Bentley Interview Series Part II (1)

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Urban Worm Interview Series: Part II with Bentley Christie

In Part I of this interview with Bentley Christie, he talked about his flagship website redwormcomposting.com and how a little innovation helped his physical business in an unexpected way.  Part II is all about the Worm Farming Alliance, the group Bentley founded to provide collaboration and knowledge sharing to vermiculturists and vermicomposters who have moved – or want to move – beyond beginner status to a more advanced or commercial scale.

As a proud WFA member, I am proud to be part of such a selfless group of people and am always entertained by the personalities within it. I’ll save any further pontificating for the end!

For now, enjoy Part II with Bentley!

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Bentley Interview Series (1)

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Urban Worm Interview Series: Bentley Christie

I am thrilled, humbled, and a little nervous that Bw to find in the world of vermicomposting.

One of 3 known images of Bentley Christie

One of 3 known images of Bentley Christie

Bentley’s not a rock star because he has some pedigree or produces a massive amount of vermicompost.  Bentley is so revered because he is a bridge between the academics and the Everyman, using his online platform at Red Worm Composting to provide a hugely helpful fountain of knowledge that can be used immediately by vermicomposting beginners while being respected by academic heavyweights like Dr. Clive Edwards and Rhonda Sherman. See More!

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Urban Worm Interview Series: Patrick Cartwright

I have a soft spot for serial entrepreneurs like Patrick Cartwright.  They’re restless, never content with a 9-to-5 gig, and choose to forego security to pave their own path.  As owner of Red Worms Express in Owego, NY, Patrick has established himself – and rather quickly – as an honest broker and reliable supplier of 5 species of earthworms and a slew of organic gardening products.

 

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Patrick Cartwright Owner, Red Worms Express and like, 30 other businesses

The “honest” part is key.  Earthworm farming in particular has been plagued by unscrupulous buyback schemes that promise quick success and fly-by-night scam artists who are more than happy to take money for product never delivered.

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Urban Worm Interview Series: Heather Rinaldi

Other than this site, my main connection to the vermiculture and vermicomposting community is through the various Facebook groups I belong to.  Like most social media communities, the conversation tends to be dominated by very few people who post frequently.

But every now and then, this quiet, infrequent poster named Heather Rinaldi would add her two cents and it would catch my attention.  I don’t know if its the fact that she’s a talented writer, or just backs up her opinion with data, but there was something about her I wanted to learn more about.

So I asked around a little bit and here is what I found.

Most of us actually dabble in worm composting.

Heather Rinaldi is in full-on “Beast Mode.”

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The “Crazy Worm” Infesting the Upper Midwest and Northeast US

A common sighting in outdoor compost piles in the upper Midwest and Northeastern US is an earthworm that’s doing quite a bit of damage to the health of our forests.

The amynthas agrestis is a cousin of the Alabama Jumper, or amynthas gracilis, and while it appears to be an active vermicomposter, it is actually a huge concern for forest and wildlife officials who are concerned on its effect of depleting the forest floor of vital nutrients.

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Urban Worm Interview Series: Larry Shier

If you use Facebook groups as source of information on vermicomposting, then you know who Larry Shier is. He’s the guy who seems to answer about half the questions posted to the Red Worm Composting, Vermicomposting-Worm Farming, and Worm Farming Alliance groups.

More than just a worm expert, Larry is a Renaissance Man.  He’s a self-taught chemist/biologist.  He became well-versed in animal husbandry at an early age.  He owned a trucking company.  He’s been a bouncer, which is probably good training to become a moderator!

All along the way, he’s overcome circumstances beyond his control to succeed in every venture he’s tried.
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Urban Worm Interview Series: Mary Ann Smith

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Mary Ann Smith

It all started with a picture my new “worm friend” Mary Ann Smith of Valley View Farms posted to Facebook a couple years ago.  She had made some pretty awesome vermicompost and decided to experiment with different vermicompost-to-soil ratios and how they affected the germination and growth of cucumber seedlings.

And not only were the results amazing, so was the quality of the photos she took.
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My Highly Imperfect Worm Warming Technique

This post is a little late, considering the temps here in the northeastern US have already dropped into the 20s, but I’m seeing frequent questions via e-mail and the Facebook groups about keeping your herd alive outside the house for the winter.

Of course, I’m making the assumption that you have too many worms to bring in for winter and/or your spouse or Urban Worm Company Logo - vermicompostroomie has vetoed any new tenants indoors or in the garage.

Your situation will vary, but here are some ideas to keep your worms thriving – or at least not dying – until the winter thaw.

Tips to Keep Your Worms Warm

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Yo Philly! Worm Castings Are Now For Sale!

Visual Evidence of the Benefits of Vermicompost I’m thrilled to start selling worm castings and freshly harvested vermicompost in the Philadelphia area.  My facility is located in Montgomery County, PA which is also very convenient to Delaware, Bucks, and Philadelphia counties.

Worm castings are an insanely effective organic fertilizer for your garden and especially any plants grown in containers where the nutrient-rich microbe fest can’t leach out to the surrounding soil.

The benefits of worm castings include:

  • Slow nutrient release
  • Increased microbial populations
  • Increased microbial diversity
  • Pathogen suppression
  • Pest suppression
  • Disease suppression
  • Aids in decomposition of organic matters
  • Plant growth regulation
  • Earlier flowering
  • Greater yield

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Density: Worm Reproduction’s Forgotten Factor

Whether you just want to increase your vermicomposting capacity, you are planning a business or have one in operation already, you’ve probably asked yourself the following question.

“How can I make my worms reproduce faster?”eisenia-fetida-hands

I’ve noticed most attempts to answer this question center on very common guidelines concerning moisture and temperature. No doubt, these two factors are crucial.

But it’s just as important to keep worm density in mind. Speaking from experience, I can attest that maintaining a nice 80% moisture level and 77 degrees but stocking a 2.5 square foot grow bin with a half pound of worms is going to give you disappointing results if you’re trying to grow your worm herd quickly.

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2015 NCSU Vermiculture Conference Recap

It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.
John Wooden
Legendary UCLA Basketball Coach

I had an idea that the 2015 NCSU Vermiculture Conference would actually show me how little I actually knew about the world of vermiculture and vermicomposting. I just had no idea how right I would be.

After two days in Raleigh, I probably tripled my knowledge but realized just how far I have yet to go to ever be an expert in this field.

Many of you may be  curious as to what goes on at this conference, so I’d love to give you a recap and let you know a little of what I learned from each presentation.
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