New Vermicomposting System at the Farm

We recently added a vermi-, or worm, composting system to the farm to highlight this practical option for urban dwellers to compost food scraps. We drew from various plans to design a large outdoor worm box that is ideal for our needs. A volunteer group from All Souls Church helped us as we dug out a 4’ X 12’ trench and lined the bottom of our trench with hardware cloth to prevent moles and other animals from feasting on our worms. We then lined the walls of the hole with cinder blocks and filled the gaps in the cinder blocks with some of the dirt we dug out. By installing our system below ground level, the earth serves as a natural insulator, keeping the box warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. In the winter months, the worms will have ample space to burrow below the freeze line. After filling the box with coconut coir bedding, food waste and worms, we covered the box with a plywood lid to prevent the compost from drying out and to keep out excessive water during rainstorms. You can learn about vermicomposting and build your own indoor bin at our Vermicomposting at Homeworkshop being held September 27th! Visit our Seed to Table Workshops page for more information. More detail about both of our composting systems as well as information on how you can drop off your food scraps by visiting our Composting page.