1. Worm Composting

2. Vermicomposting
WHAT – Process of using worms to recycle organic material and food scraps into castings (waste) or compost (vermicompost) (vermiculture)

3. Vermicomposting WHY Advantages Benefits Easy to do year-round
SEVEN times richer in nutrients than regular compost
No turning, no odor, & little watering – worms do the work
Benefits
Environmental
Economic
Soil health
Plant growth and vigor
Fun and educational

4. Vermicomposting WHERE – Almost anywhere Indoors, Outdoors
Dark, Warm, Moist, Ventilated

5. Vermicomposting HOW Container (can be aerated)
Bedding such as shredded newspaper
Moisture and proper temperature
Redworms & food waste

6. Vermicomposting Home Made
Home made version – drill a few holes for air and drainage
Works, inexpensive – a better way would be to drill 2” holes and use 2” soffet vents

7. Can-O-Worms Can-o-Worms Expensive Unique ladder type system
Caution about the legs and drain

8. Worm Friendly Bin
I like this bin, great areation and drainage

9. Vermicomposting Mid-Scale
Above ground bin that could be easily insulated and green house heater cables installed to maintain a comfortable environment for the worms. Manual and labor intensive to harvest. .

10. EPM Worm Wigwam Worm Wigwam
I believe this unit can consume 50 – 100 Lbs Food Waste/day
This particular unit is in NC
Mechanical harvester

11. EPM Flow Through System
EPM manure handling system, 4’ x 32’, capacity of about 125 Lbs per day

12. Vermitech Food/paper Digester
Vermitech System – Metro Hall , Toronto – 150 Lbs/Day Food & Paper
Several units of this size are being utilized Arnold AFB, Tellehoma, TN , moved to Wright Patterson AFB, Dayton OH
College of DuPage, Glen Ellen, IL, Each of these units have stories that will make a point
Long term commitment – 1 year after set up the supervisor was transferred, it too k a few months to get somebody in it’s place – that person was either too busy or not that interested. They ended up finding a new home (WP AFB)
College of DuPage – no supervisor, Shamili didn't get the cafeteria involved – they refused to separate no food for the worms, Onion story
1 ½ years later the unit is in storage because of building expansion
Building Permits were a problem
U of M, the coordinator left just a month after the unit was installed – nobody to take over the project- sat idle for 6 months
100 Lbs of dead worms

13. Worm Composting - Hog Waste Lagoon

14. Worm Composting Windrows
Vermicycle, Tarboro, NC LBS/Day Hog Manure

15. Worm Composting – Casting Production

16. Large Worm Screen
Large scale worm screener

17. Vermicomposting in Action
Bedding

18. Vermicomposting in Action
Moisture & Temperature

19. Vermicomposting in Action
Redworms

20. Vermicomposting in Action
Redworms (Eisenia foetidaie & Lumbricus rubellus)
Live in the top 12 inches of soil
Feed on organic decaying matter
Can eat their body weight in food every day
Generate 75% of body weight in worm poop (castings) each day
Lay one cocoon every week or so
Each cocoon produces 3 to 4 baby worms
Begin breeding at 4 to 6 weeks of age
Worms can double population every 90 days
Live up to 2 years

21. Vermicomposting in Action
Food Waste
YES
Most fruits and veggies
Coffee grounds and filters
Tea leaves and bags
Egg shells
Most cereals and grains (oatmeal, pasta, rice, cornmeal, pancakes, breads)
MAYBE
Onions
Garlic
Ginger

22. Vermicomposting in Action
Food Waste NO
Meat, fish, dairy, oil, or bones
Potato chips, candy, oils
Citrus
NO-NO's
Plastic
Rubber bands
Sponges
Aluminum foil
Glass

23. Vermicomposting in Action
Harvesting Vermicompost

24. Vermicomposting in Action
How to Use Vermicompost
Excellent fertilizer; will not burn plants
Use as mulch or soil conditioner in home garden
Use in potting soil mixes for houseplants
Use as top dressing for lawns
Combine with potting soil mixes and use as medium for starting young seedlings

25. Vermicomposting in Action
Compost Tea
Liquid produced from vermicomposting
Protects plants from disease
Improves nutrient retention
Decomposes harmful chemicals
Transforms compacted soil into healthy soil
Reduces water usage
Decreases run-off and leaching

26. Composting vs. Landfilling
Some Numbers to Consider
Food and yard waste account for at least 25% of landfill materials
AA dining halls generate 700 pounds food waste each week
12% of total greenhouse gas emissions generated from growing, preparing, and shipping food
Eating 1 pound of food daily generates 1.5 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) annually
CO2 impact from edible food waste per person equates to taking 1 to 4 cars off the road
CO2, methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) generated as organic waste decays in landfills
CH4 21 times worse and N2O 300 times worse than CO2
Proper composting minimizes greenhouse gas emissions and extends life of landfills by saving space

27. Q & A Prize Patrol TRUE or FALSE
Redworms consume almost all types of waste, including bones, glass, and plastic
False – although they can break down some items such as milk and meat products it will take longer and smell – glass and plastic may injure worms and can’t be broken down

28. Q & A Prize Patrol TRUE or FALSE
If you can’t find redworms, use earthworms in your worm bin
False – earthworms are not as efficient as red worms and will not consume food or produce waste at a high enough level to compost

29. Why won’t night crawlers work…
Not a composter.
~ Garden variety worm are soil- dwelling species that tunnel & borrow.
~ Do not consume large volumes of organic material.
~ Will not reproduce well while being confined.
~ Live several feet below surface.
~ Feed on the surface at night.

30. Q & A Prize Patrol TRUE or FALSE
Besides being beneficial to plants and the soil, compost tea can be applied to the scalp to reverse male pattern baldness
True – although there is not research to support this it has been adopted by some cultures as an accepted practice