/vermiculture.htmlhttp://www.agecon.uga.edu/~caed/Pubs/vermiculture.htmlhttp://agalternatives.aers.psu.edu/Publications/earthworm.pdfhttp://agalternatives.aers.psu.edu/Publications/earthworm.pdfhttp://agalternatives.aers.psu.edu/Publications/earthworm.pdfhttp://www.wormbooks.com/http://www.recycledorganics.com/publications/reports/vermlitreview/vermlitreview.htmhttp://www.recycledorganics.com/publications/reports/vermlitreview/vermlitreview.htmhttp://www.recycledorganics.com/publications/reports/vermlitreview/vermlitreview.htmhttp://www.recycledorganics.com/publications/reports/vermlitreview/vermlitreview.htmhttp://www.wormbooks.com/http://agalternatives.aers.psu.edu/Publications/earthworm.pdfhttp://agalternatives.aers.psu.edu/Publications/earthworm.pdfhttp://www.agecon.uga.edu/~caed/Pubs/vermiculture.htmlhttp://www.agecon.uga.edu/~caed/Pubs/vermiculture.htmlhttp://www.sare.org/publications/business/business.pdfhttp://www.wormdigest.org/http://www.jgpress.com/biocycle.htmhttp://www.vermico.com/newsletter1.htmhttp://www.vermico.com/http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/topic/vermicomposting/vermiculture/booklist.htmlhttp://www.nyworms.com/books.htmhttp://www.wormbooks.com/index.htm


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Worms for Bait or Waste Processing (Vermicomposting)By Alice BeetzNCAT Program Specialist 2010 NCAT

Holly Michels, EditorAmy Smith, Production

This publication is available on the Web at:www.attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/vermicomp.html orwww.attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/vermicomp.pdf

IP110Slot 28Version 052710

Pot worms, EnchytaeidaeOften show up in healthy worm bins; not usually aproblem. Description: iny white segmented worms.Protozoa Microscopic animals that eat bacteria and are, in turn,eaten by worms.

Pseudoscropion

Tis is a predator, but is not a problem in worm bins.Slugs, Stylommatophora Usually not a problem in worm bins, because they willhelp to break down organic matter. A few carnivorousspecies of slugs exist, but even when present, they usu-ally dont eat many worms.

Soldier y larvae, Diptera Tese are voracious decomposers, but often consideredunpleasant in the worm bin. No need to control themunless the worms show signs of stress. Tey can beremoved by scooping them out of the beds.Description: One-half inch to an inch long, segmented cylindricalbody with coloring that darkens from orange to black at the front end to dirty white or grey toward the back.

Sowbugs and pill bugs, Isopoda Tese are crustaceans that feed on woody materialresistant to attack by other worm residents. However,since they eat living or dead plant material, they can bea problem if they are transferred to plant productionareas along with the vermicompost.Description:Lightbrown to dark grey with segmented shell. Seven pairs of legs and antennae.

Springtails, Colembola spp.Usually very common in worm bins, but not a problem,even at high populations. Tey eat fungi. Tey can beso numerous as to turn the surface of a bed white. If

worms are not coming to the surface to feed, pay atten-tion to good water management and sanitary feed prac-tices.Description:Some are dark brown with the abilityto jump; others are tiny and range from white to brownin color. Body has three distinct segments, four pairs oflegs and antennae.

Enemies of worm producersTese animals will eat worms. Some, like snakes andmoles, can completely destroy a worm bin before thegrower is even aware that they are there. Be vigilant!BirdsSnakesMolesGophers

oadsMice and rats wont eat the worms, but they will nestbin and eat the feed meant for the worms.Other possible invaders

Tese invaders might show up from time to time. Tey wont eat the worms, but they can become competitorsfor the food.SpidersEarwigsGrasshoppersCricketsBeetlesSilversh

ermites AphidsStinkbugs

Worm bin creatures on Trinity Ranch websitehttp://mypeoplepc.com/members/arbra/bbb/id16.htm

Contains photos of many of the creatures described above with descriptions and suggestions for preventing problems.

Documents

Worms for Composting, Worms for Bait and Worms for Waste Processing