Wiggling over to wigglingaround.com

Got some news for ya!  Nothing too big.. just a bit of a change. Change is good! Change needs to happen in order to grow.  Some challenges come with the change, but I am ready for it!  I need to jump on the flow and ride the change!

So here it is!
To all my subscribers, I am moving my blog to wigglingaround.com!
If the stars align, you should have to do nothing to keep on receiving updates via RSS when a new post is made. However, if you’d like to resubscribe my new feed is:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/wigglingaround

Blogger has been great, but it’s time for a change, and a little more customization. :^)

All Wonder Worman posts will now be made on this new site and I will no longer be updating this one.

Really it's not such a big deal!  but as you can see, I have an issue with change.  LOL

Excited to see what happens with the SunChips bag!

I am pumped and ready to put the SunChips bag to the challenge.  I am not too concerned with the amount of time it will take for the bag to be completely composted.  I am more focused on the hope that it will just break down into usable compost.

As an avid composter for about 6 years, I know all of the right conditions need to be present for the optimum breakdown to occur, adding the right amount of brown and green waste and also reaching the right temperature.  These conditions, I believe only happen in a controlled environment.  The Sunchips bags were tested in a facility which maintained the composting temperature at 130 degrees Fahrenheit.  The bags broke down in about 12-16 weeks.  Realizing a home composter would not have access to those conditions, the SunChips testers mimicked a home composting bin and added browns and green waste to the SunChips bags.  The bags broke down in about 13 weeks.  They also conducted an Industrial Composting Standards test which is way beyond my backyard so I am not going to discuss all that they did.......
Basically, they passed a rigorous test protocol conducted by Cedar Grove in Seattle, Washington.

So, I am going to try two different composting methods, maybe even 3, depending on SunChip cravings!
1)  Red Wiggler composting Bin
2)  Backyard compost pile
3)  Compost tumbler

All of these are already set up with brown and green waste.  Temperatures will vary among the three.

I am thrilled SunShips created this compostable bag and am excited to see the results.

Happy Wormin'

Kind of bummed about the SunChips bags..and it's not because they are loud!

I've heard the upset about the SunChips compostable bags being too loud and disturbing.  I've read blogs and viewed videos but haven't had my own experience so I decided to purchase a bag last week.  Yes, I agree they are very loud indeed.  They are loud enough to wake a sleeping husband on the couch and probably loud enough to wake a sleeping baby.

I am really not upset with the fact that the bags are noisy.  I am more upset that Frito-Lay had to switch back to the plastic bags and do away with the compostable bags with 5 of their 6 chip flavors, keeping the compostable bag limited to the Original flavor.

I do understand Frito-Lay needs to listen to it's customers in order for the business to survive.  They are working on a better, and I am sure quieter compostable bag.  I am just bummed that the consumers couldn't hold out until the new bag was made rather than forcing Frito-Lay to change back to plastic.
Does the consumer buy so many bags of SunChips for the noise to be that annoying?

"Feed the Wigglers" campaign was wigglerful!

 The "Feed the Wigglers" campaign has officially come to a close!  It was so cool to look outside at different times during the day and see groups of pumpkins left on the lawn.

I'm not too sure if the sign on the corner of Awbrey Rd and Portland Ave actually brought people to the drop site.  I have a feeling it just made people wonder, but that's cool, too!

Thanks to all of my friends and readers who dropped off their carved creations.  My Red Wigglers are set for quite some time.

I think...(this is an estimate)... there were about 35 pumpkins dropped at the house.  I am not certain because my kids were infatuated with grabbing something hard, like a baseball bat, and whacking the heck out of the pumpkins the minute they got home from school!  The guts and rinds went a-flying.

Their madness was actually much appreciated.  They saved me an hour of smashing them myself.  It was fun to see them get their wackiness out!

I wasn't too concerned about the size of the pieces, knowing the wigglers would devour any piece they were given.

On a side note, I am so distracted and can't concentrate!  My newly adopted fury sidekick, Bob, is having some troubles.  I think I will put up at post about him soon!  Maybe writing about him will help me get my mind focused a bit!

Any way.....Happy Wormin' and thanks!





 

Elements Naturals local T.V. spot

I'd like to share a video segment which aired last night on our local television station KTVZ.

Watch and enjoy!  Pretty cool stuff!!!

Click here!!!

