Different soils have different species of earthworms and choosing a local or native species of earthworm for a given soil type and for vermicomposting is an important step. There is no necessity to import or transfer earthworms from elsewhere. The advantages of using local varieties of earthworms are many. It is not advisable to use alien species as history is littered with examples of confrontations between indigenous and foreign organisms. Although the introduction of foreign species of earthworms has time and again been justified by a few scientists, it is inadvisable and undesirable to tamper with the local biodiversity.
Collecting local varieties of earthworms is a very simple and pleasurable job for a Earthworm Farmer. Soil near organically maintained trees or open culverts carrying organic wash water from domestic kitchens or restaurants, where worms are generally noticed and which is rich in vermicastings, is first identified. Handfuls of cattle dung are scattered over a one m2 area, followed by hay or leaf litter, and covered with an old jute cloth or jute bag. The place is kept moist by regular watering (not flooding with water). In about a fortnight’s time, both surface and sub-surface worms may be observed in that place. The worms should then be transferred for culture along with some quantity of native soil. This ensures not only survival but also the passive inoculation of cocoons from the area of collection.
If the first attempt is not very successful, then 1 kg of jaggery and 1 kg of
fresh cow dung dissolved in 20 litres of non-saline water should be applied to
that area once or twice a week to attract earthworms. (Do not try this on places
where there are absolutely no earthworms.)
Original Source: http://tcdc.undp.org/sie/experiences/vol3/Raising%20earthworms.pdf
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Earthworm Farming using Vermicompost
The compost prepared by using earthworms is called vermicompost. Vermicompost is very important aspect of an organic farming package. It is very easy to prepare a vermicompost and should be harmless to plants.
While vermiculture is culture of the earthworms, vermicastings are faecal matter released by the earthworms.
Earthworm can be raised in different type of shed, tank or even in container or basket. A compost pit of any convenient dimension can be dug in soil of Garden, back yard, corp field. In a city or unavailability of soil, you can make a tank with cement of size 2m x 1m x .75m, which is very easy to manage. When making Earthworm Raising vermiculture, Either plastic, wooden or rubber container can also used to do so. Just remember to enable water which is sprayed to the vermicompost to drain out.
The vermibed comprises a base layer of small peace of stone, bricks mixed with sand and thickness of 6 to 7.5 cm, which will allow you to keep your drainage system on your earthworm culture. On top of this layer, add minimum 15cm thickness of local soil and add 75 to 100 number of locally found Earthworms. One should also place
small quantities of cattle dung at different places on the soil and top it with a
layer of straw or hay not exceeding 10 cm. These serve as feed providing
nitrogen and carbon to the worms for their growth and multiplication.
The earthworm pit is to be in the shade or covered with fronds or old jute bags and liberally watered. The weep holes at the bottom, in the case of containers and tanks, will enable excess water to run out. The entire bed must be kept moist, but should not be soggy. The moisture should be maintained at a regular degree for about thirty days after the introduction of the worms. During this period, the earthworms multiply in number and then one can commence laying organic wastes or domestic refuse layer by layer periodically on the vermibed. As the organic waste is deposited, it decomposes and is gradually digested through the intestines of the earthworms.
The organic wastes in the pit may be turned over occasionally. Once the pit is filled up completely and the composting is complete, one can reduce the use of water, so that the earthworms migrate below. The rich compost can be removed and the process started all over again on the same vermibed. Passage of material through the earthworm gut converts the locked-up minerals into available forms which are readily assimilable by plants. This is made possible by a large number of microflora in the gut of earthworms. Moreover, castings produced by the earthworms have a bacterial population nearly 100 times higher than in the surrounding soils.
While vermiculture is culture of the earthworms, vermicastings are faecal matter released by the earthworms.
