Feeding the Worms in a Worm Farm

March 11th, 2010 by anderseriksson

When most people think of Worm Farming, what comes to mind is usually basic information that’s not particularly interesting or beneficial. But there’s a lot more to Worm Farming than just the basics.

Naturally composting waste, providing an organic matter that enriches soil and even supplying hobbyists and fisherman with live bait. These are all reasons for worm farming. Taking care of the worms in a worm farm is typically quite easy but there some guidelines to follow. Proper feeding is important for the health of the worms, and therefore important for the health of the farm.

Worms are fed a variety of food items, and nonfood items, for composting. Some food type items that can be offered are fruits, vegetables, greens, bread products, cereals, tea bags, coffee grounds and filters and egg shells. The worms will eat just about anything so it is imperative to know which foods are appropriate and why.

Fruits and vegetables are easily composted by the worms. The important thing to remember when serving fruits and vegetables is the size of the portions. Fruit pieces should be cut down to 1/2 inch pieces or slices. Smaller pieces will be consumed more quickly. Food blended up with water will also help the worms find the food and consume it faster.

Fruits and vegetables are highly nutritious. Worms that are fed an appropriate diet will in turn produce a nutrient rich substance that is beneficial to crops, gardens, flower beds and even indoor flower pots. Some nonfood items that can be offered to worms for composting are paper products, cotton rags, hair clippings, leaves and soaked cardboard. A pizza box that has been torn up and soaked is a wonderful treat for worms.

When offering leaves to a worm farm, be careful to only use products that have never been treated with chemicals. For the safety of the worms, grass clipping and other yard clippings should be avoided incase chemicals have been used.

Dog and cat droppings can be used in a worm farm with care. Cats and dogs that have been dewormed recently will still have the substance within their bodies. The medicine used for deworming can be excreted in the droppings. If fed to the worms, the droppings can kill the worms quickly. If a pet has been dewormed recently, avoid using the droppings in the worm farm.

See how much you can learn about Worm Farming when you take a little time to read a well-researched article? Don’t miss out on the rest of this great information.

Care should also be taken when offering cat droppings from a litter box. Inorganic litters are unsafe for the worms. If your plan is to use the worms to compost the droppings, using a natural and organic litter will keep the worms happy.

While there are many foods that can be offered readily, there are also those that should be avoided. Care should always be taken with items that have been treated with chemicals, medications or other substances that may prove harmful.

Meats should not be offered to the worms in a worm farm. Being voracious eaters, the worms will gladly consume whatever meat is offered. The problem with meat is with the pests it will attract. Flies and maggots will be found in a worm farm that uses meat and the best way to eliminate these pests is to eliminate the use of meat.

Citrus fruits, onions and garlic should not be used either. The worms appear to find the smell of these items offensive. Most worms will try to escape the bin to get away from the smell. Dairy products will also attract unwanted guests into the worm farm. Another problematic issue with serving dairy products is the foul smell that is emitted as it rots.

Feeding worms is a pretty easy job. The key is to know which items are good and which are bad for the health of the worms. Another point to always remember is to not over feed. New worms should be fed in small amounts when they are becoming established within the farm. Once settled, the amount can be increased over time.

Over feeding leads to problems such as foul smells and pests. Keep feeding down to a minimum, offering new food only when the old food supply is running low. Worms can eat over half their body weight in food per day. The worm population can double every few months. Overfeeding can cause a problem but keep an eye on the population as well to be sure that underfeeding isn’t an issue.

A well fed worm population is a happy worm population. Happy worms produce a lot of naturally composted, healthy castings for soil enrichment therefore keeping the worm farmer happy as well.

When word gets around about your command of Worm Farming facts, others who need to know about Worm Farming will start to actively seek you out.

About the Author
Have you visited Anders’ latest site for adsense publishers? Download new fresh sites in this all new site, called Adsense Ready Websites

Understanding Worm Farming

February 24th, 2010 by anderseriksson

Some people ask, “Why in the world would I want to have a worm farm? There are plenty of other useful farms that sell vegetables, fruits, animals, and eggs. What good is a worm farm?” Well, it’s an understandable reaction. After all, it’s usually the quiet people in society that go unnoticed; so why shouldn’t there be quiet creatures that go unnoticed? People underestimate the value of the worm.

It’s true that there are worms that do damage to crops, animals, and people. Worms in your intestinal system are best flushed out. That’s why dogs and cats, even horses and cows receive worm treatments. These worms are taking away nutritional values the animals need to survive.

