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Worm Bin

bittbitt Raw Newbie

Does anybody else have a worm bin?

Comments

  • lzhptlzhpt Raw Newbie

    No But I could use some of those worms for my compost bin! I think I’m supposed to add worms.

  • bittbitt Raw Newbie

    yeah if you add some worms they will for sure help with composting. they are called red wiggler worms.

  • We have one and the worm castings are fantastic for our vege garden, even though its the middle of winter here our garden is growing strong.

  • bittbitt Raw Newbie

    ok then I have a question: how long does it take to really get going? we’ve been at it about a month.

  • I guess it took us about three months to get some decent castings, just trying to remember now because it was a few years ago we started it, But they will come and it will certainly be worth it. How many worms di dyou start out with?

  • bittbitt Raw Newbie

    we started with a pound but i just got another pound. hopefully that will speed things up!

  • emtpdmomemtpdmom Raw Newbie

    Bitt, if you haven’t already, I would suggest a web search on the subject. There are some good worm bin sites that tell how to balance worms and bin size with the volume of worm food (kitchen scraps) you expect the worms to handle. Moisture and temperature are also important considerations.

  • Hopefully you will have some worm babies soon and things will speed up :)

  • lzhptlzhpt Raw Newbie

    What happens to the little fellas in the winter?

  • bittbitt Raw Newbie

    I’ve searched the web, just no one has specifications for what a raw vegan produces in a week! We dedided we produce as much as a family of 5 of SADs.

    In the winter they can either get a wool blanket wrapped around them or brought inside. I am going to bring them too my classroom for the kids to take care of. They love that kind of stuff.

    Oh and they are making babies! Just not fast enough for me!

  • emtpdmomemtpdmom Raw Newbie

    Bitt, how’s the worm bin doing?

  • bittbitt Raw Newbie

    They are nibbling away! We also have a yard waste container now to take some of the food scraps, less work for the worms. I love peeking in there, they are so interesting!

  • emtpdmomemtpdmom Raw Newbie

    Bitt, it was good to hear from you over on Meditating's thread. I started to post this there, but decided to keep all the worm bin history together here.

    How's are your little critters doing? Did you take them to school for the winter? I found out just before the Christmas holidays that I'll be teaching environmental science (high school, alternative education) this next semester. I've toyed with the idea of a worm bin at home, but with a family of just one (plus the puppy), I didn't think I'd have enough scraps. I'm thinking of starting one in my classroom next week. Any suggestions, things I should or should not do? We'll be concentrating on scientific inquiry and on our impact on the environment (recycling and such), so this seems like a logical class project.

    Please do tell Winona and Angie hello for me and let them know they are missed over here on Gone Raw. If navigating the new features on the site is a challenge, please check out Site Use Tips and Hints. I've had lots of fun putting it together, and I hope others have found it helpful. There are a lot of real "cool" new features on the site. It just takes a little experimenting to get comfortable with them. Hope to see you more here on Gone Raw.

  • BluedolfinBluedolfin Raw Newbie

    emtpdmom~

    For additional veggie scraps, if your school has a cafeteria, arrange with them to collect their veggie scraps (probably mostly iceberg lettuce and the such, but still classified as compost material). This is also a recycle opportunity for the school. Actually, sometime starting a garden at the school might also be an idea...

    If your school doesn't have a cafeteria, check with some local grocery stores (the produce manager) for their "throw aways" and scraps from cleaning veggies. Lotsa good nutrition that could go back into the soil is filling their garbage bins.

    Have fun getting dirt under your nails and educating those sponge-like minds. :)

  • BluedolfinBluedolfin Raw Newbie

    dup post

  • emtpdmom -

    Just wanted to share. If I am not mistaken, you are not located to far from me. Which means you would be in the area to possibly contact Oxbow Meadows. They did a day on worm bins and composting. They might have some information they could share with you. :)

  • emtpdmomemtpdmom Raw Newbie

    Yes, we are in the same general area - probably about 40 to 50 miles away. Any raw or vegan pot lucks down your way? Any good places to eat raw? Most of my acquaintances think I'm a bit crazy. My true friends take me as I am and accommodate a little. If I eat at their house, they always offer, but don't push cooked food on me, and there's always a raw veggie tray or something.

