Want to Start a Commercial Worm Farm Business or Vermicomposting Operation?
Growing Your Worm Farm?
Demand for worms, worm castings and worm-related products is growing rapidly, thanks to the boom in the organic growing movement, the COVID-related surge in interest in gardening, and legalization of cannabis in an increasing number of US states.
The motivation to recycle organic waste and live a Zero Waste lifestyle is also a driving factor behind the resurgence in interest in vermicomposting coupled with composting to provide a valuable organic fertilizer.
What Is Your Worm Farming Objective?
Everyone's ideas and constraints are a little different. And those differences significantly effect how you plan to scale your operation.
While worm farming, aka vermiculture, is generally understood as the raising of earthworms for profit, it is often used interchangeably with vermicomposting, the practice of using earthworms to recycle organic waste into a valuable soil amendment.
Your objective may be one or more of the following:
- Building a for-profit worm castings business
- Growing worms for the bait industry
- Installing a vermicomposting program at your school or university
- Recycling your farm's organic waste
- Manufacturing goods or equipment
If this describes your situation, you will find something useful on this page.
How to Use This Resource Page
Use this page like a toolbox. Take what you need.
Leave what you don't.
Some of you are just exploring. Others are ready to take the plunge. I want to help you reach a situation where you are investing rather than risking your time and money.
In no case should you be putting your financial security at risk on a whim.
Note: While I may financially benefit if you choose some of the paid tools on this page like books, memberships, or product sales, I pledge to NOT lead you into a situation for which I believe you are unprepared.
Business Tool Navigation
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Register for the Urban Worm Network
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Read Interviews with Experts
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Buy Discounted Worms in Bulk
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Read the On-Farm Manual of Vermicomposting
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Learn About the Michigan SoilWorks CFT
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Join the Worm Farming Alliance
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Attend the NCSU Vermiculture Conference
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Read The Worm Farmer's Handbook
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Use the Urban Worm Calculator
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Sign Up for the Elite Breeding Course
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Become an Urban Worm Bag Reseller
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Contact the Urban Worm Company
Register Your Business on the Urban Worm Network
Free to $29 for a Network Pro Listing
The Urban Worm Network is a free interactive map of vermicomposters and worm-related businesses around the globe. Small businesses see plenty of business referrals from their listing on the Urban Worm Network.
Free Visibility For Your Business
The Urban Worm Network gives you much needed visibility on Google and other search engines.
If you don't have an internet presence yet, an Urban Worm Network listing allows you to use the Urban Worm Company's web presence to get your business seen!
By registering your business, you can see quick results for local searches, and depending on your local competition, you can end up #1 in your area.
Worm Farming Alliance members get free access to an upgrade where you and I can work together to optimize your listing for local area searches. You can link directly to product pages and social media as well.
Read Interviews with Experts
Free
I interview business owners, both large and small, who give us a sneak peek into their motivations, processes, and industry-specific insights.
From the occasional farmer's market stand owner to one of the world's largest vermicomposters, you'll find something for every level of business you strive for.
Some of the best value in these interviews is the honest assessment of how difficult the path was for some of these business owners. Unlike what you may read on other sites, there is no easy path to success…..but there IS a path to success.
Learn From Vermiculture Experts Like….
Dan Lonowski
Owner and founder of AgTech startup Michigan SoilWorks, manufacturer of commercial-scale continuous flow systems
Heather Rinaldi
Soil expert and owner of the Dallas-area vermicomposting business Texas Worm Ranch
Francisco Niembro
President of Aldea Verde Lombricultura, a large scale vermicomposting operator and consultancy
Bentley Christie
Entrepreneur and owner of Red Worm Composting, one of the web's most influential and longest-running blogs serving the vermicomposting community.
And Many More!
Buy Bulk Worms At a Discount
8 lbs through 48 lbs+
The COVID-19 pandemic inspired a boom in interest in outdoor activities like gardening and fishing.
