Changing the World with Worm Composting

Episode #2

Show Highlights

  • How to get started composting with worms
  • How to improve degraded soil with compost and eliminate the use of fertilizers, pesticides, and insecticides
  • Problems of sending food wastes to the landfill
  • Food waste is the #1 category of materials being dumped in landfills
  • Composting and vermicomposting basics
  • Using food scraps you have and turn it as a medium to grow more food
  • How can you start a worm composting system without spending a lot of money
  • Different worm composting systems available: wind rows, bins, continuous flow through and more
  • Which species of composting worm to use of the thousands of worm species
  • How overfeeding can be a problem when doing worm composting
  • What is a continuous flow worm composting system
  • Three strategies for harvesting worm castings: Vertical, Horizontal, and stacking
  • Worm husbandry understanding
  • Effects of vermicomposting on soil and plants
  • Making aerated compost tea with worm castings
  • How to avoid leachate in a worm bin
  • Differences between aerated compost worm tea and leachate

Links

About Rhonda Sherman

Rhonda Sherman has been providing education and technical assistance on vermicomposting and composting at NC State University for 27 years. A leading authority on vermicomposting, she organizes an annual conference on large-scale vermicomposting that draws participants from all over the world. Rhonda gives about 50 presentations annually, has conducted countless training courses and workshops, and has a variety of publications on composting and vermicomposting. Her new book is The Worm Farmer’s Handbook. Rhonda is the director of the Compost Learning Lab which has 13 types of composting bins and a dozen worm bins.