Earthworm can be raised in different type of shed, tank or even in container or basket. A compost pit of any convenient dimension can be dug in soil of Garden, back yard, corp field. In a city or unavailability of soil, you can make a tank with cement of size 2m x 1m x .75m, which is very easy to manage. When making Earthworm Raising vermiculture, Either plastic, wooden or rubber container can also used to do so. Just remember to enable water which is sprayed to the vermicompost to drain out.
The vermibed comprises a base layer of small peace of stone, bricks mixed with sand and thickness of 6 to 7.5 cm, which will allow you to keep your drainage system on your earthworm culture. On top of this layer, add minimum 15cm thickness of local soil and add 75 to 100 number of locally found Earthworms. One should also place
small quantities of cattle dung at different places on the soil and top it with a
layer of straw or hay not exceeding 10 cm. These serve as feed providing
nitrogen and carbon to the worms for their growth and multiplication.
The earthworm pit is to be in the shade or covered with fronds or old jute bags and liberally watered. The weep holes at the bottom, in the case of containers and tanks, will enable excess water to run out. The entire bed must be kept moist, but should not be soggy. The moisture should be maintained at a regular degree for about thirty days after the introduction of the worms. During this period, the earthworms multiply in number and then one can commence laying organic wastes or domestic refuse layer by layer periodically on the vermibed. As the organic waste is deposited, it decomposes and is gradually digested through the intestines of the earthworms.
The organic wastes in the pit may be turned over occasionally. Once the pit is filled up completely and the composting is complete, one can reduce the use of water, so that the earthworms migrate below. The rich compost can be removed and the process started all over again on the same vermibed. Passage of material through the earthworm gut converts the locked-up minerals into available forms which are readily assimilable by plants. This is made possible by a large number of microflora in the gut of earthworms. Moreover, castings produced by the earthworms have a bacterial population nearly 100 times higher than in the surrounding soils.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Keep Away Predators From Worm Farm
Keeping Away Predators From Farm of Worm. Either Earthworm or Other Worm You are Rising in Your Firm
It may seem ironic that the very animals you may produce your worms for would also be the predators you have to protect your worm farm from. If you just give the worms away to the predators, there isn't much point in trying to raise them for profit by selling them to the people or businesses that use them to feed the very same types of predators!
You must keep other things from harming your worm farm, of course. One of those things is the medication residue that is left in the manure you may get from livestock farms to feed your worms. Allowing children unsupervised access to your worm farm could be hazardous for your worms.
Improper drainage is not a good thing for your worm bins. Using contaminated water to keep your beds moist is harmful. Using paper or cardboard shreds that have come in contact with pesticides is another bad idea.
But the predators can be fierce source of competition for any farm, including your worm farm. Many types of birds enjoy worms. Moles, hedgehogs, foxes, toads, snakes, beetles, leeches, slugs, and parasites all feed on worms. Parasites are another reason you have to be careful with the manure you feed your worms. Mites and cluster flies can be hazardous predators to your worms.
Anything that is a threat to eating the food you feed your worms can be a danger as well. Worms are voracious eaters, so if they aren't fed enough, they'll suffer or try to leave your worm beds. If another predator is eating up the food they need, you could suffer a great loss even if they aren't interested in eating the worms. If you have raccoons in your area, this may present a problem since raccoons are known to be great at getting into containers and figuring out latches!
There's nothing wrong with feeding birds even when you won't be making a profit from it. But you may want to encourage the birds to eat in other areas of your yard to distract them away from your worm beds.
If you have to worry about the neighborhood in which you live or if you live close to a public area, you may want to protect your worms from another type of predator. Thieves who want free fishing worms could present a problem. Sometimes even living in the country isn't a guarantee that you won't have trespassers. So, make sure your access to the worm bins doesn't make it too easy for unwanted visitors of any kind!
One way to protect your worm farm from predators is to invest in a shed that can be locked and is constructed to make unwanted access more of a challenge. Small birds can get into small places. If you can keep the floor clean, it helps guard against invasion as well. A concrete floor could be hosed off easily. You'll have more success at protecting your investment if you keep the container they are in off the floor by using something to provide legs of some sort that can also be set in a bowl of water.