As a result, some of North America's largest worm sellers ran out of stock in mid-2020. Despite prices increasing by 30-40% in some cases, demand continued into 2021 and large online worm sellers suffered long-term outages to help recover their breed stock.
Well I'm glad to say that I have partnered with Meme's Worms near Valdosta, GA to provide bulk red wigglers and European Nightcrawlers to business-minded worm farmers.
Buy to Resell or Grow Your Own Stock
Some worm customers may only be looking for a few dozen at a time.
Buying in bulk and reselling in smaller quantities can be a very profitable business strategy. For bait worms, European Nightcrawlers are a great choice.
You may also be trying to grow your own vermicomposting operation. If so, buying in bulk can help you leap months forward in terms of vermicomposting ability instead of trying to get your existing worms to reproduce faster.
Which Breed Should You Choose?
Buy bulk Red Wigglers if your only objective is vermicomposting or if your customers want a smaller composting worm. Note: Meme's often sources from local 3rd parties and some of their stock has a number of Indian Blues mixed in.
Buy European Nightcrawlers if you want a dual-purpose composting and bait worm. These will also have much better species purity.
Read the Manual of On Farm Vermicomposting and Vermiculture
Free
The On Farm Manual of Vermicomposting is an extremely valuable free resource, detailing the various methods of vermicomposting, sources of feedstocks and bedding, efficacy of vermicompost and more.
Full of academic citation, familiarity with this work by Glenn Munroe of the Organic Agriculture Center of Canada is a must!
What's In the Manual?
The Manual of On Farm Vermicomposting and Vermiculture covers the following topics:
- The Basics of Working With Worms
- An Overview of Vermicomposting Systems
- On Farm Vermiculture
- The Value of Vermicompost
- Potential Income Diversification
I consider this to be one of the most valuable free resources for the vermicomposter looking to scale up a hobby-level operation or explore which vermicomposting method is appropriate to your situation.
Learn About the Michigan SoilWorks CFT
Free
A continuous flow system (CFT) is the gold standard in low-labor vermicomposting for mid- to large-scale operators. The Michigan SoilWorks CFT is the cream of the crop of CFTs.
I am pleased to partner with Michigan SoilWorks to serve clients with vermicomposting equipment and services like site design and procurement of equipment from other vendors.
Why Michigan SoilWorks?
The Michigan SoilWorks CFT is a modular, expandable system thanks to its precision design, allowing small operators a more affordable entry point from which they can expand without purchasing an entirely new system.
From the powder-coated structural steel to the stainless steel cutting bar and components to the hand-selected motor to the high-density polypropylene walls, the Michigan SoilWorks CFT is built to last.
New in 2020: The full CAD plans package for building the Michigan SoilWorks CFT is now available!
Join the Worm Farming Alliance
$67 Lifetime Membership Now Open for a Limited Time!
Started by Red Worm Composting's Bentley Christie, the WFA is a knowledge-sharing and support network of like-minded entrepreneurs. Membership is open to business owners of all sizes and those who are just exploring the commercial end of vermicomposting.
This used to be a monthly subscription but now WFA membership is available for a very low $67 fee.
Note: WFA Members also get the best drop shipping and bulk rates on the Urban Worm Bag.
Notable WFA Members
Attend the Annual Vermiculture Conference
$299 + Travel/Hotel
The one-of-a-kind NCSU Vermiculture Conference is a gathering of academics, business owners, and aspiring entrepreneurs.
Hosted by my friend Rhonda Sherman, this event's incredible value is its combination of insightful lectures and indispensible networking opportunities.
Conference Highlights
From lectures by leading academic Dr. Norman Arancon to the Worm Farm's Mark Purser to the ample social 
opportunities after-hours to hang out with attendees and speakers alike, this conference is not to be missed.
For me, it's not just about networking with people who can do you favors. It's about creating real relationships with people in a very small industry. If you are willing to engage with others, this event can't be missed!
Read The Worm Farmer's Handbook
Get the Cheapest Price on Amazon
Don't invent the wheel. Rather, learn about the practical experience of others with The Worm Farmer's Handbook written by NCSU Extension Specialist Rhonda Sherman.
