Tips for the New Worm Farming Adventure

There are many different types of worms that are both good for you and bad for you.  You must first know the difference before you choose which you invest in for your worm farming adventure.  Worms such as tapeworms, ringworms, and pin worms are not good investments for worm farming.  The types people raise to sell and use are those they can sell for fishing bait, food for birds and reptiles, or those used to help benefit the soil and their by-products.

Worms have no exoskeletons and are not created the same inside as humans and other animals.  A worm has one brain and five hearts.  Earthworms breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide.  They can't control their own body temperatures and can't maintain a body temperature.  When they're in captivity, they must depend on you to help them survive in the right temperature.

Some people grow worm farms for their own personal adventure.  Kids use them for pets.  Gardeners encourage their growth to gain healthy crops or flower gardens.  They create excellent natural compost and fertilizers! Some people eat worms, although it isn't something that is a big hit in the United States.

Composting is encouraged to help the environment and to keep the waste down that is hauled to landfills daily.  Worm farming is one small way to help.  Small ways add up to big benefits when enough people join together in their efforts.  If you have complaints about the environment, if you've thrown away food scraps, newspapers, sticks and grass clippings or leaves, if you want to be involved in a positive way to help then worm farming may be just the right adventure for you to take!

Earthworms, red worms, catalpa worms, and grub worms all make good fishing worms.  If you want a variety of worms, though, you need to know that not all worms are raised the same.  Not all worms make good bin partners because of the different temperature requirements.

Not all vegetables or food scraps make good food for your worms either.  Strong foods like onion, garlic, and hot peppers are not as readily welcomed.  If the worms don't want to eat them, they'll eat everything else first.  That leaves a smell to your worm bin, which can ruin your new adventure really fast!  It's not like your own mom making you eat all your vegetables when you were little.  These are not children and shouldn't be tortured to endure foods they don't want.  If you feed an animal something that isn't good for it or that it doesn't like the taste of, it can starve itself to death and will just end up resenting you or trying to escape to get to the better food source.  Meat products are not a good idea for your worms either since they can contain diseases, poisons from the animal's system created by the medicines you must give your pet, and also a bad smell when decomposing.

Check out what the other worm farmers are doing.  Their prices, shipping methods, growing bins, advertisements may all come in handy for helping you plan your own adventure in worm farming.

Who Benefits from Worm Farming

As seen on : The Benefits of Worm Farming

Worms have been a benefit to mankind and nature long before worm farming became well-known.  Worms provide food for other animals, help create and maintain healthy soil and plants, enhance gardening efforts, provide fish bait, and help teach our children about pets and other valuable lessons.

Worm farms are a part of natural science.  A nature museum or a zoo would benefit from a small worm farm as a display and to help feed the animals kept there, as well as keeping the scenery bright and fresh because of the benefits to the earth.  A petting zoo could make a worm farm part of their hands-on attraction.  You might start a worm farm as a science project with a class or with your own child.  It would also make a good FFA project.  A small gardening club may want to invest in worm farming. 

A person who raises birds could start a worm farm or buy from a worm farm to provide treats for their birds.  Pet shops could buy from worm farms to feed their fish or reptiles.  Parents could benefit from a worm farm as a way to teach their young children about recycling, their first pets, compassion, the natural food chain, gardening, and about business.

Worm farms are a way to help the economy by buying and selling.  They provide a useful service by increasing the health of soil, they provide a useful product, and they encourage equipment sales.  They increase the sales of the supplies needed to maintain the farms.  They provide an extra income for the seller as well as jobs for any workers needed on the bigger farms.

Catfish farms would benefit from worm farms by starting their own or buying from one for their fish food.  Fishermen benefit from worm farms by using natural resources to fish to help keep down the sales of artificial lures, which cause extra trash along and in rivers, lakes, and ponds.

People who run chicken houses would benefit from worm farms because of the large amounts of food the chickens need.

So, who benefits from worm farms?  We all can.  Even if you never touch a worm, you still eat vegetables or fruit that come from the plants produced in the soil that worms helped make healthy!  Gardeners have known the benefits for years because of the benefits to their compost piles and the results of their flower beds or vegetable gardens.

Worm farms can help a person open up conversations, which creates more acquaintances and possible friendships.  They can bring people together who are nature lovers, fishermen/women, gardeners, recyclers, teachers, and even business owners.

People can learn to respect the hard-working little worms even if they never quite get over their squeamish reactions to them.  Many worms are nature's friend.  For those who aren't squeamish, worms can even be an exotic treat.  They are well-known in other lands as a source of human food.  Then again, many of us found out as children taking dares that eating a worm is a fun way to gross out our peers!

