Maria and I got up early to attend a lecture by Bill Richmond, founder of the Adirondack Worm Farm. We got excited about the benefits of composting worms in the house to eat garbage and creative fertilizer for our gardens and garden beds.
His lecture was fascinating, I learned a lot.
Alas, it didn’t work out. It was and is a great idea but takes more time and attention than expected. For example, Bill explained that worms die in temperatures lower than 40 degrees and above 80 or 90. Many foods are good for them, and lots aren’t. We are both working hard here day and night, and we need more time to monitor the worms closely and carefully or keep the temperatures in the house within fluctuating temperatures., which there always are.
We don’t need dying worms in our life. Most nights, both of us are exhausted as it is. We are learning to pare things down. I’m considering a plan to stop credit card donations and ask blog readers to continue their generous contributions to my blog and the Army Of Good via Paypal, Venmo, or checks. It won’t take effect if this happens while we figure it all out.
P.S. Credit card usage rates and security demands are getting so expensive that more than half of the contributions go to fees, not to my blog, the Mansion, or the refugee art students. I can’t afford it, and I want the money to go where it ought to go, for blog support or for Mansion and refugee support.
Almost everyone has access to Paypal and Venmo now, and those who don’t can mail their contributions—details to come if and when it happens. I’m talking to my website designers on Tuesday to see how this can work.
Bill Richmond.
Bill had a whole house, and the idea of using worms for composting was good. We’ll return to it in the summer and watch the concept. I’m disappointed. I was going to take this one on. It’s a good idea, but for us, too many things can go wrong, like learning that rats love worms and are happy to chew their way through plastic tubs to get them.
We are also busy every minute of the day. We don’t want to be killing worms.
Paypal may take a fee, too, for personal tranfers, as opposed to a business. They will ask the donor if they want to cover the fee. It would be helpful if that info is included in the donation instructions you have your website guys create.
Haven’t used Venmo, myself, so I don’t know if they do the same.
Every form of money transfer has a fee, Sue, paypal’s is one of the smallest, credit cards are the most expensive by far.
I didn’t realize worms were so *temperamental*! I wouldn’t tackle that project now either…….. yes the idea is good, but unless you could easily do it (perhaps outside somewhere)…… it would be like taking on a child to rear ROFL!
Susan M
That’s all you need is more rats.
I’m sorry the talk was so discouraging. That is not the case. I have had a red wiggler worm bin for about 10 years before i stopped (other reasons, not what he states) I kept it in my home which is about 55*-60* in the winter and about 5*-10* cooler than outside in the summer ( I don’t have central air) they did fine) I put everything in their but meat and dairy scrapes, just as you should not in an outside compost pile to not attract vermin. I also did not put more than one banana peel in it as from what I understand, too much of such is not good for them. I am a veretarian so everything else went into the bin. the only thing you have to watch is if too much nitrogen waste is in it, if so, just add carbon source such as some newspaper, cardboard, dry leaves, etc (brown stuff). My container is an old plastic storage box with holes drilled in the bottom for drainage. I taught this to school children when I worked in Extension. Look to your local Co-operative Extension, they most likely have information or can direct you to sources. As fall as your outside pile, do you add any manure or soil to the pile to get the microbes and other “critter” going in your pile? That may be what it needs, I don’t know exactly what the problem is, you did not elaborate in your post a few days ago. You have the wonderful bonus of having livestock which is also good. As I said, I’m sorry you were discouraged from starting a worm bin. Why do some folks make things more complicated than they need to be? If you wish, email me and I can send information if you want it. Good luck!
Thanks for your message, Marianna. It’s not for us, but I appreciate your message and experience. It is helpful and valuable. I’ve moved on.
We never got to get one we just went to a talk. Your message was helpful, and thank you for it but it’s just not for us right now we have enough things going on here to keep an army busy.