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'

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?

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!

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!!!

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.

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'

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'

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'

Party Plate Update

About 3 weeks ago, I was given a bin full of compostable cups and plates from a friend who hosted a pretty big party! I posted a blog and wanted to update the worms' progress with some photos!

Progress is pretty slow, and I think it's because I put the plates on the top of the bedding. I decided to replace the "newspaper" blanket with the wet party plates.

I do notice some worm casting on top of the plates so they are making their way to the top. The plates are still moist and rather flimsy so they are breaking down.

When I pulled the plates away, I was happy to see the worms feasting on the scraps. This is a good sign.

The plates are not deterring them from doing their good deeds!!

I will continue to update their progress!! So if you have compostable cups and plates, feed them to your red wigglers! Maybe tear some up and mix them in the bedding.

Happy worming!!!

worms in action with a watermelon!

Backyard Compost Pile

My backyard compost pile has been going for about a year. I started throwing yard debris, including grass clippings into a small section of my yard. Many of my clients have free standing piles and have had much success with adding Red Wigglers so I decided to give it a try. The pile was dry so I made sure to get it very wet so the wigglers would thrive.

My neighbors often supply the wigglers with a lot of food waste. Last week, I added about 2 cups of the waste to the pile. Adding the food made me a bit nervous. I didn't want the pile to attract flies. So far things seem to be quiet in the corner.

I will wander out there this afternoon and check on the progress of the food waste. I am hoping to find the worms having a feast. If all goes well this week, I will continue to add food scraps to the pile. Wish me luck!