"Feed the Wigglers" campaign! 11/1-5

The dop off has begun!  Please donate your Halloween pumpkin to "Feed the Wigglers" campaign!
This is our second year collecting pumpkins from local friends and businesses!  I have already picked up 5 really wicked pumpkins from Mother's Juice Cafe.  Thanks so much for your donation.  My Red Wigglers are very thankful for their delicious treat!  Leave me a comment and I'll give you directions!

Happy Halloween!

BOO!  Happy Halloween!

Have I told you lately how Red Wigglers love pumpkins?  Give them a delicious post Halloween treat tomorrow.  There's no need to slice and dice.  You can quarter the pumpkin or put it in whole.  You'll be amazed at how quickly they will devour it.  They'll stop feasting on the scraps in the bin and migrate to the pumpkin.

If you don't have a worm bin or compost pile and you live in Bend, give them to me.  My Red Wigglers would be delighted.  Leave me a comment and we can set something up!

Don't throw your batteries in the trash!

This is the aftermath of fun times!  A pile of dead batteries that once gave life to wireless video game controllers and wireless mice now sit on the kitchen table.  As you can see, we are not loyal to one brand.  We grab what is on sale and also have a few rechargeable batteries. Unfortunately, we don't have many charging stations to satisfy our immediate need when one battery dies, especially during an epic battle in Halo! (a really cool game by the way.  I admit.  I have joined in on a few matches, getting my booty whipped and laughing as it's happening) So, we resort to buying mass quantities of AA batteries.

Just last year, I would toss these into the trash not even giving it a second thought.  Now running a composting business,  I TRY my best to watch what is heading to the landfill.   Realizing we can't feed batteries to the Red Wigglers, we bagged them under the kitchen sink next to the other recycling containers.  Yesterday the bag was about to bust so I called the landfill to see if they could be put at the curb for pickup.  Nope, they have to be dropped at the Hazardous Waste Building, an annex next to the Recycling Center.

Before taking them, I dumped them onto the table to get a picture for my post.  I couldn't believe how many we bought over the past year!

Yuck!  I really wish I put something on the table before I dumped them.  This battery was already leaking the bad stuff!  What it is..... I don't really know to be honest with ya!  I just have a feeling it can't be good because my hair had a run in with a dead car battery that was stored in the back of my trunk when I skipped high school!   'nough said!

Bottom Line:  Bring your batteries to the Hazardous Waste Department (just that name let's me know...the things inside the batteries are not good for the planet!)

The Red Wigglers will devour a few non food items, like coffee grounds and filters, newspapers, eggshells, toilet paper rolls, and compostable baby wipes, but they will not munch on batteries!  Who would blame them?

Wonder Worman Sewed! Really, I did!

For the past 3 months in the Wonder Worman household, we have been been using cloth napkins and rags instead of paper towels and paper napkins.  I wanted to think of another way to cut back on the amount of trash we were contributing to the landfill.  Composting the food waste with the Red Wigglers is going well.  I have occasionally thrown in some napkins from dinner but never those with cleaning residue so I decided to use the cloth solution.

We already had a stash of cloth napkins given to us as gifts for the holidays, house warming, and Cinco de Mayo (My favorite time of the year!!). We also had a variety of rags from old towels and t-shirts.   I thought I was set and didn't need to purchase any more.  Well, that changed this week.  I started thinking about how I had increased the amount of laundry loads.  Now, I was worried about the water and energy being used to keep these clean!  I was determined to find a solution to increase our supply of napkins therefore decreasing the amount of times the napkins and rags needed to be washed.  So, I decided to make my own napkins.  We have a beautiful sewing machine that was given to Little a for Christmas.  She uses it often to create pillows and "fun stuff".  Now, it was my turn to make some napkins.  For those of you that know me, I AM NOT a person that sews, but I was determined to give it a try for the sake of the planet! I did some on line searching and found a cool site!  Link is below.

I picked this fallish fabric!  

Set the template on the backside of the fabric and traced with a pencil.  I don't own fabric chalk?! what is that any way??

Fabric cut in squares.  I would've called it done but knew the sides would fray.

Finished!  I used Little a's orange thread!  Thought the contrast was cool.  Plus, it was already set up on the machine, and I have trouble rethreading the bobbin and then threading the needle and all of that sewing stuff that you have to do on the machine! 