Rhonda's book was released in late-2018 and is already considered a must-read among those who strive for a larger-scale vermicomposting operation.
What The Book Covers
Packed with information, yet very readable, The Worm Farmer's Handbook is a practical guide to starting and operating a vermicomposting and vermiculture operation beyond the hobby level.
Drawing on interviews with dozens of mid- to large-scale operators around the world, Rhonda details how to
- find the right production system
- choose the right feedstock
- avoid common pitfalls
- find and grow markets for your products & more
Use the Urban Worm Calculator
The Urban Worm Calculator is now free!
Free
This handy tool operates much like a financial calculator, telling you:
- how quickly your worms will reproduce
- how quickly they will produce worm castings
- the potential financial value of your worms and worm castings
- how many worms you can harvest and sustain or even grow your worm population
Before You Use the Urban Worm Calculator…..
This tool should not be the basis for any business decisions you make.
If you feed it unrealistic inputs, it will give you unrealistic expectations.
If this is understood, then have fun with it and see what's possible!
What The Course Covers
- Selecting bedding and bins
- Feeding
- Recordkeeping
- Cocoon hatching and counting techniques
- Prepping growout trays
Note: This course is for animal husbandry, not vermicomposting.
Larry is a trusted member of the online vermicomposting community and moderates Facebook Groups with over 40,000 combined members.
Resell Urban Worm Products
Free
Add the Urban Worm Company products to your online or brick-and-mortar store to add to your bottom line.
As most resellers do not buy in wholesale quantities of 60 or more, I offer attractive rates at bulk prices.
For those who do not want to carry inventory, I also offer the following programs:
- Dropshipping: Accept payment from your customer and have me fulfill the order
- Affiliate sales: Refer website traffic to the Urban Worm Company and receive 10% on sales of the Urban Worm Bag and all other Urban Worm products.
How to Profit from the UWB
- Register your business on the Urban Worm Network. This creates a user account on the website.
- Notify me of your registration and I will grant pricing on the site visible only to you and other resellers.
Notes:
- Worm Farming Alliance members receive the best bulk and drop shipping prices.
- Wholesale resellers will need to contact me for terms and pricing
Contact the Urban Worm Company
Free
While I do not offer consulting as a core part of my business, you may be faced with a situation or an opportunity where I might be able to help.
Through our partnerships with Michigan SoilWorks and Aldea Verde Lombricultura, I can help engage in site design and equipment purchasing for larger-scale vermicomposting projects and team with industry experts who can develop a solution within your restraints on budget, time, and scale.
How UWC Can Help
Site Design
Equipment Procurement
Worm Business-Related Posts
If you want to either start a business of explore scaling up a vermicomposting or vermiculture operation for profit or non-profit purposes, these articles will be helpful. For more beginner-level posts, I invite you to read the Vermicomposting 101 Series!
Red Wigglers Vs Indian Blues: How to Tell the Difference
There are some surprising discoveries new vermicomposters will make as they begin their vermicomposting journeys. Maybe it's learning fun facts about worms having 5 hearts. Maybe it's discovering that there are over 7000 species of earthworms and that only about 5 to...
Complete Guide to Continuous Flow Vermicomposting
If you have explored taking your vermicomposting beyond the hobby level, you have likely heard the terms “continuous flow through," or CFT vermicomposting bins. We worm people like our lingo and our terms can be a bit confusing, so this article will introduce you to...
Aerated Static Pile Composting: An Introduction to ASP
Vermicomposting is a wonderful way to mitigate our impact on the waste stream. But hot composting using the aerated static pile method is the most effective means to stabilize large quantities of organic matter, especially in a smaller space. This article is an...
Vermicomposting: The Ultimate Guide for the Beginner and Beyond
Welcome to the Ultimate Guide to Getting Started with Vermicomposting! I aim to make this page the internet’s top resource on taking you from complete ignorance about vermicomposting to being able to: Understand vermicomposting and how it works Explain the benefits of...