Source: http://www.wormfarminginformation.com/farmcompost.html
It may seem ironic that the very animals you may produce your worms for would also be the predators you have to protect your worm farm from. If you just give the worms away to the predators, there isn't much point in trying to raise them for profit by selling them to the people or businesses that use them to feed the very same types of predators!
You must keep other things from harming your worm farm, of course. One of those things is the medication residue that is left in the manure you may get from livestock farms to feed your worms. Allowing children unsupervised access to your worm farm could be hazardous for your worms.
Improper drainage is not a good thing for your worm bins. Using contaminated water to keep your beds moist is harmful. Using paper or cardboard shreds that have come in contact with pesticides is another bad idea.
But the predators can be fierce source of competition for any farm, including your worm farm. Many types of birds enjoy worms. Moles, hedgehogs, foxes, toads, snakes, beetles, leeches, slugs, and parasites all feed on worms. Parasites are another reason you have to be careful with the manure you feed your worms. Mites and cluster flies can be hazardous predators to your worms.
Anything that is a threat to eating the food you feed your worms can be a danger as well. Worms are voracious eaters, so if they aren't fed enough, they'll suffer or try to leave your worm beds. If another predator is eating up the food they need, you could suffer a great loss even if they aren't interested in eating the worms. If you have raccoons in your area, this may present a problem since raccoons are known to be great at getting into containers and figuring out latches!
There's nothing wrong with feeding birds even when you won't be making a profit from it. But you may want to encourage the birds to eat in other areas of your yard to distract them away from your worm beds.
If you have to worry about the neighborhood in which you live or if you live close to a public area, you may want to protect your worms from another type of predator. Thieves who want free fishing worms could present a problem. Sometimes even living in the country isn't a guarantee that you won't have trespassers. So, make sure your access to the worm bins doesn't make it too easy for unwanted visitors of any kind!
One way to protect your worm farm from predators is to invest in a shed that can be locked and is constructed to make unwanted access more of a challenge. Small birds can get into small places. If you can keep the floor clean, it helps guard against invasion as well. A concrete floor could be hosed off easily. You'll have more success at protecting your investment if you keep the container they are in off the floor by using something to provide legs of some sort that can also be set in a bowl of water.
Source: http://www.wormfarminginformation.com/farmcompost.html
Mealworm Earthworm Farming Profit Compost Fertilizer
Mealworms vs. Earthworm Farming for Profit Gain and Compost Fertilizer Production
It's All About Getting Profit From Farming Worms. Either it's a Earthworm or Other Worms like Mealworms. Bellow I will talk about the Mealworms Farming to Get Profit in Cash or Supply for Pet!
Mealworms are scavengers. It doesn't necessarily make them a bad worm, but it does help to understand them. If you want to start a mealworm farm, you can find starters in damp, spoiled grain and grain products. Perhaps you have access to a grain bin of some sort, a grain processing plant, or can get infested cereal from a cereal factory.
The dark mealworm is the species found throughout the United States. Anyone who has found them in their flour or corn meal would not consider them friends! But in this instance, you can turn an enemy into a friend and gain a profit from the experience.
The trick to worm farming of any kind is to start small and work your way up. You have to learn your limits and gain experience, find a market for your mealworms, and become educated about your product. But anything worth having is worth working for.
People have been known to use the mealworm as fish bait or food for their birds or reptiles. They're people food in some places!
One interesting fact about mealworm farming is that powdery residues can build-up in the containers. This residue, also known as frass, contains mealworm eggs. You can separate this frass with a sifter of some sort once a month, keep it in a separate container, and feed it with raw pieces of potatoes or bran. It takes a month for the eggs to hatch.