Here's the link (click here) to the site where I found the set of instructions. Really quick and easy!  Next set of napkins will be made from Max's too small oxford shirts! Recycling our clothes will be fun and will give us something to talk about when friends and family come over.  Don't worry, I won't use our underwear!  

pH of Wonder Worman Bin

Have you ever wondered what the "p" and the "H" in pH stand for? Well, I'll give ya a little science lesson, rather a brief science lesson. The "p" represents potential, and the "H"is for Hydrogen. Basically, in Wonder Worman terms it is a scale used to determine the amount of Hydrogen ions in the substance you are testing. The lower the Hydrogen ions... the substance is more acidic and the higher the Hydrogen ions... the substance is more basic. The ph scale ranges from 0-14. The lower the number = more acidic the higher the number = more basic. If you come up with lucky 7, you have a balanced amount of hydrogens. The substance you are testing is neutral which, by the way, is the ideal environment for Red Wigglers.

I am sure a lot of you remember using the ph strips in Science class! They would turn a really cool shade of blue or red, and then you would check the scale on the canister. Oooh, I loved doing that stuff, and I still do. Instead, I am now using this digital meter called "rapitest" the name reminds me of a home pregnancy test and the probe reminds me of a thermometer among other things, but I won't go there.

Over the weekend, I tested the pH of one of the bins. I like the fact that I don't have to compare colors, and I am given a number because lately I have been second, maybe third or even fourth guessing every decision I am making. Looking at "shades" of colors would have be wondering, "Is it a true red? or Is it pink?" My head would be going round and round and round and round.

So here's what you do....

1) Turn the meter on! See the pretty turquoise button or is it green, or aqua? lol..... It always defaults to 7.0.

2) Put the meter in whatever you are testing and twist it around

3) After about 5 -10 seconds, it should flash and register the reading.

Basically, it's really simple to operate!

These are Wonder Worman directions. It comes with more elaborate ones.

Well after testing, the bin registered a pH of 6.5! Pretty good. I am going to keep on feeding 'em what I've kept on feeding 'em!

Happy Wormin'!  Just in case you want to check your pH, click on the handy link below or check your local garden store!

Slimy, Yummy, Pumpkin Guts

Yesterday, the kids and I went to Kristi's house to hang, eat really good sweet stuff...(Holy Cow, Have you ever eaten popcorn balls with marshmallows, vanilla, cinnamon and salt?...Don't, because once you do, you can't STOP!)... and carve pumpkins. Originally, we planned on heading to the Central Oregon Pumpkin Co. in Terrebonne to participate in the full Fall experience but the weather wasn't cooperating. So we decided to hang in the hood, and buy pumpkins from our local supermarket. Great deal by the way, but a bummer that we couldn't support our local patch! Wet kids and muddy shoes were not on the agenda. Food and a warm house won!

Kristi was gracious to host the carving festivities. We mauled the pumpkins in the garage. She had it all prepared for the goopy mess. We had mini saws, pocket knives, and even drills! Hilarious, thanks Jeff! By the way, she even had a worm bucket for all of the seeds and guts! Woohoo! She's always thinking of the wigglers.

Well after the all of the feasting and fun, we departed to get on with a few more Sunday activities, catching up on H.W. and getting ready for school on Monday, always a joy with the kids!! Little a didn't have too much to do and was more than willing to help with the separation of the seeds from the guts!

I love the feel of the pumpkin's guts and so does Little a. Max not so much! It's this cool, slimy feeling, and I love trying to grasp it with my fingers before giving in to the spoon. We spent about an hour with our hands, squeezing and separating all of this goodness. I do this for two reasons, to prepare the seeds for roasting and to remove the seeds from the Red Wiggler's feast. They don't eat the seeds probably because of the size and texture. I am sure if I pulverized them, they would eat them. Too much time, and I wanted the seeds! Yummmmm!

This sloppy mess will be fed to the worms later on this afternoon when the temperature warms up a bit. Brr! I will also be out there getting a pound of Red Wigglers for a client this afternoon!

Yippe!! some cashola!

So readers, if you have a worm bin and are carving some pumpkins think of your wigglers.

Look at all of that delicious goodness!!!!

Slurp!

Holy Moly! I chowed this delicious acorn squash in, uh...., under a minute. More like 20 seconds, seriously. I had this amazingly tasty veggie all to myself. The kids were at school, and my hubby is on a mini vacay! Glad they weren't here to witness my slurping and totally awful manners!

