A Feast for the Worms

Here's an update on our worm farm. The newest residents to our seaside home have been settling in nicely inside their dark multi-level worm apartment farm. Soon we'll be able to nourish our garden with the natural fertilizer produced by the 1200+ worms. It's such a wonderful feeling to know that my green waste will actually be broken down by these wriggly creatures to make vermicast, a microbial rich humus that will create useful soil and essentially excellent plant food for my growing vegetables. I have greater peace of mind knowing that I will not dispose of my green wastes where it would end up in landfill and contribute to methane gas production and liquid leachate, both powerful pollutants.

Can-O-Worms // help from Coco during the unveiling // vege scraps aka worm food

Some things you may not know about worms:
- They're fussy. Just like you and I, they don't like certain food such as onion skins, citrus and garlic. However, dog poo is ok. Yum yum...
- Your worm farm shouldn't have a pungent odour. Likely causes of this may be overfeeding your worms or using meat or dairy.
- Overfeeding your worms can kill them and is one of the most common causes of worm death for people new to the process.
- Using thick wads of wet newspaper can be harmful to your worms, try to use one to two sheets of damp newspaper or a piece of hessian fabric to allow for aeration. Worm blankets are available too but honestly, I cannot justify the additional expense.

some of the 1200+ worms // worm farm tap // a shady corner of the yard

This is one tiny, important component of sustainable living. The vegetable peelings, corn cobs and unused seeds from my kitchen will feed the worms that will in turn produce plant food to nourish my vegetables. The vegetables will nourish our bodies and excess green waste will be returned to the earth in an eco-friendly cycle. I have no need for store-purchased fertilisers, nor will I be contributing as much to the production of greenhouse gases. It's simple living and it's brilliant.

Don't forget to enter my giveaway. Two short weeks remain to enter for a chance to win one of two copies of The Art of Raw Living Food. The lucky winner selects a second winner from the other entries!

Do you have any eco-friendly tips for a sustainable home? I'd love hear form you in the comments below!

Bella xx

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