What about the good worms? The first reaction to a worm is, “Ewww, gross.” Or, “Is that a snake?” Well, understanding anything is the key to appreciating it more. No, a worm is not a snake. The good worms are not poisonous and have positive benefits that are not readily seen. They’re hard-working little creatures and deserve our respect.

So, what are good worms? Earthworms, compost worms, and fishing worms are good worms. Earthworms are found in rich soil. If your plants are healthy and growing, chances are there are earthworms down there toiling away to help make this happen. Those die-hard fishermen can tell you about the benefits of a good, fat fishing worm! Catfish and bream are two of the type of fish that enjoy worms. Let’s not forget the healthy birds that flock to your yard to sing and play for you and your children or husband. These birds eat more than just the seed in your feeder, which is a good thing since the seed will run out and be forgotten by the well-meaning providers. That’s where the worms come in to take up your slack!

Sometimes the most important aspects of a subject are not immediately obvious. Keep reading to get the complete picture.

People farm worms for useful reasons. But there are also reasons most people can’t accept in general society yet. Worms can be great food for people. Mealworms, earthworms, grub worms, butterworms, and tomato horn worms are all edible. There are restaurants in Singapore that offer worms as a meal choice. Worms are eaten in Thailand, Mexico, Australia, Africa, Asia, and South America. People who are trying to survive in the wild, like our military soldiers, are taught to eat worms as a source of protein. They’re low in fat, too.

Although people may not readily eat worms in America, worm farms can still provide a source of exotic food for those who do. The worms can also be shipped to other places, but the temperature has to be right so they’ll live during shipment and upon arrival.

Worm farms can also produce special food called “hornworm chow”, meal, and flours for use in cooking breads and cakes. Hornworm chow is sold as a powder for about $10 per 1/2 pound to feed about 85 worms to adulthood. This chow also feed chameleons.

So, as you can see worm farms are special and understanding them can be interesting and helpful.

When word gets around about your command of Worm Farming facts, others who need to know about Worm Farming will start to actively seek you out.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit my latest venture: GVO to claim your $1 trial membership!

Advertising Your Worm Farm

February 19th, 2010 by anderseriksson

Advertising can be the most expensive part of many small businesses. But without the proper advertisement, your business will struggle. Although word of mouth is and will continue to be one of the best sources of advertising for a worm farm or any business or service, you must consider other options as well.

Air time for radio stations can be expensive, as can newspaper or magazine advertisements. You may be limited in how often you can invest in either one. Start-up costs can be demanding in any business.

The sign for your worm farm business should be colorful, easy to read, informative, large enough to readily notice, and in the right place to be seen easily. Although a plain, small sign can still work, it is the bigger and more attractive one that will draw more interest. Think about it from the consumer viewpoint. If you saw a small, plain, black and white sign on one side of the street, and a big, colorful, sign on the other side of the street…….which one would be more likely to snag your interest? You want to be welcoming to the public with your advertisement.

Think about what you’ve read so far. Does it reinforce what you already know about Worm Farming? Or was there something completely new? What about the remaining paragraphs?

Another means of advertising your worm farm is flyers or bulletins. Many people will make up a huge stack of them and place them on every car they see until they run out. But you want to get the most out of every cent you invest in your advertising. So, before you run out and start shoving those flyers under windshield wipers, consider placement. Is the mom shopping with her two year old child in the toy store as likely to buy your fishing worms or your fertilizer as the person shopping in the hardware store or sports store? Grocery stores, Laundromats, your local Wal Mart, convenience stores, and even large construction businesses may be better places to distribute your flyers. You could ask store owners about posting your flyers in their windows. Try the local video stores, flower shops, and so on.

You could consider holding a demonstration about the benefits of your worm farm at the local library. They have story times and guests visit during the summer months to entertain the children. These children have parents and grandparents who garden and fish and own reptiles or birds who might need worms. Be sure to hand out color pages or bookmarks or something similar with a small bit of information for your business, including your phone number.

Magnetic signs that attach to the sides of vehicles have become more popular in advertising. There are thrift newspapers that have lower cost advertising. A booth at your local farmer’s market or in the local flea market may help get your worm farm noticeable with the public.

Make sure you check out your tax laws and your business license requirements for your area. Even if you have your worm farm at your house, you may be required to get a permit to sell your worms or the things you are able to produce because of your worms (like the tea, compost, fertilizers, etc.).

