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Subject: Re: Vermiculture (worms)
From: "John H. Immink" <ecologicals1@home.com>
Organization: Excite@Home - The Leader in Broadband http://home.com/faster
Date: Wed, 03 Jan 01 19:32:35
Message-ID: <MOD$010103.4882@rec.gardens.ecosystems>
References: <MOD$001222.5850@rec.gardens.ecosystems>



Happy New Year et.al.

Good questions indeed. Worm Castings are so basic and worthwhile as a proven
alternative to the use of (chemical) fertilizers, that the slow growth in
popularity of "cottage industry wormpoo" facilities amazes me. I do know of
a few majors in this field, using a "battery hen setup" in order to produce
the needed volumes of castings, not worms. Worms used are African Reds, not
domestic earthworms. The trick is to get 1 lb. of proceeds out of 1 lb. of
feed. And to market-market-market.

A small side-line, at best. The investment needed to launch a volume
operation, shipping, marketing etc. is unlikely to be commensurate with the
demand curve. And remember, Earth Worms do 3 things: eat, digest and
pro-create. They do not watch TV a lot.....and they surely dislike ambient
temperatures below 60F.
We include sample baggies of a good quality wormpoo when we ship one of our
Raised Bed gardens, simply because the stuff works and we know it! Then
again, we preach quasi organic gardening methods over the use of one-shot
"booster fertilizers" so to us, it makes sense.

Just my belated 2 cents worth....
Best
John H. Immink
Victoria BC Canada
www.members.home.net/ecologicalsgardens

"CAVM" wrote in message
news:MOD$001222.5850@rec.gardens.ecosystems...
>
> I have read the web pages on raising worms for profit but I wonder, is anybody
> doing it? I am still mindful of the worm ads in farm magazines 20 years ago
> that were basically only to sell worms to other people to raise worms. Nobody
> had another market in those days. Is it better now?
>
> What kinds of worms sell and at what price. How much volume can the market
> bear? Does is matter where the worms are raised?
>
>
> Cornelius A. Van Milligen
> Kentucky Enrichment Inc
>
>