I GOT WORMS!

"I got worms."

"I beg your pardon?"

"That's what we're gonna call it: I
          Got Worms. We're gonna specialize in
          selling worm farms you know, like
          ant farms. A lot of people don't
          realize that worms make much better
          pets than ants. They're quiet,
          affectionate, they don't bite, and
          they're super with the kids."

This post is going to be all about THE worms, so if you are uninterested there will be more to read just another time....For now it is all about my garbage eating pets. That was also a quote from Dumb and Dumber if you cannot remember what movie that ridiculousness was in.

The time has come and I got the worms to put in my compost (finally) that I got for christmas! I am not going to lie, I am a little nervous to start these critters in their new amazing life because if you do something wrong, you will definitely know about it. Not enough food, they will get angry.  Too much food and it will get smelly, not enough leaves or dirt they are just going to go find somewhere else to live. So.....I am going to try my darnedest to keep it going perfectly.

Answers to common questions I have gotten so far: No I did not name them, there are just a few too many to get them all straight. What I do know so far is that they are quiet, and pretty affectionate. At least to the food that is being put in there.  Yes, they are specific worms, and not just any ole worm you dig up from the yard.  The breed is red wigglers and they are perfect for eating your food and turning it into the good stuff to later plant with.  They really like avocados, and not so hot on tomatoes, BUT there is still a lot more experimenting to come regarding their favorites.  This week to be added are egg shells, garlic shavings, and rice.  I know what you are thinking? Who is this nut bag that is talking about worms that eat garbage as if they are real people or maybe something resembling a dog? Well, it is me....unfortunately.  When I tell people that I have started this composting thing-a-ma-jig the response either goes one way or the other. No in between, but rather "Gross! You keep them in the house?"  OR  "That is pretty cool, you keep them in the house?"  Yes I do, currently that are in a very sealed composting bin in the kitchen just hanging out waiting for me to add in the the garlic scraps from the garlic shrimp linguini I made earlier this week. Picture of bin is just below, keep scrolling!

The set up was very simple.  With the compost bin came some dirt that you soaked in water, mixed with shredded newspaper and voila! The home for the worms are ready.  You just had to add some food that I had been saving, add some more newspaper on top of that and they should be happy as a clam.  For the amount of worms I have now, I need to add a 1/2 lb of food a week.  I think I am going to save much more then allowed since I going a little crazy with saving EVERYTHING because it is new and exciting and I am a 6 year old like that. Currently I have a couple piles that just keep growing and growing like an magic expanding dinosaur sponge when you add it to magic water.

You made it to the picture of the bin. Nice color green, right?  The bin in this picture is broken up into three sections. The bottom section is the stand it is on.  The second section has a spigot to extract any excess moisture, and this is full of nutrients to add to the house hold plants. Pretty pumped about that. The top layer has the worms and food and dirt and all of its glory. 

This is the picture of the worms in the dirt with newspaper. If you look closely you can see the little red wigglers hanging out. I was thinking about taking a video but thought that might really freak people out and they would never read this again. 

Last but not least, since we are on the subject of recycling and basically saving the planet like Clark Kent, I mean Superman, my sister is doing a project on environmental literacy. It's pretty neat, so here is a shout out to my sister's website, CHECK IT OUT! I should also mention she is in her last year of becoming a teacher at Michigan State, so this is one of her last projects as an undergraduate.

Flanagan out. 

**If for some reason you would like more info on all the worm stuff, I have great book full of info which helped me get going, the dealer (yes dealer) I got the worms from, and the company that makes the bin with start up kit. Just drop a line, I would be more then happy to lend my help. Or if you just have crazy questions because this whole thing is bonkers, drop many lines!

Now Flanagan out.