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'

Red Wigglers in Alpaca Poop