Rosland Elementary has joined the Red Army

Today I will be loading two Wonder Worman Super Composting Worm Bin packages and heading south to Rosland Elementary School in La Pine.  They were granted the resources from the Environmental Center’s Earth Smart Grant to purchase supplies.  The Earth Smart Grant is funded by various local organizations and awarded to schools that plan on reducing their waste by either increasing their recycling efforts or composting.

Visiting schools is the best part of my job.  The kids are amazing!  The smiles, squeals and laughter upon seeing and holding the red wigglers makes my efforts so worth it!  Pictures to come soon!

Tumalo Community School

Cool wigglings happening in Tumalo!

This is my third year working with Tumalo Community School. For the past two years, they were vermicomposting in a few classrooms, but this year they have decided to include the rest of the school community with the eagerness of Mr. W. The school received grants through the Environmental Center to purchase worms and other educational materials. This year they decided to “go big” with a Wonder Worman Super Composting Bin to accomodate all of the waste.  I was more than happy to jump aboard, deliver the bin and donate my time in the cafeteria to get the program wiggling.  For the past 4 days, I have been roaming the cafeteria collecting fruit and veggie scraps while educating the kids along the way.  The students are avoiding the trash can if they have usable food waste and dumping it into the wiggler bucket. It’s awesome to see them make the connection, and soon they will be ready to take the wiggling reigns.

My plan is to continue visiting during the lunch hour for the remainder of the week.  Then reduce my time to once a month to check on the wigglers.

 

Let me take the poop off your hands!

 

Spring is the time when I begin to think about my raised flower and vegetable beds, potted plants, budding trees, poking perennials and, OF COURSE, harvesting my valuable, super rich red wiggler castings.  My Red Wigglers have been munching and pooping for months and are ready to move into some comfy, fresh bedding.

I am ready to get my hands dirty – are you? If you’re a vermicomposter in Bend and prefer keeping your hands worm poop free, but still want to reap the rewards of your red wigglers, I’ve got a solution for you! At the request of several local vermicomposters, I will now be providing a Spring “cleaning” service to make sure your worms are good to go for the upcoming growing season. Presenting:

Wonder Worman’s Wiggler Waste Withdrawal Spring Special

I have packed up my worm bin replenishing supplies to visit your home or ranch in the Bend area. I will be armed with:

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  • Shredded newspaper
  • Moisture tester (my finger)
  • Scent analyzer (my nose – sorry Basset Hounds not available)
  • pH tester (this is actually a real scientific instrument)
  • Peat moss
  • Fly paper (if needed)

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And there are two packages to choose from:

Economy Worman Package – $29

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  • Check the pH of your worm bin and advise accordingly
  • Check for any unwanted bugs
  • Removal of said bugs
  • Replenish the bed spread (the bed covering)

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Deluxe Worman Package – $49

This includes all the steps in package #1 plus the following:

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  • Sift and bag your nutrient rich compost
  • Replenish your bedding
  • Return your wigglers to their newly remodeled home

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There you have it. :^)

If you would like to schedule a day, call me or send me an email.

Contact me

Red Wigglers + Alpaca Poop = Pure Bliss

4 months ago I introduced some Red Wigglers to Alpaca poop, and they are getting along pretty well! The wigglers are making themselves at home and are comfortable enough to get busy. They are mating and making more happy and healthy cute little wigglers in the muck. The proof is in the picture.  It kind of looks like a deformed Red Wiggler, but it’s actually two wigglers together.  I didn’t want to keep them uncovered too long. So I quickly took this shot, then covered them back with a nice squishy layer of poopy.

I am happy to report these wigglers are doing well and have not perished like the ones that were in the bunny poop!

 

 

I got to brag about my sidekicks!

My wigglers’ gizzards were ringing today!  For an hour, I was yapping and bragging about my buddies.  My wonderful scrap eating sidekicks were part of a series in the Garden Circuit Training hosted by The Bend Senior Center. Last month, I met with the leader of the series, Becky.  We chatted over coffee, and she invited me to speak.  I never pass up an opportunity to share my experiences with Red Wigglers, but I had to wait a MONTH!  So I kept myself occupied with my fury sidekick, Lucy!

So today finally arrived!  I walked in with a bucket o’worms, veggie scraps, handouts, a flash drive, and my knowledge!  I was introduced to the first presenter, Dave, the chef at Cafe 3456.  His restaurant is at the Bend airport, and he’s also a key proponent in the Slow Food Movement.  Dave composts his waste from the restaurant and from others around Bend, too! Then he uses the compost to grow his own veggies for the restaurant.  He did a great job and got all “scientific”!  I was a bit nervous, but knew once I put my hands into the bucket, I’d be fine!

Indeed I was!  As I think back, I bet I looked like a mother gushing over her kids after they sang in a school play!  I was a bubbling, happy giddy, mother of a million wigglers!! I was shocked that I was able to brag about my guys for an hour!  My audience was AWESOME!  We laughed!  We smiled!  We were serious…”Why doesn’t everyone have wigglers? Why doesn’t everyone compost?”

I was in the zone, the element, my place of zen!

Now I know why I quit my “real” job!

All the better to see you with!

Have you ever wanted to see Red Wigglers magnified?  or see them digest food?  I have!!  I’m sure you’re not surprised.  I love everything about these little guys.  Seriously, I even love their tiny digestive tract and their tiny, little mouths and their teeny, tiny, little hearts (Unfortunately, you can’t see those through the viewer) and their little poops!  These guys are amazing.

I bought 5 of these viewers after conducting a workshop with the Environmental Center a few years ago.  Denise introduced me to these cool items!  These come along with me when I make presentations and deliver my worm bin packages.  Not everyone partakes, but I give them the option…. I try not to take it personally if they decide not to look!

Carlos took this really cool shot!  You can see my buddies the way I see my buddies!  Up close and ummm personal.  I hope they don’t mind the way I spy on them!  I am their biggest fan!  xoxoxoxo I love you Red Wigglers!!!

If you desire to check them out or some other creature, click on the links!