This super veggie is loaded with bazillion amounts of Vitamin A which is super awesome for your skin. Today, I cooked it in the oven at 400 with about a cup of water in the dish. After 30 min, it was soft and ready to be inhaled. Before the feast, I doused it with 2 teaspoons of brown sugar. In the past, I have added butter and some maple syrup. Today, I skipped out on that stuff. It would have taken too much time to get all that out, and I was starving.

So now these scraps will be on their way to the wiggler bins. Just giving them a tidbit, a little teaser because in the next few weeks, they will be enjoying huge amounts of pumpkins and gords!

ph meter

I just bought this ph meter from Bend in Bloom, one of Bend's garden supply shops.

I am really excited to test the ph of the compost and castings in the Red Wiggler bin!

More later!!!

Red Wiggler Funeral

Artichoke RePost

Last night, Carlos and the kids made artichokes stuffed with Italian bread, garlic, parm cheese, parsley, oregano and some vegetable oil. We devoured the delicious goodness! Can't you tell by the picture!

As I was pigging out, I couldn't wait to share my scraps with the Red Wigglers. My buddy Kristi makes these often because her sweet daughter LOVES them. I find them often in the Neighborhood Community Bin for the Red Wigglers.

The Red Wigglers love them, and I wrote about them in April of 2009 after my first time feeding them. The post was short and sweet, but this is what it said...

Hey, guess what??? Worms love artichokes! Rotten ones and eaten artichoke skins (I think that's what they are).
They were all over them this afternoon! Yipee! cause I love them toooooo!

I fed a few of the wigglers last night and will make my way out to the larger bins this afternoon. I'll sprinkle a layer on top and give them a yummy treat. So next time you have some artichokes, feed the scraps to the wigglers. I didn't rinse mine to remove any of the stuffing, not there was a lot left after I got through with them.

What I'm trying to say is...Don't worry if there are remnants of stuffing. Go ahead and feed them to the Red Wigglers. A little bit won't hurt them. Everything in moderation!

Bob and Lucy! My furry sidekicks!

Hey Everyone!!! Meet Bob and Lucy.

Bob is on the left! Lucy is on the right, and my hubby, Carlos, is holding the two!

We just adopted Bob from the pound in Madras on Saturday and bought Lucy from a breeder when she was a pup. She's 4 now. We think they are about the same age.

I usually brag about my Red Wigglers being the best sidekicks out there, consuming and transforming usable waste into rich, organic compost. Today's a day to write about Bassets. Basset Hounds are really mellow, loving dogs which make really cute and cuddly sidekicks! I've written about wanting to hug a wiggler and thank them for all that they do for our planet. I know that's gross and not possible. It's actually rather weird....but hey so am I!

Soooo, I am going to hug my Bassets along with my family and thank them for all that they do for me! I look at these two cuddly, sweet dogs and smile! How could you not??!!!

Here are some books about Bassets!  Claude the Dog is a sweet, sweet book about a Basset at Christmas!  This was my first intro to Basset Hounds, and I have loved them ever since!  I have not read The Hound from the Pound  but seeing it reminded me of Bob since we rescued him from the pound!  I am sure you can find these at your local bookstore or library, but if you can't click below!

Neighborhood Collection Bin

My neighborhood is cool, especially my block. I live about a mile from downtown which is an easy walk to restaurants, shops and the beautiful Deschutes River. We are on a busy street, but looking at this picture you really couldn't tell. That's because this is the back alley. A place where the kids ride their bikes, scooters and skateboards, and the parents can let them without worrying about traffic. This alley has hosted many parties and gatherings in the warmer months and sled and snowboard races during the winter months.

I also have some really sweet neighbors. Yeah, they are sugar and spice and everything nice, well some of them (just being honest here), but what I mean is... they are sweet.... as in "cool". Most of them know I am the Wonder Worman and have hoards of Red Wigglers on the side of the house. They tell me they don't mind! Some actually think it's pretty cool and some, well.... are a little "grossed out."

Some have their own compost piles and others bring their food scraps to this blue bin located by the alley. They are helping to keep my sidekicks happy and healthy. I am thankful for their waste and am happy to see them do what is right for our planet!

I think this type of Neighborhood Drop Off Waste Collection Bin (I just made that up as I am typing this. LOL!) could work in many neighborhoods. If you have a worm bin and have neighbors who are not into composting, you could start a collection bin. Give it a try! Then after a year of feeding the wigglers, you could share the castings and beautify your flower beds in the neighborhood.

Just a thought!

