A farm in Tappahannock that raises chickens, pigs, and goats will be feeding its fish tanks with red wigglers! The system involves setting up a worm bin large enough to produce a steady excess of worms while maintaining a stable population. The compost will help grow plants to filter the fish water and I suppose will also go into the vegetable garden. I sold him three gallons of worm starter that, given a good environment and lots of “stall hay” from the goats, should be able to produce a half-pound or so of worms every week by next spring. I’m making some pretty wild guesses about time and quantities, and hope to visit his farm to see how it all works.

Most composting worms are sold online and delivered by mail. I sell “starter,” which is a bucket (from a quart to as much as five gallons at a time) of worms, well-composted bedding, and castings — a healthy, functioning worm colony full of worms of all ages, eggs, and all the other little bugs and microbial life forms that convert organic waste (kitchen scraps, leaves, sawdust, paper) into an excellent soil conditioner and fertilizer. Using starter instead of mail-order worms to start your own bin makes for a smoother transition for your worms and helps you avoid the troubles that new worm farmers sometimes have. Email me at peasantfare@gmail.com if you want to get started with your own organic garbage disposal!