Females are capable of producing up to 500 eggs, but the adults only live a short time of 3 months at most. They get their fluids from wet fruits like apples or over-ripe bananas and vegetables such as the potato or carrot. They also lay eggs on these foods. You can keep them alive and dormant at temperatures over 40 degrees. They prefer warm environments of 80 degrees to grow and change. So, don't plan on them reproducing at the lower temperatures.
Did you know you can eat mealworms raw and live? Ok, it's not your average meal, but it's healthy and is encouraged in other countries. If you want the benefits, but can't stomach the thought, maybe you could try baking them or turning them into flour to use in other recipes. Just spread them on a lightly greased baking sheet and cook for up to 3 hours at 200 degrees. They're done when brittle. Toss them into a blender or grinder until they resemble wheat germ. If nothing else, you could safely serve them to that irritating cousin just for a laugh. It can be your little secret!
Meal worm farming is one of the cheapest worm farming you can enter. It's a great way to experiment and can be a safe way to feed your pets something natural and healthy. You could add the worms to your dog or cats diet by using the flour to make your own dog or cat food. Safe, natural, and healthy is the wave of the future.
Source: http://www.wormfarminginformation.com/wormmanwormfarm.html
It's All About Getting Profit From Farming Worms. Either it's a Earthworm or Other Worms like Mealworms. Bellow I will talk about the Mealworms Farming to Get Profit in Cash or Supply for Pet!
Mealworms are scavengers. It doesn't necessarily make them a bad worm, but it does help to understand them. If you want to start a mealworm farm, you can find starters in damp, spoiled grain and grain products. Perhaps you have access to a grain bin of some sort, a grain processing plant, or can get infested cereal from a cereal factory.
The dark mealworm is the species found throughout the United States. Anyone who has found them in their flour or corn meal would not consider them friends! But in this instance, you can turn an enemy into a friend and gain a profit from the experience.
The trick to worm farming of any kind is to start small and work your way up. You have to learn your limits and gain experience, find a market for your mealworms, and become educated about your product. But anything worth having is worth working for.
People have been known to use the mealworm as fish bait or food for their birds or reptiles. They're people food in some places!
One interesting fact about mealworm farming is that powdery residues can build-up in the containers. This residue, also known as frass, contains mealworm eggs. You can separate this frass with a sifter of some sort once a month, keep it in a separate container, and feed it with raw pieces of potatoes or bran. It takes a month for the eggs to hatch.
Females are capable of producing up to 500 eggs, but the adults only live a short time of 3 months at most. They get their fluids from wet fruits like apples or over-ripe bananas and vegetables such as the potato or carrot. They also lay eggs on these foods. You can keep them alive and dormant at temperatures over 40 degrees. They prefer warm environments of 80 degrees to grow and change. So, don't plan on them reproducing at the lower temperatures.
Did you know you can eat mealworms raw and live? Ok, it's not your average meal, but it's healthy and is encouraged in other countries. If you want the benefits, but can't stomach the thought, maybe you could try baking them or turning them into flour to use in other recipes. Just spread them on a lightly greased baking sheet and cook for up to 3 hours at 200 degrees. They're done when brittle. Toss them into a blender or grinder until they resemble wheat germ. If nothing else, you could safely serve them to that irritating cousin just for a laugh. It can be your little secret!
Meal worm farming is one of the cheapest worm farming you can enter. It's a great way to experiment and can be a safe way to feed your pets something natural and healthy. You could add the worms to your dog or cats diet by using the flour to make your own dog or cat food. Safe, natural, and healthy is the wave of the future.
Source: http://www.wormfarminginformation.com/wormmanwormfarm.html
How to Make a Good Earth Worm Farm ?
How to Make a Good Earthworm Firm, Where is Other Worm Firm in World?
Worm farms on a large scale exist as follows: Arizona, Connecticut, New York, Oregon, South Carolina, Michigan, Montana, New Mexico-1 each. Florida, Massachusetts, Missouri, and the United Kingdom-2 each. Pennsylvania, Texas-3 each. Canada and Washington-4 each. California-15. Of course, there are many that aren't listed as major farms. Many people have their own backyard worm farms.