Happy Wormin'

Leaves for Lavabelles

Yesterday, Little a and I raked the front yard so she could do the anual dive into a crunchy pile of leaves. I am pretty sure these are Maple leaves. The colors were beautiful last week when they were still on the trees. After being on the ground for a week, you can see they are turing colors. The once vibrant reds are now various shades of brown. The colors are still pretty cool!!

I remember diving into piles of leaves when I was Little a's age. I always thought it would be like jumping on a mattress and so did she. After the first landing, she was done! It ain't what it used to be!

So, what's next for this pile? Well it was bagged and sent off to winterize the first worm bin of the season.

Lavabelles is shutting down their composting operation for the season. Fall and winter are not very busy, and we decided to pick it back up in May when they have more vacation renters.

As you can see, these leaves make a terrific 3inch layer of insulation and will also provide a feast for the Red Wigglers over the next few months. About one inch of leaves were placed underneath the newspaper blanket and the rest were placed on top. I will feed the worms during the winter, especially the rotting pumpkins after Halloween.

Something's wrong! Red Wigglers and The Bunny Poop

the result of doing "it"

See that little tiny yellow speck that looks like a mini lemon. See it? See it?

Do you know what it is? huh? huh? come on do ya? do ya?

If you have a worm bin, maybe you've seen it before.

Well if you're still at a loss and you've never laid eyes on it in your entire life, I bet you have an idea...just by the title of the blog.

It's the result of doing "it", making whoopie in the worm world. Red Wigglers, as with other worms, are hermaphrodites. They have both male and female parts and need each other to reproduce. I have seen this in action, and it is really cool. They actually form a love knot. After doing "it", they each leave behind a cocoon.

After 3-4 weeks, about 5-10 worms will hatch from the cocoon. Then these babies will be reproducing new compost eating, earth saving creatures in 2-3 months and the cycle will start again.

Thought it would be cool to share this with ya! and don't worry you won't have worms crawlin' out of your bin...they self regulate their population. They determine their space and reproduce accordingly!

Happy wormin'

Wigglers and the bunny Poop

I really loved writing yesterday's post about my Jenn and Jack! Not often do I stray from my more technical wormin' posts, but when I do, I have fun, especially when I have such a vibrant topic, Jenn and Jack!

Yes, the purpose of my visit to the HA Ranch was to hang, party and have fun, but I am always looking for new things to do with the Red Wigglers...new things for the wigglers to munch on. Since these are manure worms, and they do eat llama and alpaca poop there would be no reason why they wouldn't feast on bunny poop. As long as the conditions are ideal, they would do fine.

I'll get to the more worm related part of the post in a few seconds. I wanted to show you the pictures of the fluffy bunnies first! This is a Californian Bunny. They are so cute and have awesome markings! I prefer these guys over these......

....The New Zealand!

Bunnies are soft, hoppy and bouncy, but these are just plain freaky! Sorry Jenn. I don't like their red, devil eyes and the fact that they stomp their babies when they are freaked out! Why do they do that again? Logic tells me because they are startled?? but I think there's another reason...some technical, bunny reason.

If I had just given birth to 8 or so bald, mice looking creatures, I think I would be a bit freaked out every time I looked at them. Wondering to myself... "How on earth is this possible?"

"How on earth are they going to morph into a cute, fluffy bunny?"

It's a sight to see if you haven't....kind of like a train wreck...You just have to take a peek. Sorry, I didn't take a picture. I think I would've barfed.

On to more exciting, rather interesting pictures! Poop!

This is a 22 gallon bin filled with Coco-Puffs! It could actually pass if there weren't straw pieces hanging out on top.

Jack was so kind to fetch this for me before I left for the little over 3 hour drive back to Bend. I thought he was going to fill a 5 gallon paint bucket for me, but I found this basking in the sun by the back of my SUV. I was a little frightened.

Crap...(ha, ha, ha....couldn't resist) How was I going to lift it? and Was it going to stink up the car on the ride back? but Jack was a proper cowboy and packed it in next to my bag of clothes!

Well yes, of course a 22 gallon plastic bin of poop was going to stink in 80 degree weather on a dusty road that forced me to close the windows and put on the A/C. 'Little a' was patient during the 3 mile drive off their property back to "civilization". Once we reached the paved road, I cranked those windows down and took a deep breath of chopped onions! That's because I needed to drive 30 more miles through various crop and livestock farms. So we basked in the various scents, laughing and reminiscing about our always eventful times with Jenn, Jack and the "childrens".