Why Worm Farming is Important

A green compost bin. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)It may come as a surprise to some that worm farming is beneficial to our environment.  After some research into the topic it may be shocking to learn how important these hidden crawlers really are.  There is more to them than just crawling through the garden.

Worms have been around since the beginning.  During the age of the dinosaurs, worms ploughed through rotting debris and excrement, composting it into a more usable substance.  Millions of years ago they were efficient creatures and today they remain the same. 

So why is worm farming so important?  There are three common reasons for worm farming both commercially and individually.  The first reason is for composting. 

Worm farming provides an effective and efficient way for composting food waste and other biodegradable items.  On the larger scale, worms are used in place of landfills by commercial companies.  The worms compost waste eliminating unnecessary overflows in landfills.  Certain landfills also use worms to help compost the waste that has build up over time to try to prevent an overflow. 

On a smaller scale, home owners and apartment dwellers are able to run their own personal worm farms.  The purpose is to provide a more natural way for composting discarded food products and other items, instead of sending them to the local landfills.  Various sizes of personal worm farms are available on the market today.  These can typically be used both outdoors and indoors for those with limited space. 

Having a personal worm farm means that individuals are able to employ worms to naturally compost items such as fruits, vegetables, breads, cereals, paper products, soaked cardboard, egg shells and hair.  What is given in return by the worms is a naturally nutrient rich organic substance that can enrich soil for gardens, crops and house plants.

This brings us to the next reason for worm farming.  Vermicompost, or worm castings, is the product the worms produce as they compost and digest their provided diet.  These castings are as rich in nutrients as the food items provided to them. This substance is so rich in nutrients that it can be used as an effective plant food for a small pot for up to two months.  Vermicompost is one of the best fertilizers available.

Chemical fertilizers can be replaced by using natural vermicompost.  Chemical fertilizers often produce a fast effect, but when the soil is analyzed, it is found that the nutrients in the soil are being further broken down by the chemicals.  This requires that even more fertilizer be used later on to produce the same effect. 

Chemical pest removers and poisons have led to the destruction and evacuation of worms in many areas.  The worms are either killed by the poison or they leave the area as the soil is no longer healthy enough for them to live in. 

Using vermicompost as a natural fertilizer helps eliminate the need for chemicals that destroy the soil and rid the area of these helpful worms.  Some worms can be used in garden beds, improving the quality of the soil as they plough through pulling water into the soil and aerating the bed as they go. 

Another reason for worm farming is the production of worms to be used as live food and live bait.  Many exotic pets, birds and aquarium fish require the addition of live worms to their diets.  Offering worms for this reason gives pet owners an opportunity to purchase live food that has not been chemically altered or treated. 

Professional fishermen, bait and tackle shops, and the fishing hobbyist are often on the search for good suppliers of various worms that are best suited for live bait in both freshwater and salt water.  Worm farms offer these buyers a chance to purchase organically raised worms that will produce the best results when fishing.

As surprising as it may seem, worms are a very important part of our environment.  Worm farming is just a way to be able to appreciate their effects on a more personal level.  They are hard workers and keeping them happy in a worm farm will help ensure a healthier environment, less overflow of the landfills and a higher level of plant growth.

Worm Farming is a Fisherman's Friend

Image by Getty Images via @daylifeRed worms, red wigglers, or manure worms are said to be best for composting.  They're also known as fishing worms.  You can find them in leaf litter, manure piles, and bait shops.

The ability to produce fast makes these worms appealing for worm farmers and fishermen.

You can start your red fishing-worm farm in a small, cheap plastic container such as a margarine dish or cool whip container.  Start with a small collection, say....under a dozen, just to get a feel for the journey ahead and decide if you want to invest further.  Add at least one big spoonful of dirt or compost, some thin strips of notebook paper or newspaper (not glossy), a cup of water (you want moisture, not soggy contents), fine sand or crumbled eggshells, and a little cereal or fruit.  (The worms aren't as partial to citrus fruits because of the acid content.)

You'll have to punch holes in the sides and the lid, at least a dozen in each.   There must be oxygen flow and drainage.  Worms can't survive without oxygen.  And you may have noticed that they rise to the top of the ground after a hard rain.

