7 Reasons to Begin Building a Worm Farm Today
What is worm farming and why is it important?
“Earthworms are the children of the soil.”
— Michael Bassey Johnson
The strange, no-eyed wiggly critters of the earth. The unsung heroes/heroines of our soils.
Growing up, I didn’t touch many moving creatures. I was the kid that dissected the dead lizard that my friend found, hence my early obsession with neurosurgery. But my adult self is slowly inching toward being that insect-loving kid.
I started a worm farm at my family’s ranch to help with our organic farming, bolster our composting efforts, and learn about these fascinating beings.
Discovering the powers of these earth crawlers helped me appreciate their role on this swirling ball of dirt. It will also help you on your journey to better understand how we can protect our local spaces, strengthen biodiversity, and show Mother our love.
What is worm farming?
You may ask, what is worm farming? Well, it’s a farm of worms. Yes, I know, I’m hilarious.
In more descriptive terms, worm farming is an efficient and sustainable way to produce compost and fertilize your garden. Contrary to traditional composting methods, it requires minimal effort or resources.
Red wiggler worms, a species of earthworm, are most commonly used as they’re voracious eaters that break down rotting vegetation and manure into compost and fertilizer.
Aside from being neat organisms that grace our planet, these little ones can truly work wonders!
1. Worms are natural composters.
They break down leaves, dead plants and animals, and other debris, converting it into fertilizer which is then used to enrich the soil.
The decomposition process helps to keep the soil balanced and healthy by providing essential nutrients such as phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium to the plants.
2. Worms break down organic matter.
I repeat: worms are excellent at breaking down organic material. They help break down kitchen scraps and other food waste and are also great at decomposing paper and cardboard.
This compost can be used to increase the organic matter in the soil, which helps to improve the soil structure and water retention. This also supports beneficial microorganisms that produce healthier plants and bigger yields.
3. Worms reduce waste.
Worm farming is also a great way to reduce waste. Instead of throwing away food scraps, they can be fed to your worms and converted into compost. This helps to reduce the amount of waste that goes to landfills and the number of greenhouse gases that are released into the atmosphere.
4. Worms aerate the soil.
By burrowing through the soil and creating tunnels, they allow oxygen to circulate throughout the soil, which helps to reduce compaction and improve drainage.
5. Worms are a great way to get kids interested in gardening.
They are teeny, harmless, and kids tend to gravitate toward their smallness. They teach children about the wonders that lie below our feet that make a big impact on our planet.
6. You can use your worm farm as an outdoor composting system.
This is especially helpful for people who live in areas where there is no yard space or access to public composting bins.
7. Worms are “renewable” people.
I don’t love referring to my fellow organisms as resources, yet these guys are surely renewable. Being hermaphrodites, worms carry both reproductive organs. If you manage to only collect two worms, you can put them together in a space and expect them to multiply, although you’d want some genetic diversity.
Getting started
Getting started with worm farming is easy and you don’t need to worry about buying your worms from a pet store or garden center. You can easily collect your own by digging around your yard and searching for them, or even by visiting your local dump and picking up some worms.
Once you’ve acquired your earth crawlers, you’ll need to set up a home for them and provide them with the food and bedding they need in order to survive. WormFarmGuru is a fabulous resource for starting out, but there are also a ton of online articles and videos to get you going.
Happy composting with these amazing non-human people 🪱
