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DESCRIBE YOUR SCHOOL GARDEN
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WHY COMPOST? » Pedagogical » Plant health » Planet health
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Types of Compost Aerobic Anaerobic Vermi
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ANAEROBIC Moist, organic matter, deprived of oxygen Highly acidic environment, comparable to stomach – thus “digester” PROS: No effort No pests CONS: Smell (hydrogen sulfide = rotten eggs) Takes 6-12 months to kill pathogens (also neutralizes the PH) Insects, meat/dairy take a lot longer Produces methane (more significant heat trapping gas)
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ANAEROBIC Box with tight lid and drainage spout, tarp sealed down, garbage bag (sun can accelerate the process), or buried and rotating garden plots
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AEROBIC Decomposition of moist, organic material using microorganisms that require oxygen Possible because of the FBI (Fungi, bacteria, invertebrates) Needs carbon rich (brown) as opposed to green clippings to stay aerobic (let leaves/lawn clippings dry out first, or add paper) PROS: Can handle all kitchen scraps - including meat Quick acting No smell (if done perfectly) CONS: Labor intensive (turning) Intensive monitoring of temperatures w/ trouble-shooting needed to maintain in the proper zone
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AEROBIC Lasagna method (not cake) – layering brown and green Tumbler
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VERMICULTURE Worm farming Worm castings are worm poop Vermicompost is the byproduct of work farming; worm castings, micro- organisms, decomposed food, plant, and paper materials.
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FOOD SAFETY » Compost Science & Utilization, (2001), Vol. 9, No. 1, 38-49 » 144 hrs to eliminate human pathogens (fecal coliform, salmonella, viruses) whereas other methods have double to 6x’s as many issues » Worms eat everything – including pathogens, what they don’t digest, other microorganisms do – thus, a base of soil is important to healthy compost
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WORM TYPES Red worms – eisenia fetida (use proper name!) Earthworms – lumbricus terrestris
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WORM ANATOMY Both have anterior (mouth) and posterior (anus) ends with 120-170 segments covered in small hairs (setae) that help the worm move Postomium – a flap over the mouth of the worm used to filter food; can be seen via a microscope Clitellum – smooth part, reproductive organs 5 hearts just before the digestive track Breath through their skin – which must stay wet for the process to work No eyes! But light sensitive cells in the front (signal to avoid light)
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WORM REPRODUCTION Reproduce to fill their niche Clitellum forms at 4-6 weeks Worms have both female and male reproductive organs, but must rub clitellum to reproduce (cannot reproduce asexually) Cocoons form, the size of a match-head 1-5 worms per cocoon 2-3 week gestation period
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WORM FOOD Worms eat bacteria, fungi, and organic matter Food is ground up in the gizzard (like a bunch of rocks) Worms like: coffee grounds, tea leaves, mashed egg shells, fruits + veggies, Worms dislike: meat, citrus, dairy, fats/oils (butter too)
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TYPES OF BINS » Plastic bin (single layer or double layer) » Wooden bin (mesh bottom layer for self sifting) » Multi tier (vertical or horizontal)
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STARTER MATERIALS » Plastic bin » Drill + 1/8 inch drill bit » Sandpaper » Newspaper (non-glossy)
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VENTILATION » 1/8 inch holes » Spaced roughly every square inch around the boarder of the lid or top of the bin
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BEDDING » Tear one inch pieces of newspaper or printer paper » Fill bin » Spray until it feels like a rung out sponge
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SOIL + WORMS » Beneficial microbes » Digestion for worms » Approximately 2 cups soil » ½ lb worms » Soil, then worms, both spread evenly
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LETS BUILD!
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HOW MUCH TO FEED? » Their weight in food a day! » You have ½ lb – that means 3lbs per day, but your works will self regulate to fit their space and food supply » Shred as much as possible
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DO COMPOST » Potato peels » Carrots » Lettuce » Cabbage » Celery » Apple peels » Crushed eggshells » Coffee grounds (and filters) » Cornmeal/oatmeal » Tea bags
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DON’T COMPOST » Bones » Meat (poultry + fish included) » Cheese » Butter » Salad dressings » Citrus » Mayonnaise/dairy » Fried foods/oily foods » Glossy paper
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MAINTENANCE » Burry food » Never dump and run » Monitor moisture » Worms leave when they don’t like the environment » Dig through occasionally, see what they congregate around » Worms move to the center when too cold » Move to the edges when too hot » Move up the bin when too wet or acidic » Prefer a worm (68-72), damp environment » They will freeze
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ODORS » Check for rotten food and remove » Feed less often/smaller portions » Add dry bedding materials
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HARVESTING – LIGHT METHOD » Dump compost into mounds, shine bright light for 20 mins or so » Worms move to the bottom, harvest top portion, recombine to make knew mounds, continue until it’s mostly worms
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HARVESTING – SORT METHOD » Stop feeding for two weeks » Push compost to half your bin » Add fresh bedding and food scraps to the other side exclusively for a few months » Once worms have moved to the new food source, harvest the old half » Can use orange sleeves as well (filled with fresh foods)
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HARVESTING – THIRDS OR SIFTING METHOD » Worm activity will be primarily the top third of the bin » Shovel this portion off and set aside to start new bin or dump over strainer » Harvest remaining compost
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HARVESTING – STARVATION METHOD » Stop feeding worms for one month
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FINISHING » Store compost in a plastic bin or bag for 1-4 months until fully dried out » Seen as a “best practice”, although not necessary
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USE » Mix ¼ cup of compost into the bottom of your hole before transplanting » Sprinkle on top of soil, around the base of the plants, but not touching stems » Mix compost water with water, spray on leaves or water at base of plants
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RESOURCES The Adventures of Herman the Worm http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/worms/index.html Worm Woman www.wormwoman.com/ Worm World http://yucky.kids.discovery.com/noflash/worm The Burrow http://www.jetcompost.com/burrow Worm Birth Video http:yucky.kids.discovery.com/noflash/worm/multi/wormbirth.mov Worm Hearts Video http:yucky.kids.discovery.com/noflash/worm/multi/heart.mov Worm Bin Project http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/letsnet/noframes/teachers/jackie/B2U1.html Science Museum of Minnesota Online Worm Project http://www.sci.mus.mn.us/sln/tf/w/worms/worms/worms.html Worm Books www.cityfarmer.org/wormbooks81.html Worm Supplies http://www.cityfarmer.org/wormsupl79.html
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FEB 5 TH PD Taft HS 8AM-3PM Jeanne Nolan + workshops + give aways
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DREW THOMAS DMTHOMAS21@CPS.EDU
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