    I did the composting and worm bin workshops at Callaway Gardens with the grandchildren a couple of years ago. Love that place. I keep a corporate membership through the school system. It's definitely money well spent. Anyway, that's when I first realized how easy and productive it was to do vermiculture. I was not aware of Oxbow Meadows Environmental Learning Center. Their 2009 calendar is empty right now, but I'll keep a close watch on it. Maybe there's a field trip in there somewhere. I'll email them when I can get to my school email (probably Friday) and see what information they will share. In the mean time, I think I'll come down one Saturday and do the bird walk. Maybe we could meet up and enjoy it together.

  • We also have a year round membership with Callaway Gardens. We go there often. It is like a second home for me. We find ourselves spending more time there in the Spring and Autumn. Love the bike trails! It is currently the only true access I have to getting my dd out in Nature. Enjoy the Pine Mountain area. I think your area is pretty much like my area. You aren't going to find any raw or vegan places to eat here. No pot lucks in this area either. If you are interested, one of the health food stores here on Veterans (near Lowes), stays pretty stocked on NOW nuts, raw agave, and raw vinegar. According to the manager, there seems to be a handful of raw individualsin the area. She tries to keep and get the raw products she can in the store.

    I have met one woman who has been raw for about 2 1/2 - 3 years. She is also a teacher and just had a baby. I have not spoke to her in quite awhile. I ran into her at the health food store. I have also heard there are some fruitarians in the Pine Valley area...have not met them. Do you use the farmers in the Pine Valley area to get your produce. There are two in that area. During the Spring, Summer, and Fall time they come to the uptown area on Broadway. They are both organic farmers. Nice people! On Wednesdays, one of the farmers opens a store up on their farm (Pine Valley area), where you can go to them to buy your produce. One of the farmers also has a daughter who incorporates a raw lifestyle. I met her once on Broadway during the farmers market. She just Simple Glows! She is grown and actually resides in California, but it was nice to meet her.

    Well, back to the Worm Bin...the people at Oxbow Meadows are really nice. BTW, I think it would be great to meet up sometime. We were actually tinking about coming to your area to go mining. To go digging for Rose Quartz, I believe. Nice to know someone on GR is nearby. Happy New Year!!

  • BTW, it might be better to call Oxbow Meadows. Their calendar could be empty due to some politcal issues going on with the city. Somehow Oxbow Meadows actually belongs to the city...I do not know the details. Just find the situation very, very sad for the community. It is difficult enough to find learning resources and centers in the area... without having the current ones destroyed. The city is wanting to lay claim on the Environmental Center and turn it into another source to dump the city trash.

    It is really heartbreaking, but could be why the calendar is possibly emptyright now. But they are still there, so call. We try to keep up with the activites they offer, because we homeschool our dd.

  • emtpdmomemtpdmom Raw Newbie

    I did notice that Oxbow is operated in association with Columbus Water Works. They've got bird walks scheduled for Saturday and Sunday mornings in January beginning the 10th. But that's all. It's sad that such a beautiful resource might become a trash dump. Is there an organized effort to fight it? Anything someone from Troup County could do, sign, petition?

    I checked out Hogg Mine online. I assume that's where you're talking about. I've heard people talk about it, but never been there. I'm a little unsteady on my feet on rough, uneven ground these days - a bad knee. I do know the area. I lived about 5 miles away at one time, and the school where I teach is about 7 miles away. In my younger days we used to mine and pan for gemstones in North Carolina. It was a lot of fun and very educational. I still have some of the uncut stones.

    I visited the farm in Pine Mountain Valley just at the end of the summer season. I haven't driven to Columbus to the market, yet. One of those things I really need to fit into my weekend schedule. The pickup point for their CSA is at the market, so if I decide to participate, I'll need to commit to driving down. I've been trying to decide if, as a family of one, the CSA is really appropriate for me. Seems like a lot of food. I'm not sure it would be consumed at my house in a timely manner, and I have very limited freezer space. I'll probably give it a try this spring and see how it goes.

