As a long time master composter and red wriggler worm evangelist, I couldn’t be more proud of a group of Fox Lane High School students right now. The group, who calls themselves the Worm Warriors, are set to compete in the Bedford 2020’s Greenlight Changemaker Competition this coming weekend in the “Shark Tank” where they will pitch their project to get some funding to take it to the next level.

I’ve been supporting these students from the sidelines, donating worms and worm housing and sharing my adventures as a worm farmer.  Quite frankly, they fell in love with the worms as soon as I lifted the lid off of the worm bin.  There is something very alluring about these fabulous cold blooded toothless invertebrates besides the fact that they that transform food scraps into valuable plant fertilizer. They are shy, but they’ll let you hold them in your hand. They come in all sizes and live in harmony with roly poly bugs. I have yet to meet a child that does not love roly poly bugs! Thanks to the enthusiastic work of the Worm Warriors, there are currently 5 worm bins in classrooms at Mt Kisco Elementary School. Red Wriggler worms make a great class pet and also provide the opportunity for many science based experiments. Worms provide STEM and experiential learning at its finest.

If you give a class a worm bin…  Greenlight contestants have to demonstrate how their project can influence behavior change by April. Red wriggler worms love to devour food scraps and when happy will double their numbers in 60-90 days. In a short amount of time the valuable fertilizer they produce, also known as worm castings will accumulate at the bottom of the worm bin.  Classrooms will have extra worms to make more worm bins and plenty of fertilizer for the school garden’s springtime planting. They will proudly share their worms with more classes or with families who wish to have a home worm bin. Before you know it, red wriggler worm bins will be the coolest thing that every green leaning eco conscious family will want to have!  Food scraps will be fed to worms at home and at school, a wonderful way to improve a community’s zero waste quotient.

Vermicompost (aka worm poop) is a safer, more efficient, and more cost effective substitute to chemical fertilizers and pesticides.  Studies demonstrate that plants grown with worm castings grow faster, stronger and are more resistant to disease. Check out these side by side experimental seedling beds by the Wiggle Room, professional worm compost company in nearby CT.

Here’s hoping the Worm Warriors make it through this week’s “shark tank” round.  Come be inspired at the Round One Event on Saturday, December 15, 2018 from 9-11am in the Fox Lane Middle School gym. Please come and cheer them on, meet the worms and the worm warriors!