From jenab@sunshine.ps.atl.sita.int Wed Nov  9 00:00:36 EST 1994
Article: 47251 of rec.gardens
Path: bigblue.oit.unc.edu!concert!gatech!howland.reston.ans.net!news.sprintlink.net!hookup!news.kei.com!yeshua.marcam.com!charnel.ecst.csuchico.edu!olivea!uunet!nntp.sita.int!sunshine.ps.atl.sita.int!jenab
From: jenab@sunshine.ps.atl.sita.int (Jena B)
Newsgroups: rec.gardens
Subject: Vermicomposting
Date: 3 Nov 1994 19:34:25 GMT
Organization: SITA
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Message-ID: <39be01$mt6@ash.es.atl.sita.int>
NNTP-Posting-Host: sunshine.es.atl.sita.int
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Hello all,
I was the lucky MG chosen to become the 'worm expert' in the Atlanta area.
I have already printed two post from a week or two ago, and have even
started a little 'worm box'.  Now, I would really appreciate any help,
comments, funny stories, success stories, etc. that any of you would be
willing to share with me.  I will have to compile all information into
a pamplet for the extension service, and will give credit where credit
is due.  I am also scheduled to speak at our Gwinnett County Master
Gardners meeting in March '95.  And some schools have expressed an interest
in having me come and speak about vermicomposting, and perhaps getting
the children started on their own project.  (won't their parents love
that!)

Thanks in advance!  Post it here, or e-mail me and I will keep everyone
up to date on the progress.

--
Jena Buttimer
jenab@es.atl.sita.int



From dmhinds@acnet.net Sat Mar 11 20:01:55 2000
Date: Sat, 11 Mar 2000 17:00:10 -0600
From: Douglas Hinds <dmhinds@acnet.net>
To: Bart Hall / Bluestem Associates <bluestem@webserf.net>
Cc: sanet-mg@amani.ces.ncsu.edu
Subject: Re: Manure usage on certified organic farms


Hi Bart and saneteers,

Saturday, March 11, 2000, 7:32:06 AM, you wrote what you wrote and I
agree with your logic.

On the subject of composting, I strongly suggest that vermi-composting
be given preference. Feed the organic material to earthworms and the
worms will finish the job, greatly enriching the end result in the
process. (Depending on the inputs, milling may or may not be in
order).

Douglas

 ***********  REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

BA> On Fri, 10 Mar 00 22:34:47 -0500, kandmhfarm@sprintmail.com wrote:

>>food, it is essential to consider how current organic standards require 
>>certified organic producers to handle manure as a fertility amendment.  
>>It is obvious that under organic standards, raw manure can NEVER be 
>>applied in such a way that it is in contact with food soon destined for 
>>human consumption. 

BA> So what about the "manure tea" commonly used on many small organic
BA> farms for a kick of soluble nitrogen? Then there is all the alleged
BA> "sheet composting" (spreading raw manure in a thin layer on the ground
BA> and pretending that is composting). And the garden chickens ('bug
BA> patrol') you see on some small organic farms.

BA> Frankly, of the few organic farmers I've seen who actually "compost,"
BA> the majority do a really lousy job. And the stuff in California that
BA> passes for "composted" chicken manure (often used in vegetable
BA> production) makes me reluctant to buy any "organic" produce from
BA> California.

BA> There *are* good organic growers out there, who do a proper job of
BA> composting. I've said on this list before that in my fairly
BA> considerable organic inspection experience only about 5% of the growers
BA> are really good. Half are just plain lousy, and not only do they not
BA> know how to compost, most are stubbornly uninterested in learning how
BA> to do.

BA> Some of the worst are the philosopher-farmers, tragically stuck in
BA> about 1974, and defining themselves in terms of being an organic
BA> farmer. Therefore, of course, since they are (by their own definition)
BA> an organic farmer, anything they do has to be organic (because they, an
BA> organic farmer, did it). And since they also define organic as the
BA> pinnacle of sustainability and healthiness (neither of which it is),
BA> all organic practices are sustainable and healthy. Since they are
BA> organic, everything they do is as sustainable and as healthy as it can
BA> possibly be.

BA> Such unteachable hearts do their consumers (and ultimately the
BA> industry) a great disservice. When organic standards are seen as an
BA> obstacle by the grower, and they are seen as such in many cases, we've
BA> got a problem. Wayne Martin, for many years chair of the Kansas OCIA
BA> certification comittee, and more recently chair of OCIA's International
BA> Certification Committee, has said (quoted with permission) "The
BA> industry's biggest problem in the next few years will be to ensure
BA> grower compliance with the standards already in effect --- particularly
BA> for rotations, soil-building, manure management, and record-keeping."

BA> Existing organic standards for manure management are frequently
BA> ignored, circumvented, or even (on occasion) subverted. As with the
BA> people in eastern Canada who *died* from eating
BA> sheep-manure-contaminated organic sauerkraut (listeria), there are more
BA> organic manure disasters just waiting to give Mr. Avery the ammunition
BA> he needs.

BA> Bart



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