Worm Farming

Good quality worm castings require a healthy feedstock for the worms.  In order for the end product to have all the essential minerals required for healthy growth, they must be present in the feedstock.  Our multi-step process includes the following ingredients in order to ensure healthy activity and growth of the worms and bacteria and ensures a balance of nutritional components in the end product:

• Composted Landscape Waste - Provides humic acids and is packed with bacteria that are actively breaking down the woody materials.
• Composted Fruits and Vegetables - Sugars, enzymes and nutrients in vegetables and fruits are excellent at speeding decomposition of the feedstock.  Also, sugars and plant based lipids present in this ingredient make a healthier environment for the worms.
• Partially Composted Paper Products - Commonly used as a bedding for the worms, cardboard and other unpigmented paper products give structure to the bedding and are also consumed in the process of generating worm castings.
• Oyster Shell Flour (0.36/0.00/0.00) - Packed with calcium, magnesium and zinc, oyster shell also buffers the acidity of the soil and provides micronutrients.
• Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth (FGDE) - FGDE is fossilized algae and it reduces insect activity in the compost, including flies and any creatures with an exoskeleton.
• Mineral Rock Powder - Provides a broad spectrum of micronutrients and secondary minerals required for growth.  Sourced from volcanic ash, or glacial rock dust, this ingredient provides micronized silica and a
• Fish Emulsion - Although it is expensive, it does provide a positive balance of NPK in an easily available format, which speeds decomposition of the more complex forms of the nutrients by feeding the bacterial activity which is involved in their breakdown.
• Molasses - Complex sugars and vitamins present in molasses are an integral part of the fermentation process that we use to prepare the compost for rapid decomposition.
• Granite Dust - Provides a phosphorous in it's elemental form and trace elements.  It also improves porosity and texture during the composting process.
• Bio-active Clay - Clay contains high concentrations of silica and other minerals with a microscopic particle size which increases bio-availability.
• Bone Meal - High in potassium and calcium, bone meal is highly digestible for the worms and keeps them healthy and productive.
• Blood Meal - High in nitrogen and iron, blood meal is beneficial for the worms and helps with the decomposition of the lignans in the woody materials by providing nitrogen which the bacteria use to break down the more carbon rich forms of protein in the feedstock.

By using natural sources that are compatible with the bacterial processes involved with composting and are easily digestible by the worms, we are ensured that the end product will have a good balance of the three major elements of growth (nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous), all secondary elements (calcium, zinc, sulphur, iron and magnesium) and even trace elements such as manganese, boron and copper.  Additionally, the nutrients in the final product are primarily water soluble and are easily absorbed through roots and leaves of growing plants.

The Process

We begin with a lactic bacteria culture containing a variety of bacteria commonly used in agriculture to ferment silage.  We cultivate colonies of the microorganisms in an anaerobic environment using agricultural molasses.  Once the colonies are fully activated and at their maximum populations, we combine the bacterial culture with macerated fruits and vegetables and return it to an anaerobic environment. This process improves digestibility of the vegetable matter and reduces occurrence of uncontrolled aerobic growth once the feedstock is introduced to the well-aerated environment that the worms prefer.

After the secondary ferment is completed, the feedstock is mixed and aerated.  Previous batches of compost provide additional bacterial activity, which further accelerates the decomposition process.  This step consists of the actual composting of the material.

Once the bacterial processes pass peak activity, which usually only requires a few weeks, the worms are added and the mix is kept well aerated and with appropriate levels of moisture for maximum worm activity. 

Some benefits of this approach

All nutrients are available in the exact form that they are found in nature, and in the precise quantities that the plants require them.  In our operation, this allows us to use a completely inert growing medium, which reduces the likelihood of a soil borne disease or pest infestation.

Beneficial bacteria and chemical compounds present in worm castings are also protective against pathogenic microorganisms and diseases.  Stronger, healthier plants are more resistant to disease and more capable of producing fruit under adverse conditions.

Additionally, we are converting waste products from various industries into an incredible product for plant enthusiasts and for people who enjoy delicious fruits and vegetables or who admire beautiful plants.



References:

• Today's Homeowner - natural sources of potassium
• The Helpful Gardener - NPK levels in compost ingredients
• The Gardener - fertilizer basics
• The Tasteful Gardener - Worm Castings
• CalRecycle - Vermicomposting page
• WormFancy - Vermicomposting articles
• EPA - Composting Page
• Azomite mineral composition
• EM1 Effective Microorganisms
• Naturesafe Fertilizers - Fertilizer research
• Worm Facts - red worms
• redworm composting
• vermicomposters 
• Lactobacillus Serum - The unconventional farmer