Well, I made it back to Bend by dinner time. I unloaded the poop and settled in for the night, knowing that I'd tackle my new red wiggler munching adventure in the morning.

So after the kids were in school, I headed out to do my wormin'. I took about 2 pounds of poop and got it sopping wet and then added about a half a pound of worms. Actually, the bunny poop didn't smell too bad, and the worms didn't mind. They actually made themselves at home, doing what they do best, burrowing down for a feast.

I put this container outside and put on the lid, making sure it wasn't sealed shut. I checked on them this morning, and they are wigglin' around. I am psyched. I have to do some more research on this method of composting!

I know composting with cow and chicken manure is considered hot composting and composting with worms is cold composting. So, I would assume that I am converting hot composting to cold composting??!!! Anyone out there want to comment!

Off to do some research and visit the wigglers......

Happy Wormin'

Expanding my Horizon

This past weekend, 'Little a' and I went to visit the HA Ranch in Tulelake, Ca. My super, terrific, lovable, dearest

friend, Jenn and her husband Jack, who's also super and terrific and, of course, lovable in a rugged sort of way, run a huge operation on a billion acres of land. It's not quite a billion acres more like 30,000, but it sure feels like a billion compared to my cozy lot here in Bend.

Jenn and Jack have cows, lots and lots of 'em, chickens, sheep, and new this year, rabbits. (In a post later on this week, I will share my new venture, composting with rabbit poop). They have been running the HA Ranch with other family members for about 10 years after making a life change and huge move from Long Island! The property is amazing, and there aren't any neighbors for at least 2 -3 miles. The only sounds out there are the ocasional "moos" and "cackles" from the livestock and "screams" and "hollers" from the folks, especially when my brood comes for a visit!

While venturing on the acreage, Jen and Jack took me into the bunny barn which is more like "The Bunny Mansion"....G rated version, of course! Take a look at that massive structure. Jack built this with his Pa and some siblings who venture out to the HA Ranch, escaping the hustle and bustle of the city life.

Jack is amazing! There's nothin' he's 'fraid of, or no job he can't tackle!

Inside there's a row of bunny cages, lots of hay, and lots of poop! I took some home with me and will discover the ways of the poop!

....in a later post!

This visit was not only for poop collecting, but for my 'Little a' to see her buddies and of course, for me to hang with my Jenn! We have been besties for about 25 years! Jenn is a city slicker! It's in her blood, and there's nothing that can take that away from her. While she does live in the middle - of -no where, she will continue to yell and swear even if you are standing a few inches from her face! She is a New Yorker through and through! I am happy to see that hasn't changed! I love everything about her....her brutal honesty, her fierce love for her kids, family, and friends. She has this amazing passion for life and a continued drive to better herself.

I am proud of her and will forever be visiting the HA Ranch!

It's a magical place full of so much opportunity!!!

(Max Man was sick and needed to hang with Carrrrlos which wasn't too bad for them. They got to catch up on some hours of HaloReach!)

Wigglin' out to Paulina Elementary

Paulina Elementary joined schools in the "wormability" movement! This makes a total of seven schools wormin' it up!

This week Denise, the sustainability educator at the Environmental Center, came over and loaded up a Wonder Worman Worm bin along with the bedding and a pound of worms, and headed off 80 miles east of Bend to educate the super willing friends of Paulina. These folks will be composting all of their usable waste at the school and will soon have a rich amendment to add to their plants and veggies. They will weigh and record their waste before feeding the red wigglers to determine if they need to build some more bins.

I will be posting some pictures soon. Denise will forward them to me, and then they will be up for viewing!!! I am ever thankful to my friends at the Enviro Center.

Happy Wormin'

Compostable baby wipes!

I am excited to share a product introduced to me a week ago. Linda, CEO and Co-Founder of Elements Naturals and Shannon, her PR sidekick met with me at a local, fantastic coffee house in Bend. Linda's compostable baby wipes are 100% Natural and are chemical and fragrant free. These wipes will break down into usable compost in a home compost pile and soon to be tested in my Wonder Worman Super composting Worm Bin!

Now that my kids are way past the diaper stage...Nice for me!..., I have started using these wipes for our hands rather than their bottoms. (I am happy they are no longer pooping in their pants, but I do miss their baby smell.) These wipes are super soft and hold up to the wear and tear of removing dirt from grimy hands.