Your worms will eat many things that you would normally throw away.  Almost any food scrap will do, but there are some that are discouraged.  Meat scraps, citrus scraps, garlic, onion, and hot peppers or really spicy foods are not good choices. You should be careful about exposing your worms to pesticide residues used on food or contained in manures.  Although the fishermen's friend will eat cardboard because it's a wood product, make sure the cardboard is not contaminated with any poisonous residues.  You have to feed them at least three times a week.  Bury the food under the bedding for the best results.

You can check out bait shops to get an idea of how much to price your worms if you plan to sell them.  You don't want to be too high or too low compared to other worms sold in the area for fishing bait.  You can, of course, just grow them for your own fishing excursions.  Also, consider the area where you live.  If you live in a small area, there may not be enough market for a large worm farm to earn enough profit unless you sell over the internet or ship to other places.  You want to make sure you don't invest too much too soon.

If you live near a lake, you may do very well with your worm farm business.  People do like convenience.  Even avid fishermen can run out of bait or forget to buy it, although they may not like to readily admit it!  There are plenty of people who prefer to use natural bait, too.  Of course, this means customers will be knocking on your door on weekends and after normal work hours.  So, you may do better to post your office away from your living area and make sure your hours are compatible, but not overwhelming for you.  Post them plainly and large enough for those early rising fishermen/women to readily see them.

Worm Farming with Mealworms

Image via WikipediaMealworms are scavengers.  It doesn't necessarily make them a bad worm, but it does help to understand them.  If you want to start a mealworm farm, you can find starters in damp, spoiled grain and grain products.  Perhaps you have access to a grain bin of some sort, a grain processing plant, or can get infested cereal from a cereal factory.

The dark mealworm is the species found throughout the United States.  Anyone who has found them in their flour or corn meal would not consider them friends!  But in this instance, you can turn an enemy into a friend and gain a profit from the experience. 

The trick to worm farming of any kind is to start small and work your way up.  You have to learn your limits and gain experience, find a market for your mealworms, and become educated about your product.  But anything worth having is worth working for.

People have been known to use the mealworm as fish bait or food for their birds or reptiles.  They're people food in some places!

One interesting fact about mealworm farming is that powdery residues can build-up in the containers.  This residue, also known as frass, contains mealworm eggs.  You can separate this frass with a sifter of some sort once a month, keep it in a separate container, and feed it with raw pieces of potatoes or bran.  It takes a month for the eggs to hatch.

Females are capable of producing up to 500 eggs, but the adults only live a short time of 3 months at most.  They get their fluids from wet fruits like apples or over-ripe bananas and vegetables such as the potato or carrot.  They also lay eggs on these foods.  You can keep them alive and dormant at temperatures over 40 degrees.  They prefer warm environments of 80 degrees to grow and change.  So, don't plan on them reproducing at the lower temperatures.

Did you know you can eat mealworms raw and live?  Ok, it's not your average meal, but it's healthy and is encouraged in other countries.  If you want the benefits, but can't stomach the thought, maybe you could try baking them or turning them into flour to use in other recipes.  Just spread them on a lightly greased baking sheet and cook for up to 3 hours at 200 degrees.  They're done when brittle.  Toss them into a blender or grinder  until they resemble wheat germ.  If nothing else, you could safely serve them to that irritating cousin just for a laugh.  It can be your little secret!

Meal worm farming is one of the cheapest worm farming you can enter.  It's a great way to experiment and can be a safe way to feed your pets something natural and healthy.  You could add the worms to your dog or cats diet by using the flour to make your own dog or cat food.  Safe, natural, and healthy is the wave of the future.

Choosing the Right Worms for Worm Farming

Image by Getty Images via @daylifeImage via WikipediaImage by Getty Images via @daylifeImage by Tim Musson via FlickrWorm farming is done for several reasons.  Composting, the production of nutrient rich soil and providing live bait are three of the most common reasons for worm farming.  Some worms do a better job at their duties than others so it is important to know how to choose the right worms for your worm farm.

Composting is one common reason for worm farming.  Worms are used to compost waste and discarded material naturally and without adding to the local landfills.  To do this, the worms eat fruit and vegetable scraps, along with other compostable items such as paper products, leaves, cotton rags and egg shells.

If composting is the primary reason for setting up a worm farm, choices should be made for the appropriate types of worms that are known as being the best for this option.  The Red Wiggler, or Eisenia fetida, is reportedly the best worm for composting.  These worms reproduce easily and are extremely hardy.  The trait that makes them best as compost worms is their ravenous appetites. 

Because of their eagerness to devour anything edible, Red Wigglers produce a high quality substance resulting in a nutrient rich soil that is so desirable with worm farming. 

