start a worm bin
& cultivate great soil!
This week, we have our first eco-act of hope + purpose to share from the Union community! We hope you enjoy this tip from Bob Tissell:
“I have been sending my kitchen scraps to the worms for years in my home worm bin. I bought the first set of worms from a nursery, and I have been so successful that I now have 3 bins, and plenty of worms to share with others.
I use old insulated coolers I found at yard sales, often for free. These keep my worms warm in winter and cool in summer. Sawdust, shavings, or wood chips make up the bedding. ”
Bob says he would like to share his worms with anyone interested in starting their own worm bin. Message him at bertdonsell@gmail.com if you want free worms!
There are many different ways to build or buy your own worm bin (see below). The worms will eat up your food scraps and produce castings, or nutrient-dense compost. Sprinkle that (and any worm tea that you collect!) on your garden, add it to your potted plants, etc.
Here are a few more worm bin resources to get you going:
WSU’s Cheap & Easy Worm Bin — great tips, troubleshooting for a multi-bin system
Cornell’s “6 Easy Steps…” — very simple read for one bin
Mother Jones’ take — longer read but very informative, especially the part on harvesting the nutrient-dense worm castings
We hope your worms and food scraps flourish and transform your dirt into soil full of vitality and life! As Adrienne’s mom says, “Soil is a living ecosystem full of nutrients. Dirt is a four letter word”. (Yes, we know soil is also a four letter word…)