I have also used them for cleaning my key board. They have just the right amount of moisture and are not sopping wet. I think I've used 4 so far and will be tossing them into a worm bin over the weekend.

Here's to a cool compostable product!! More later! Happy Wormin'

Cleaned out the Fridge!

I try to clean out the veggie drawer weekly (lately it's more monthly) and remove the yucky fruits and veggies that are beginning to look like a science project! This week wasn't so bad. I suppose we have been eating a lot of fruits and veggies or maybe I didn't buy enough!

Rotting iceberg and red leaf lettuce and mushy grapes are now being eaten by my red wigglers. No matter how bad they look to us, the worms don't mind one bit. The nastier the better as long as there isn't a rotting smell because it will continue to smell in the bin.

Putting an active "Little a" to work!

My sweet, "Little a" went to work pulverizing eggshells for our red wigglers. Eggs shells contain calcium which the worms need to survive and to help with reproduction. Being a red wiggler merchant, this is important to me. I need to have the perfect environment for the worms to reproduce. If the worms have too much calcium, they have a gland unique to their species. The calciferous gland is located in their digestive tract. This helps regulate the amount of calcium in their blood.

The calcium in the bedding also helps balance the ph. Calcium will bring the ph to neutral, neither acidic or basic. The ideal composting conditions.

Many vermicomposters have shared there is no need to worry about adding too many egg shells if you eat eggs daily.

I didn't take a picture of the final product. It was a bit finer than what you see here. This is really close, though. I then took the bag out to my Wonder Worman bin and sprinkled it on top and then gently mixed it in about an inch.

Thanks for your help "Little a"

Happy Wormin'

Dinner for the family and of course, the red wigglers!!!

Tonight, as a request from the family, I made a favorite dish.

Sausage, peppers, onions and garlic on a loaf of fresh bread with melted cheddar cheese is a very filling, non diet type meal, but oh man is it tasty!

While I was washing the peppers, I thought about writing this blog to show the scraps that would be fed to the worms.

As I am typing this, I have to avoid looking at the picture because I am so full and the sight of the sausage is making my stomach turn. I am not much of a sausage eater and decided a few recipes ago to change from pork to turkey. In this dish, you really can't taste the difference. I think the veggies mask the flavor.

So after all of the slicing and dicing, this is what is left for the red wigglers. There is the onion's top and bottom and a bit of its outer layer. Although many vermicomposters say to avoid onions, I have found that maybe one onion a week is not so bad.

There is also the center and top stem of the peppers. When it's time for me to dump them into the worm bin, I will make sure to get rid of the seeds. Not that the seeds will harm the worms, they won't eat them and will be left behind in the compost.

I thought it would be cool to share the final, yummy dish. The picture looks odd to me!! Not too appealing, maybe because I ate so much of it and I am full!!

On a side note, not worm related, I grew up eating this awesome sandwich at Italian Feasts on Long Island many, many years ago. So many memories come rushing back each time I start cooking!

Till next time, Happy Wormin'

Back to where it all began!

Just a quick photo blog today! The mystery plant returning to the bin. Please refer to yesterdays blog if you're confused.

I yanked up the plant. Check out the length of the roots!
Broke the roots off so it wouldn't continue growing in the bin!
There was a veggie growing. I'm thinking it was a pumpkin.
I decided to break the vines into pieces to help the worms out a bit.
Back to where the seed started! Happy feasting wigglers! It's your turn now!!!

Mystery Veggie Chomped by Deer?!

From this.........

A beautiful, lush, healthy looking veggie believed to be a pumpkin plant.

To this..........

A sickly, devoured, bunch of twisted mess which was a tasty treat for some creature that's lurking the alleys of Awbrey Road!

After blogging about this mystery veggie a month ago, I got a kick out of watching it grow. Every morning, I would check for a sign, letting me know what "it" was going to be. Would it sprout some pumpkins, watermelons or squash? Whatever was to come would be cool cause this all started from a seed from the wiggler's compost. A seed that was left behind from either a pumpkin, watermelon, or squash. Wigglers don't care for the seeds but do love the scraps left around them.

Well, last week I went out and saw this! I was a bit upset but happy to provide a feast for a deer, raccoon or skunk?? Hmm, what's lurking in our alley at night? At least they were fed! Now, I plan on taking this veggie mess and feed it to the wigglers, bringing it back to where it started! How's that for recycling?

Happy Wormin'