    Let me know if you come up to the mine. I'd love to meet you.

    Have a safe and Happy New Year!

    Brenda

  • BluedolfinBluedolfin Raw Newbie

    emtpdmom~

    Some CSA's have an "every other" week pickup option. If your local CSA has that option, that might just work for you. Or, you can find someone with which to share your weekly box of goodies. :) The CSA would also be a good source for more worm food... they might give you a box of nonsellable veggie "stuff" every so often.

    BTW, did you see my other post (#16) for you?

  • emtpdmomemtpdmom Raw Newbie

    Bluedolfin, Thanks for your suggestions.

    The CSA I talked with doesn't offer an every other week option. SimplyRaw says there is another in our area. I'll have to check them out. I had thought of sharing with another single teacher, but I don't think she's too keen on the idea. Another idea is to see if I can find someone who will split it with me on an alternating week basis. If I do it and have extras, I'll probably just share the bounty with a couple of older neighbors who are on a very limited income.

    The school is in an older building without a working kitchen. Meals (such as they are) are brought in from a nearby school. We have said for several years that too much compostable material is being wasted. We've also considered for several years doing a vegetable garden. There will be some challenges, but it's high on the priorities for Spring of this year. We already have the area picked out and will till it up in early February, I think. I'm hoping for a compost bin outside in addition to the worms inside. Our big challenge will be the deer and rabbits. I'd really like to repel them using eco-friendly and all natural means. I've heard that they avoid areas with human hair in them. So I've already talked with my beautician. Supposedly it needs to be untreated hair (no perm or dye).

    All organic and free ideas are welcome. We're on a very limited budget here. Please do share.

    I trust you had a safe New Year's Eve. Here's wishing you a Happy New Year.

    Brenda

  • Hey everyone -

    Just wanted to apologize for getting off topic in regards to the worm bins.

    emtpdmom - Wanted to respond to some of topics mentioned in your post. In regards to Oxbow Meadows, as far as I know there is not a petition of any to sign. I found out about the situation when we were there for a 2007 Nature Christmas workshop of sorts. Spoke with the lady in charge.

    Tried to run some ideas off of her to petition, but at the time she seemed to be in a mindset that there was nothing we could do. It made me sad. The thought of the animals and habitats...makes my heart ache. I believe the CSA we are speaking of is one of the same. Here are the farmers I am familiar with in Pine Mountain Valley. Nathan and Cynthia Chapman Harmony Hill Farms http://www.localharvest.org/farms/M18583

    The Chapmans and another woman are responsible for starting CSA in the area. You can call the Chapmans and set up a time to go to their farm to get produce. Jenny-Jack Farms http://www.jennyjackfarm.vpweb.com/

    Jenny and Chris are the ones who have a little store on their farm. When in season, instead of going to the farmers market you can go and get produce on Wednedays at their farm in Pine Mountain Valley. We get our chemical-free and unroasted pecans from them...when we can. We were going to do the CSA, but came to the conclusion that some, if not most of the bag would be wasted. Not all is produce that we (my family) eat. Found it is best for us to just buy what we want. When the season is here...I get there and clean them out of kale. also get the best cucumbers from the farmers. So clean and refreshing.

    Okay...here is another thought that you might want to incorporate into your Science class. Chris and Jenny (Jenny-Jack Farms) have had some schools come out to their farm for field trips. And the from what I understand from Chris...they really let the children get their hands in the dirt. Reason for mentioning this...Chris and Jenny sell worm castings. Could be another outlet for the vermiculture process. Just another thought to ponder. Check them out as well...really nice, good people. Could make for a nice field trip in the Spring, plus if you have not met Chris and Jenny I think you would really enjoy the adventure. I do believe you are correct, it is Hogg Mine we are planing to venture off to in the Spring. I will definitely give you a heads up, before we come. Well, we made it through New Year's Eve!! I hope everyone had a good one.

    It is now the first day of the New Year....may it be a Beautiful and Enlightening year for many!!!

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