If you have wondered how popular or widespread worm farming is in the United States, or if you have ever thought of starting your own worm farm, you may find the following information interesting.
Any business, including worm farming, will take from 3 to 5 years normally to break even after their initial investment and maintenance costs. It's essential to be careful with your purchases and to do your research before jumping into any business. Careful consideration means a better chance of netting profits sooner.
What do you know about breed stock? You can find good breed stock in a city gardener's basement supply just as well as you can from any established breeder with the same type of worm. It isn't unusual for someone to try to sell breed stock at an inflated price in any animal business. The population can take as long as 90 days to double no matter where you buy your breed stock.
How many worms you should start with depends on several things. How much can you afford? How big do you want your worm farm? How much space do you have now? Are you investing as a second income, for a little pocket money, or are you hoping to grow into a big worm farm? Can you shield your worms from temperature changes? Will you be willing and able to ship your worms elsewhere for selling?
Some helpful information to know is:
1. Worms are sensitive to pressure changes in weather. Finding them in the lid of your worm bin before it rains is no reason to panic.
2. Ants will be more likely to enter your worm bins if the bedding is dry or highly acidic. Raise the moisture content or keep the legs of your stand in a container of water. You could try applying petroleum jelly around the legs or adding some garden lime near the ant gathering spot.
3. Cover your fresh worm food with the soil in the bed or lay a layer of wet newspaper over it to get rid of vinegar flies. If you feed your worms too much for them to finish each day, it will invite the little flies, too.
4. A smelly worm bin is a sign that you may be feeding your worms too much for them to digest quickly. Stir the waste lightly to allow air flow and space for the worms to travel more easily and feed less. It may take a little experimentation to figure out how much your worms can process efficiently. The amount will change as the worms multiply.
Worm farms on a large scale exist as follows: Arizona, Connecticut, New York, Oregon, South Carolina, Michigan, Montana, New Mexico-1 each. Florida, Massachusetts, Missouri, and the United Kingdom-2 each. Pennsylvania, Texas-3 each. Canada and Washington-4 each. California-15. Of course, there are many that aren't listed as major farms. Many people have their own backyard worm farms.
If you have wondered how popular or widespread worm farming is in the United States, or if you have ever thought of starting your own worm farm, you may find the following information interesting.
Any business, including worm farming, will take from 3 to 5 years normally to break even after their initial investment and maintenance costs. It's essential to be careful with your purchases and to do your research before jumping into any business. Careful consideration means a better chance of netting profits sooner.
What do you know about breed stock? You can find good breed stock in a city gardener's basement supply just as well as you can from any established breeder with the same type of worm. It isn't unusual for someone to try to sell breed stock at an inflated price in any animal business. The population can take as long as 90 days to double no matter where you buy your breed stock.
How many worms you should start with depends on several things. How much can you afford? How big do you want your worm farm? How much space do you have now? Are you investing as a second income, for a little pocket money, or are you hoping to grow into a big worm farm? Can you shield your worms from temperature changes? Will you be willing and able to ship your worms elsewhere for selling?
Some helpful information to know is:
1. Worms are sensitive to pressure changes in weather. Finding them in the lid of your worm bin before it rains is no reason to panic.
2. Ants will be more likely to enter your worm bins if the bedding is dry or highly acidic. Raise the moisture content or keep the legs of your stand in a container of water. You could try applying petroleum jelly around the legs or adding some garden lime near the ant gathering spot.
3. Cover your fresh worm food with the soil in the bed or lay a layer of wet newspaper over it to get rid of vinegar flies. If you feed your worms too much for them to finish each day, it will invite the little flies, too.
4. A smelly worm bin is a sign that you may be feeding your worms too much for them to digest quickly. Stir the waste lightly to allow air flow and space for the worms to travel more easily and feed less. It may take a little experimentation to figure out how much your worms can process efficiently. The amount will change as the worms multiply.
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