The Walden Effect: Farming, simple living, permaculture, and invention.

Worm Bins and Vermiculture

Earthworms are the easiest livestock on our farm, but they serve a very important purpose, increasing the fertility of our soil. We're still experimenting with the best way to incorporate them into our permaculture system. Start from the bottom to read our adventures in order.

Bathtub worm bin makes great compost
Posted Mon Jul 18 14:11:28 2022 by Mark
Homegrown Humus free (and garden update)
Posted Tue Mar 17 14:25:46 2020 by Anna
Gardening during drought
Posted Tue Oct 22 14:05:07 2019 by Anna
Second summer joys and trials
Posted Wed May 29 16:13:23 2019 by Anna
Worm bin pro tips
Posted Sun Apr 1 06:00:20 2018 by Anna
Worm Towers and In-Garden Composting, Utah Cold Desert, Zone 5
Posted Tue Oct 27 12:33:05 2015 by Sarah
Outdoor worm bin update
Posted Wed Oct 9 17:02:57 2013 by mark
Homesteading fantasy
Posted Fri Aug 9 15:46:55 2013 by mark
Silk moth sex
Posted Wed Jul 17 14:40:25 2013 by mark
Metamorphosis
Posted Sat Jul 13 14:50:33 2013 by mark
Worm bin design improvements
Posted Thu May 9 14:53:00 2013 by mark
Cleaning out the worm bins
Posted Thu May 9 07:37:36 2013 by Anna
Overwintering compost worms
Posted Sat Mar 9 07:40:20 2013 by Anna
What is aquaponics?
Posted Tue Mar 5 12:02:32 2013 by Anna
Outdoor worm bin winter update
Posted Sun Feb 17 13:40:37 2013 by mark
Under the drain out back
Posted Sat Feb 2 07:56:49 2013 by Anna
Worm bin euphoria
Posted Sun Nov 4 15:41:45 2012 by mark
Letting compost mellow for the worms
Posted Sat Sep 29 08:43:31 2012 by Anna
Worms Eat My Garbage
Posted Sun Aug 19 07:00:52 2012 by Anna
How much heat can compost worms handle?
Posted Mon Jul 16 06:59:51 2012 by Anna
DIY worm bin 3.0
Posted Mon Jun 18 16:11:41 2012 by mark
Seeding the new worm bin
Posted Mon Jun 18 07:12:26 2012 by Anna
Building a better worm bin
Posted Sun Jun 10 07:29:41 2012 by Anna
The Cadillac of worm bins
Posted Thu Jun 7 15:46:08 2012 by mark
Harvesting worm castings
Posted Fri Mar 23 07:34:35 2012 by Anna
Household biomass
Posted Wed Sep 28 12:00:44 2011 by Anna
Neglected worm bin
Posted Sat Aug 20 07:01:00 2011 by Anna
What to do with monster squash
Posted Sun Jul 3 08:36:57 2011 by Anna
Happy worms
Posted Mon May 23 06:47:24 2011 by Anna
How to run a worm test
Posted Fri May 6 08:18:25 2011 by Anna
Encouraging worm migration with recycled carpet
Posted Wed May 4 16:22:54 2011 by mark
Best strip cut paper shredder for making mulch?
Posted Tue May 3 17:23:33 2011 by mark
Waste cardboard as mulch
Posted Sun May 1 17:15:09 2011 by mark
Mid-scale worm bin problems
Posted Sun May 1 07:54:33 2011 by Anna
Do it yourself worm bin construction note
Posted Fri Apr 8 16:53:19 2011 by mark
Cold weather slows worm composting
Posted Sun Apr 3 08:46:17 2011 by Anna
Weekly worm bin maintenance
Posted Sat Mar 26 07:49:51 2011 by Anna
Worm bin, one month later
Posted Mon Mar 21 07:39:09 2011 by Anna
Stumbling homestead podcast
Posted Sun Mar 20 08:54:04 2011 by Anna
Foraging redworms
Posted Fri Mar 4 07:00:38 2011 by Anna
5 gallon bucket infrastructure
Posted Mon Feb 28 16:01:53 2011 by mark
How to use worm castings in the garden
Posted Fri Feb 25 12:00:36 2011 by Anna
Homemade trellis panel compost bin
Posted Fri Feb 25 06:54:54 2011 by Anna
Worm castings vs. compost
Posted Thu Feb 24 12:00:02 2011 by Anna
Worms eat food scraps after only five days
Posted Thu Feb 24 08:07:48 2011 by Anna
Feeding the worms
Posted Wed Feb 23 12:00:36 2011 by Anna
Worm bin bedding
Posted Tue Feb 22 12:00:40 2011 by Anna
Signs of perfect compost
Posted Tue Feb 22 07:54:20 2011 by Anna
How to make a large worm bin
Posted Mon Feb 21 12:00:35 2011 by Anna
Worm tea collection notes
Posted Sat Feb 19 15:50:39 2011 by mark
Filling the worm bin
Posted Sat Feb 19 08:54:19 2011 by Anna
Do it yourself outdoor worm bin
Posted Fri Feb 18 17:26:51 2011 by mark
How to buy 35 gallons of worms
Posted Thu Feb 17 20:40:40 2011 by mark
Pounds of worms
Posted Thu Feb 17 08:26:39 2011 by Anna
Morning winter sun blockage
Posted Wed Feb 16 15:44:52 2011 by mark
Wagon trouble
Posted Tue Feb 15 18:05:42 2011 by mark
Second load of food scraps
Posted Thu Feb 10 08:30:07 2011 by Anna
Preparing for the worm bin: Weighing scraps
Posted Sat Feb 5 08:10:58 2011 by Anna
Food scrap storage in the dungeon
Posted Thu Jan 27 11:48:11 2011 by mark
Operation food scraps
Posted Tue Jan 18 07:57:43 2011 by Anna
School worm bin project, part 1
Posted Fri Jan 14 07:34:46 2011 by Anna
Fellowes PS-60: Worm bin bedding machine
Posted Wed Jan 5 07:55:05 2011 by Anna
Worm bin failures
Posted Thu Dec 30 12:00:31 2010 by Anna
Large worm bins are resilient
Posted Fri Dec 3 11:00:50 2010 by Anna
Mid-scale worm bin management
Posted Thu Dec 2 11:00:39 2010 by Anna
Setting up a new worm bin
Posted Wed Dec 1 11:00:01 2010 by Anna
Worm towers
Posted Wed Dec 1 08:12:23 2010 by Anna
Planning a worm bin
Posted Tue Nov 30 11:00:46 2010 by Anna
Worm Cafe
Posted Mon Nov 29 11:00:27 2010 by Anna
Garden cart worm bin notes
Posted Wed Jun 30 20:11:46 2010 by mark
Garden cart worm bin
Posted Fri May 14 15:37:52 2010 by mark
Do it yourself bathtub worm bin
Posted Thu May 13 16:33:53 2010 by mark
Citrus roots range wide but not deep
Posted Sun Apr 4 08:19:17 2010 by Anna
Sources of compost
Posted Wed Mar 31 07:52:09 2010 by Anna
Stocking up and preparing for fall
Posted Wed Sep 23 07:29:33 2009 by Anna
Best home made worm bin design
Posted Thu Sep 17 17:30:28 2009 by mark
Do it yourself worm bin table design
Posted Wed Sep 16 16:27:36 2009 by mark
Feeding the Dwarf Meyer Lemon
Posted Thu Sep 10 19:01:02 2009 by Anna
Animal lessons
Posted Wed Sep 2 12:00:07 2009 by Anna
Use moderation with animals
Posted Sat Aug 15 12:00:22 2009 by Anna
Find sources of fertility
Posted Thu Aug 13 12:00:24 2009 by Anna
Dirty little secret
Posted Tue Jun 23 07:40:54 2009 by Anna
Earthworms in permaculture
Posted Fri May 22 10:58:39 2009 by Anna
How to encourage worms in the garden
Posted Thu May 21 12:31:41 2009 by Anna
Are my earthworms invasive?
Posted Wed May 20 09:49:21 2009 by Anna
Problems caused by invasive earthworms
Posted Tue May 19 11:59:53 2009 by Anna
Do we have native earthworms?
Posted Mon May 18 11:54:00 2009 by Anna
Garden images
Posted Sat May 9 09:06:10 2009 by Anna
Worms in permaculture
Posted Wed May 6 11:12:05 2009 by Anna
Worm Bin Question
Posted Mon Apr 6 07:24:10 2009 by Anna
Compost Tea
Posted Wed Jan 14 06:36:35 2009 by Anna
Arrival of the worms
Posted Sat Dec 20 08:03:32 2008 by Anna
News bites
Posted Fri Dec 5 08:51:53 2008 by Anna
How to make a worm bin
Posted Tue Dec 2 16:53:38 2008 by Anna


