Worms! A Homestead Must Have For Building Soil

Here is a peek into our vermiculture systems at our homestead, Mountain Jewel. It’s so simple- you could even do it in your apartment (and no it doesn’t smell!). If done right, there is no reason worms can't live under the kitchen sink.

As we know, worms are incredible soil-builders.

They’re constantly decomposing and processing food scraps, leaves, and organic matter into a friable, nutrient rich substance known as castings which can be used to amend soil. The digestive system of the worm is quite interesting, and in processing organic matter, they create a product that helps bind soil particles together, increases water holding capacities and overall fertility.

This stuff is amazing!

It’s a great way to utilize kitchen scraps and increase soil fertility for any plants that you grow.

The castings they leave behind are ph neutral, pathogen free and loaded with humic acid. All of these lead to excellent soil quality and help any plants thrive! Worms, in particular Red Wrigglers (Eisenia fetida) have a natural urge to eat. Their "waste" (which is not waste at all) is a beautiful product that enters as raw biomass and exits as organized fertility. Keeping worms is a passive way to increase diversity, abundance and fertility in your own life.

Worms are a low maintenance, low input and high yield part of any food system. Their needs are low and their outputs are high. If you grasp a few simple fundamentals, you too can appreciate the benefits of worms in your life.