The Worm Farmer's Handbook: A Must-Read Book for Operating at Scale
The Worm Farmer's Handbook is a must-have book for anyone wanting to engage in mid-scale or larger vermicomposting or vermiculture for profit or non-profit purposes. This review will give a quick overview of the book, describe the structure of the chapters, and should...
Urban Worm Interview Series: Francisco Niembro of Aldea Verde Lombricultura
Today, I am thrilled to release this interview with my friend, Francisco Niembro of Aldea Verde Lombricultura, a large-scale vermicomposting company based in Queretaro, Mexico about 2 hours north of Mexico City. Today, I am thrilled to release this interview with my...
2018 Vermiculture Conference Trip Report
Phew! The 19th Annual Vermiculture Conference in Raleigh is in the books! It was an absolutely incredible weekend with lots of camaraderie, beer, networking, speakers, coffee, beer, food, and getting to know fellow worm heads. And more beer or tequila…..for some of us...
Moisture in the Worm Bin, Revisited
Every now and then, I think it's helpful to reevaluate prior assumptions about the basics of vermicomposting. There's no one way to do worm composting correctly for all situations, and if there was, nobody has written a book on how to do it just yet. One of these...
Urban Worm Interview: Dan Lonowski of Michigan SoilWorks
About a year ago, I watched a fascinating time lapse video of the assembly of one of the most attractive continuous flow vermicomposting systems I have ever seen. Some guy named Dan Lonowski of Michigan SoilWorks and Gavin Newton of Detroit-area worm castings producer...
Vermicomposting 101: Plant and Soil Benefits of Vermicompost
Some of us start vermicomposting to divert our household or farm waste away from the waste stream, and that is a benefit by itself. But what about the end product? If you're reading this, you're probably already aware that vermicompost, which includes the worm...
Urban Worm Interview Series: Soil Biology 101, Part II
In Part I of this interview about soil biology with Heather Rinaldi and Nina Folch, we learned some pretty crucial stuff about what constitutes excellent soil, how to recognize when it's good, and what to do about it when it's not. But the one thing we didn't even...
Urban Worm Interview Series: Soil Biology 101, Part I
I kind of always thought of soil as just "dirt", the stuff under the grass, the brown substance plants just magically grow out of. And it wasn’t until embarrassingly recently that I learned of the level of complexity that ecosystem that exists, or at least should...
What Causes Protein Poisoning and What to Do About It
A particularly devastating problem in a worm bin is protein poisoning, also called "string of pearls" or sour crop, evidenced by a serious deformation of the earthworms as their intestines rupture, inevitably killing the worm itself. So let's check out what...
Urban Worm Interview Series: Paul Piccirillo of Worm Farming Revealed
I'm thrilled to be interviewing Paul Piccirillo today. If you've poked around the web for information on vermicomposting and vermiculture, you've no doubt run across his vast library of helpful content at Worm Farming Revealed. Pauly's an interesting character. He's...
How Texas Worm Ranch Produces 10,000 Lbs of Vermicompost Per Month
Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to interview Heather Rinaldi of the Texas Worm Ranch. As luck would have it, Heather and I hit it off over our e-mail exchanges and that interview turned out to be one of my most popular yet. Though vermicomposters tend to be...
How Do I Know If My Vermicompost is Ready to Harvest?
A common vermicomposting conundrum is how to recognize when your vermicompost is finished and ready to harvest your worm castings. This is a tough question, especially if you don’t have a system like the Urban Worm Bag, the Urban Worm Company's own worm bin which...
Urban Worm Interview Series: Part III with Bentley Christie
I am really excited about Part III of the Urban Worm Interview Series with fellow Bentley Christie. We dig fairly deep into the world of online entrepreneurship and how to gain traction on the web. For vermcomposters specifically, I'm not sure that the audience for...
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...
Urban Worm Interview Series: Bentley Christie
I am thrilled, humbled, and a little nervous to interview a guy like 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...
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...