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About us: Anna Hess and Mark Hamilton spent over a decade living self-sufficiently in the mountains of Virginia before moving north to start over from scratch in the foothills of Ohio. They've experimented with permaculture, no-till gardening, trailersteading, home-based microbusinesses and much more, writing about their adventures in both blogs and books.



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I really want to do this as well. We are trying to become just like you guys. My chickens come in the mail next week! 25 and we are building a coop this weekend. I also bought some bee hives at an auction last weekend but am not sure I can use the frames or if I need to by new ones. Trying to clean them today but it is not going so well! But worms!!! If i could afford them I would buy some. Money is tight here as well with three kids and trying to become more self sustaining. Our seedlings are getting spindly as well this year. Hey have you guys ever used a soil blocker? I think this would be an awesome way to get seeds started. I am excited to have found your site. I look forward to learning more from you and becoming friends. Thanks and have a blessed day! Oh, so they worms? Then need to live in the house with us? hehe I guess I could live with that.
Comment by Janet Tue Apr 28 15:22:23 2009

We got our worms for free from a friend. Once they get going, you tend to have enough to give a start to someone --- you might ask your friends with worm boxes if anyone has a start for you. (Ours haven't gotten that numerous yet, unfortunately.)

You will need to keep it in a place above 50 degrees F, but in the summer that can be outside in the shade. (Not in the sun!)

Comment by anna Wed Apr 29 06:49:29 2009





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