Hopefully the sections above have contributed to your understanding of Worm Farming. Share your new understanding about Worm Farming with others. They’ll thank you for it.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit my latest venture: GVO to claim your $1 trial membership!

Worm Farming: A How-To Guide

January 22nd, 2010 by anderseriksson

Often times when someone hears about worm farming for the first time they think about how it could easily generate revenue with little effort. Perhaps the thought of having a personal supply of nutrient rich soil for the garden or flower beds sounds appealing. Either way, it’s important to know how to set up a proper worm farm your specific reasons.

To understand how to set up a worm farm, the benefits worms provide must first be established. Worm farming provides nutrient rich soil yielding a higher growth rate for vegetables, flowers and other plants. A natural technique for composting with worms is beneficial to the environment as it helps eliminate the over filling of landfills. Some worm farms are established for the purpose of providing live bait to fishermen, exotic pet owners and even aquarium fish owners.

With the purpose of the worm farm in mind, the set up can begin. Worm bins are readily available for purchase on the Internet. Various sizes, shapes, and colors add to the selection. Current large scale worm farmers will often sell small set ups for a comparable price.

Other than purchasing a unit online or through a commercial worm farmer, set ups can be made at home out of a number of household items. Plastic tubs or large wooden boxes can be altered and provide a perfect home for these working worms.

Multiple layers are needed to provide a space for the liquid at the bottom. The liquid will run off the soil above and can be drained via a tap or hole at the bottom of the container. Within the upper layer of soil, the worms can move about towards the material to be composted.

The numerous models that can be purchased are also available for indoor use for those with limited or no outdoor space. Worm bins can typically be stacked for adding more worms later on.

Appropriate bedding will need to be provided for the worms to ensure a healthy life style. Peat moss or coconut fiber containing a small amount of compost material is well accepted. Bedding should always be moist for worms. Many prepackaged worm bins come complete with bedding and set up instructions.

How can you put a limit on learning more? The next section may contain that one little bit of wisdom that changes everything.

Location of the bin is important as well. Worms are unable to tolerate extremes in temperature. A location where temperature can be controlled between 72 – 75 degrees Fahrenheit, or choosing a fully insulated system, will help keep the worms healthy and happy. The level of moisture within the bin can be affected by location too.

When a unit is chosen and prepared, the worms will need to be added to start the farm. Various worms are readily available. Red Wigglers are the best choice for composting farms while European Night Crawlers are best for live bait.

When worms are purchased, they typically come with acclimation instructions. An important step is to be sure the bedding and unit are fully prepared before the worms arrive for placement within the farm.

Feeding the worms is the fun part. They can consume any number of items to be used as compost including fruit and vegetable scraps, egg shells, paper products, cotton rags, soaked cardboard boxes, leaves, dirt and hair. Items should be cut down to manageable sizes. Fruits should be sliced into strips for easier consumption by the worms.

Provide a layer of items to be consumed on the top layer of the soil. To avoid over feeding, only add more food when most of previously fed food has been eaten.

Worm castings can be found in the bottom layer of the soil. This natural fertilizer can be added directly to flower beds and gardens. A liquid fertilizer can be made by adding water to castings for plants and flowers that prefer to be fed directly at the roots.

Worm farming is relatively low maintenance. If the habitat is less than desirable, the worms will often simply crawl away in search of better living conditions. Keeping the temperature constant, moisture at an appropriate level and food readily available will help ensure a healthy and happy supply of working worms.

Those who only know one or two facts about Worm Farming can be confused by misleading information. The best way to help those who are misled is to gently correct them with the truths you’re learning here.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit my latest acquisition: Free Google Traffic System and make sure to visit my bonus site!

Worm Farms for Dummies

January 20th, 2010 by anderseriksson

The only way to keep up with the latest about Worm Farming is to constantly stay on the lookout for new information. If you read everything you find about Worm Farming, it won’t take long for you to become an influential authority.

The value of worms. They tend to be slimy, slithery things, but worms, and where they are cultivated–worm farms–play a crucial role in the ecological environment. Worms conveniently live and thrive under the soil they fertilize. A soil enriched by their presence tends to be good soil for farming, which farmers have known for so long. Apart from helping produce better crops simply by living in the soil, worms also balance our ecological space and help preserve our environment.

