Worm Women of Westchester: Cameron Kelly, Susan Rubin We teach worm composting classes!
What’s the elegant technology that I am excited about?
Red Wriggler Worms
That’s right. These special worms eat veggie scraps and transform them into a highly nutrient dense, non toxic fertilizer that helps plants resist pests.
Is worm composting really elegant?
Yes!
Elegant is defined as cleverly simple and ingenious. Something that is unusually effective and simple is elegant.
While my red wriggler worms do not float around their worm bin in ball gowns, they are elegant just the same. They are in the much needed business of transforming unwanted materials into something that is highly useful. This worm composting technology is cost effective and very efficient.
Far more efficient than regular fertilizer. Synthetic nitrogen based fertilizer is no laughing matter. These chemical fertilizers require large amounts of fossil fuels for their production and they release nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas that is approximately 300 times more powerful than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere.
This elegant technology is big business in areas where organic and sustainable farming practices are taken seriously.
Cuba, which leads the world in organic farming methods, has over 175 worm composting centers. When the Soviet Union fell, it became impossible for them to import commercial fertilizer. Vermicompost has been the largest single replacement for commercial fertilizer by Cuba. In 2004, an estimated 1 million tons of this special compost were produced on the island- thats alot of worm poop!
Worm composting is also thriving in Hawaii. When you live on an island, it costs significant money to haul your trash away. Worms farming is big business with companies like the Joy of Worms in Maui, Wakiki Worm and Hawaii Rainbow Worms.
Here in Westchester, I’m no doubt the first to make a go of it as a worm farmer. My colleague, Cameron Kelly and I are now the Worm Women of Westchester. We will be sharing our worm composting expertise all over the county this spring and summer as we book dates to be at farmer’s markets and other eco friendly events. No website yet, but you can “like” us on Facebook by clicking here.
Stay tuned for more Worm Women adventures!