Perhaps raising worms for the purpose of providing live bait is the goal of a worm farm.  Bait can be raised for personal use or even supplied to local fisherman through bait and tackle shops.  The best worms for this purpose are the European Night Crawlers.  These worms can be used for baiting fish in all types of conditions, even in saltwater. 

The European Nightcrawler is reported to be one of the hardiest fish available for worm farming.  They can also be used as a live food source for other animals such as birds, reptiles, exotic pets and aquarium fish.  They can be used in a composting type worm farm but work best as live food and bait.  Night Crawlers are readily available and have similar care requirements as the Red Wigglers. 

Worms used for garden and lawn farming are typically available in sets of three different varieties of worms.  The Red Wiggler and the Night Crawlers are often two of the types of worms in these sets.  The third worm is usually Pheritema, or Florida Wiggler which are worms that burrow deep into the soil. 

Over 3000 varieties of worms exist.  The worms mentioned here are the most commonly used and readily available on the market today.  They can be found at various online distributors.  Local worm farmers can be found through online directories or by looking up the topic in the local telephone book.

Most types of worms are typically made available as adult worms, young worms and egg capsules.  Typically sold by the pound, the number of worms per unit will vary depending on their age and size.  Egg capsules yield a higher number of worms per unit once hatched.

A worm farm will be most successful when the appropriate worm is chosen for the job at hand. While most worms will compost discarded items and waste and act as live bait, some have some small traits that make them the best choice for a worm farm with a particular purpose.

Facts about Worm Farming

Worm farming is a great way to naturally compost waste and other discarded materials.  As a result, nutrient rich soil is produced and can be used in flower beds, crops, and gardens.  Regardless of all the reading and research one does, issues may arise and can cause some concern. 

Here are a few of the commonly reported questions and issues with worm farms. 

Smell

It is often thought by many that a smelly worm farm is normal.  In fact, it is not.  If worms are kept in an appropriate environment, they will not smell.  If the farm has an odor, the most likely cause is overfeeding. 

Material to be composted is placed on the top layer of soil for the worms to consume.  If too much is given to the worms, it can begin to rot causing a build up of bacteria within the walls of the worm farm.  This is the cause of the smell. 

To remedy the situation, simply discontinue feeding of the worms until any uneaten material is gone.  The soil should also be stirred for aeration and to allow the worms to move more freely.

Bugs and other pests

Using a container with a tight lid can help prevent many pests from infesting the worm farm but some are sneaky enough to make it in regardless.  Small vinegar flies are often a complaint among worm farmers.  This type of fly is of no harm to the worm farm but typically is a result of overfeeding.  Large flies appear when there is an abundance of food. 

Ants are also a common issue.  If ants are seen in the worm farm, the chances are pretty good that the soil is too dry.  Adding water to the soil to increase the moisture can help eliminate ants.  If using a worm farm that stands on legs, simply apply some petroleum jelly to the legs to prevent the ants from being able to climb up. 

Maggots can be found in worm farms where meat is offered to the worms.  The best scenario is to eliminate meat from the diet altogether.  If maggots have made their way into the worm farm, they can be eliminated by placing a milk soaked piece of bread into the farm; the maggots will be drawn to it and can simply be removed. 

Worms leave the farm

This topic leaves it up to the worm farmer to figure out what the problem is and fix it.  If a worm is leaving, he is unhappy with his environment and is in search of a more suitable one.  Worms will escape for reasons such as the soil being too dry or there isn't enough food.  On the other hand, soil that is too wet could also be affecting the worms, causing them to want to leave. 

The source of the problem should either be eliminated or fixed.  If the soil is too dry, fresh water should be added to the farm.  If it is too wet, the excess should be drained and new bedding should replace the old.  Locate the cause of the excess moisture and eliminate it. 

Ensure that the worms are getting enough food and the farm is in a location where the temperature will remain constant. 

Feeding

There may be some confusion on what to feed worms.  Appropriate foods to feed include fruits, vegetables, egg shells, greens, tea bags and coffee grounds and filters.  Non-food items can also be fed to the worms and include soaked cardboard, paper products, cotton rags, leaves, dirt and hair. 

More important are the items that should not be fed.  Dairy products, meat, citrus, onions and garden waste that has been treated with chemicals are all things to avoid in a worm farm.

These are just a few of the common topics when it comes to worm farming.  Although they are pretty easy to care for, it is important to realize the reason for some of the changes or issues noticed within the worm farm.  Problems should be corrected early to prevent the loss of the worms. 

Providing a proper environment, correct food, appropriate moisture level and temperature will help ensure a supply of happy and healthy worms.