The concrete and specific benefits of worms are diverse. Fishermen makes use of worms are their fish-lures. Gardeners need worms for enriching their gardens. In some areas of the world, worms are part of the menu of edible produce. These are but a fraction of the many uses of worms, so it makes sense that people invest in building and taking care of worms in well-designed worm farms.

Worm farms are often constructed and maintained to make decaying and fertilized (food for farming) soil. Although this can be done in small scale in any backyard, the optimal set up (one that can be maintained for optimal produce) is the countryside. There, entire areas like barns are allotted to setting up worm farms that produce worms all year long. Think of livestock that doesn’t care much and is not affected by the weather, because they live under soil, and you have a good idea how neat it is to raise worms in a good worm farm.

Worm farms are simply plots of soil where worms are allowed to increase their numbers. So, setting up a worm farm, as has been mentioned, not merely becomes a source of income for some people (not all worm farmers are actually farmers), but also helps preserve nature’s delicate balance.

Those of you not familiar with the latest on Worm Farming now have at least a basic understanding. But there’s more to come.

Building a worm farm. If you fish a lot or are a gardening enthusiast, it would make sense to cultivate your own worm farm. That way not only will you always have a source of good worms (because you are aware of the conditions that you raised them), but you can even supply other people and earn in the process. Here’s how to set one up.

Get the right kind of worms. You can’t just get any worm and throw them on dirt. That won’t do. You want Red worms or Tiger worms as the usual easy-to-find worms won’t do. Visit plant nurseries near your area, they’ll probably have the worms you need.

Plan the worm farm well. You need some materials you can use to segregate your worms. If you don’t think you need a large worm farm, just use some waterproof large jugs. Otherwise, you can use plastic bins, wood, and even crates. Just make sure you don’t get materials that have been exposed to pesticides. So if you get materials from livestock-producing farms, you’d better be careful. So you might as well get stuff from your house or garage.

Putting the farm together. Use just enough soil for the quantity of worms you’ve acquired. The top bin must be lined up with old newspapers you shredded and then lined with soil once more. Add the worms and put there some scraps of food. The upper bin must be moist and kept away from bright lights. Now let the worms be for about 2 weeks to allow them to settle in. Then come back and add more scraps of food. Don’t overfeed your worms. Worms love cool and dark areas, you take off the cover to your worm farm only when feeding them and when pouring fresh water into the soil.

Avoid onions and citrus fruits as scraps. Stick to these tips and your worm farm will be thriving in no time.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit my latest acquisition: Free Google Traffic System and make sure to visit my bonus site!

Why Worm Farming is Important

January 20th, 2010 by anderseriksson

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.

If you base what you do on inaccurate information, you might be unpleasantly surprised by the consequences. Make sure you get the whole Worm Farming story from informed sources.

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.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit my latest acquisition: Free Google Traffic System and make sure to visit my bonus site!

Worm Farming is a Fisherman’s Friend

January 12th, 2010 by anderseriksson

When you’re learning about something new, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of relevant information available. This informative article should help you focus on the central points.

Red 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.)

How can you put a limit on learning more? The next section may contain that one little bit of wisdom that changes everything.

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.

It never hurts to be well-informed with the latest on Worm Farming. Compare what you’ve learned here to future articles so that you can stay alert to changes in the area of Worm Farming.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit my latest acquisition: Free Google Traffic System and make sure to visit my bonus site!

Worm Farming Predators

December 9th, 2009 by anderseriksson

The following paragraphs summarize the work of Worm Farming experts who are completely familiar with all the aspects of Worm Farming. Heed their advice to avoid any Worm Farming surprises.

It may seem ironic that the very animals you may produce your worms for would also be the predators you have to protect your worm farm from. If you just give the worms away to the predators, there isn’t much point in trying to raise them for profit by selling them to the people or businesses that use them to feed the very same types of predators!

You must keep other things from harming your worm farm, of course. One of those things is the medication residue that is left in the manure you may get from livestock farms to feed your worms. Allowing children unsupervised access to your worm farm could be hazardous for your worms.

Improper drainage is not a good thing for your worm bins. Using contaminated water to keep your beds moist is harmful. Using paper or cardboard shreds that have come in contact with pesticides is another bad idea.

But the predators can be fierce source of competition for any farm, including your worm farm. Many types of birds enjoy worms. Moles, hedgehogs, foxes, toads, snakes, beetles, leeches, slugs, and parasites all feed on worms. Parasites are another reason you have to be careful with the manure you feed your worms. Mites and cluster flies can be hazardous predators to your worms.

