From sustag@beta.tricity.wsu.eduFri Aug 23 22:39:31 1996 Date: Fri, 23 Aug 1996 11:05:03 -0700 (PDT) From: "Tom Hodges (moderated newsgroup)" To: Principles of Sustainable Agriculture Subject: Re: First question. (fwd) Date: Thu, 22 Aug 1996 23:53:36 -0400 To: sustag-l@listproc.wsu.edu From: The Windles Subject: First question. Here in Florida, we have set up a prototype system on a local dairy farm where we are currently feeding roughly 1000 pounds of manure, taken from the solids separator, to red worms per day. The system has proven itself to be very effective. After we had the "castings" analyzed we found we had a rather mild fertilizer (1.7:.6:.3), but in essence, a perfect "potting" soil. At this time, we are prepared to go into full production, handling up to 300,000 pounds per day of dairy manure, and we are also looking into the possibility of converting "food wastes" at the municipal level. I have a question that I was hoping someone might have an answer to: When we feed the raw manure to the worms, we find a layer of fiber left behind after they have eaten the waste. Though this material disappears on its own as more feed is added to the beds, I believe the coarseness of this material might be slowing the worms down at least somewhat. In the intersts of achieving maximum production, we have been looking into using a bacterial agent added to the manure as a means of "pre-digesting" or breaking down this fiber. We have tried a couple different mixtures at the suggestion of the farm's consulting biologist, but with very little success. Any suggestions?