Knowledge can give you a real advantage. To make sure you’re fully informed about Worm Farming, keep reading.

Anything that is a threat to eating the food you feed your worms can be a danger as well. Worms are voracious eaters, so if they aren’t fed enough, they’ll suffer or try to leave your worm beds. If another predator is eating up the food they need, you could suffer a great loss even if they aren’t interested in eating the worms. If you have raccoons in your area, this may present a problem since raccoons are known to be great at getting into containers and figuring out latches!

There’s nothing wrong with feeding birds even when you won’t be making a profit from it. But you may want to encourage the birds to eat in other areas of your yard to distract them away from your worm beds.

If you have to worry about the neighborhood in which you live or if you live close to a public area, you may want to protect your worms from another type of predator. Thieves who want free fishing worms could present a problem. Sometimes even living in the country isn’t a guarantee that you won’t have trespassers. So, make sure your access to the worm bins doesn’t make it too easy for unwanted visitors of any kind!

One way to protect your worm farm from predators is to invest in a shed that can be locked and is constructed to make unwanted access more of a challenge. Small birds can get into small places. If you can keep the floor clean, it helps guard against invasion as well. A concrete floor could be hosed off easily. You’ll have more success at protecting your investment if you keep the container they are in off the floor by using something to provide legs of some sort that can also be set in a bowl of water.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit my latest venture: GVO and make sure to claim your $1 trial membership!

Advertising Your Worm Farm

December 1st, 2009 by anderseriksson

The following article includes pertinent information that may cause you to reconsider what you thought you understood. The most important thing is to study with an open mind and be willing to revise your understanding if necessary.

Advertising can be the most expensive part of many small businesses. But without the proper advertisement, your business will struggle. Although word of mouth is and will continue to be one of the best sources of advertising for a worm farm or any business or service, you must consider other options as well.

Air time for radio stations can be expensive, as can newspaper or magazine advertisements. You may be limited in how often you can invest in either one. Start-up costs can be demanding in any business.

The sign for your worm farm business should be colorful, easy to read, informative, large enough to readily notice, and in the right place to be seen easily. Although a plain, small sign can still work, it is the bigger and more attractive one that will draw more interest. Think about it from the consumer viewpoint. If you saw a small, plain, black and white sign on one side of the street, and a big, colorful, sign on the other side of the street…….which one would be more likely to snag your interest? You want to be welcoming to the public with your advertisement.

Knowledge can give you a real advantage. To make sure you’re fully informed about Worm Farming, keep reading.

Another means of advertising your worm farm is flyers or bulletins. Many people will make up a huge stack of them and place them on every car they see until they run out. But you want to get the most out of every cent you invest in your advertising. So, before you run out and start shoving those flyers under windshield wipers, consider placement. Is the mom shopping with her two year old child in the toy store as likely to buy your fishing worms or your fertilizer as the person shopping in the hardware store or sports store? Grocery stores, Laundromats, your local Wal Mart, convenience stores, and even large construction businesses may be better places to distribute your flyers. You could ask store owners about posting your flyers in their windows. Try the local video stores, flower shops, and so on.

You could consider holding a demonstration about the benefits of your worm farm at the local library. They have story times and guests visit during the summer months to entertain the children. These children have parents and grandparents who garden and fish and own reptiles or birds who might need worms. Be sure to hand out color pages or bookmarks or something similar with a small bit of information for your business, including your phone number.

Magnetic signs that attach to the sides of vehicles have become more popular in advertising. There are thrift newspapers that have lower cost advertising. A booth at your local farmer’s market or in the local flea market may help get your worm farm noticeable with the public.

Make sure you check out your tax laws and your business license requirements for your area. Even if you have your worm farm at your house, you may be required to get a permit to sell your worms or the things you are able to produce because of your worms (like the tea, compost, fertilizers, etc.).

There’s no doubt that the topic of Worm Farming can be fascinating. If you still have unanswered questions about Worm Farming, you may find what you’re looking for in the next article.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit my latest venture: GVO and make sure to claim your $1 trial membership!

Facts about Worm Farming

December 1st, 2009 by anderseriksson

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.

How can you put a limit on learning more? The next section may contain that one little bit of wisdom that changes everything.

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.

Now might be a good time to write down the main points covered above. The act of putting it down on paper will help you remember what’s important about Worm Farming.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit my latest venture: GVO and make sure to claim your $1 trial membership!

« Previous Entries