#2 Fruit Flies, Slugs and Snails oh my! Not in my worm farm, or maybe it's OK, read about worm farm invaders here.

 "Worms are ruminators. They sift through whatever surrounds them, turn it over, explore it, move through it. They are deliberate creatures, in no great hurry, but always in motion, twisting and burrowing, shrinking and contracting and eating. They spend their lives in a kind of active mediation working through the detritus in which they live, the bits of leaves and grass and particles of soil for a being with such a simple brain, a worm seems, in this way, almost thoughtful."
Amy Stewart, author of "The Earth Moved"

We don't see them but worms are hard at work in this environment.

Creating an Ecosystem supportive of composting worms is in the beginning for many of us a labor founded on curiosity. Soon the benefits of natural organic manure, known as castings are realized. One benefit is it may be brewed into a "Tea" as an enhancer to the soil around plants adding many nutrients and beneficial bacterias, nematodes, and fungi. The longer worm farmers work with the relentless composters the more respect the little creatures earn. Passion and dedication are end products of that respect, creating the realization our partners may become prey to invaders of the systems we created. This article is about describing the larger insects, flies, and larva that may join them in their habitat with the potential to inflict harm upon them or in many cases making their lives easier.

(Follow this Link to my youtube video on how to build a worm farm.)

Fruit Flies and Fungus Gnats are every bit adaptable to a worm farm as are the worms. They are drawn to moist, warm, damp organic materials. Fruit flies are a fact of life for a worm farmer, they may be unpleasant however unbelievable as it may sound they pose no threat to the worms. During their lifespan of one week, they lay 500 eggs left clinging to the skins of fruits and vegetables serving as transportation into their new homes. Some of those new homes just happen to be the habitats we have created for our composting buddies. The mature Fruit Fly is a creation of science fiction with its red eyes and brown heads, they are about 1/8 inch long. Fungus gnats are black in color with long gangly legs, acting the same way as fruit flies. Flying in circles in groups called "Ghosts". Prevention is the best way to deal with an infestation because the eggs are laid on the surface of fruits and vegetables it is prudent to wash them prior to addition to the worm farm.  Cooking, microwaving, and freezing will also kill the eggs making them safe for the bins. Caution not to add the food until it is thawed, or cooled down to room temperature.

(Follow this Link to the University of Kentucky's paper on Fruit Flies.) 

Centipedes are predators of worms, hunting them down and killing them, they must be removed from the habitat. Employing a stinger posed behind their heads equipped with poison glands capable of paralyzing small earthworms, insect larvae, insects, and spiders. The one and the only way to control them is by manually removing them exercising caution to pay particular attention to their pincers, they will sting fingers. Removal to the outside garden is their natural setting, feasting on many bugs that harm plants they are viewed as beneficial in the correct environment, which a garden is.

 A photograph of a Centipede the only comment
I have is a hearty "Yuck".

Millipedes have two sets of walking legs on each segmented part of their bodies will roll up in a ball when stressed or in danger. Eating decayed organic vegetation, they are harmless to the worms. Moving slower than Centipedes with their rounder, black to red coloring. The inhabitants of our bins are commonly either brown or reddish-brown.

A Millipede, I suddenly have an itch I can't scratch.

Sow Bugs are known as "wood louse" they are chubby crustaceans with gills along the lower parts of their bodies which must be kept wet detrimental for their breathing. Much like an Armadillo, they have a segmented plate shell brown to gray in color. Two antennae and seven pairs of legs make up the remainder of their bodies. Grazing on vegetation they eat and tear apart some of the toughest organic materials. High cellulose and lignins are among their preferred foods, straw, and corn husks are examples. Beneficial in the worm bins, but in a garden, they will harm young plants. Sowbugs prefer to inhabit the upper parts of the environment among the abundance of unprocessed organic material such as freshly fallen leaves. They are harmless to the worms.

Pill bugs are similar to the Sow bugs, the "rolly polly bugs" will roll up into a ball when disturbed or stressed. Also belonging to the crustacean family they do not bite sting or pose a threat to any of the other occupants of the worm farms. Employing gill-like breathing organs they as Sow bugs need to remain moist to avoid suffocation.

Snails and Slugs may be found in the vermicomposters eating fresh kitchen waste, depriving the worms of nourishment. When an infestation occurs it is advisable to increase the amount of food added for the worms. The mature slugs are not the problem however, that danger is unique to their eggs. Transferred from the composter to the gardens the newly hatched larva will consume tender young plants. When Slugs or Snails are seen in the environment it is best to remove them immediately.

Ants are a symptom of a bed that is too dry. Feeding on insects, seeds, sweets, vegetables, and fungi it is important to keep spilled food cleaned up from around the base of the containment. If a large colony of Ants has taken up residence in the farm saturating the bedding with water will drive them out, continual turning over of the bedding will be required. Normally the Ants will leave. To keep them out place each of the bins supporting legs in a dish of water with a drop of dish soap to reduce the surface tension of the water. A dusting of Diatomaceous earth on the floor below the farms will dry the ants, it is effective to discourage Slugs and Snails as well. Do not use pesticides or insecticides, they will kill the worms when it is in contact with the bedding.

Fire Ants distinguished by their brown copper head and body they have a darker body. Having barbed mandibles they sting repeatedly in a circular pattern, the bite into the skin and don't let go. Causing small blisters lasting for days without treatment, they can easily destroy the worm colony. They can also be expelled with the soaking of the bed and continual turning over of the bedding.

Photograph of a Fire Ant. 

Blow Flies and House Flies smell rotting meat, feces, and greasy foods which create the perfect dwelling for them to lay their eggs. Maggots are the larvae and appear in droves around the rotting waste and feces after they hatch. Blow Flies are metallic in appearance and House flies are gray in color commonly. They will not harm the worms or the biosphere, in fact, the larvae contribute castings of their own which are of high quality and serve as a food source for the worms. Hanging fly strips away from the bins will keep them at bay.

Soldier Flies are black, metallic blue, green or purple, they may also display brightly colored black and yellow patterns. Feeding only on decayed or rotting material. Being common in the worm habitats the flies are no danger to the inhabitants. Living a parallel life they do not compete for food and mostly complement the activities of the composting worms. Like the worm castings, their feces make excellent compost. They do not spread diseases or bacteria, conversely, the larvae eat potentially pathogenic and disease-causing organisms making them harmless. Emitting odors that discourage houseflies and other flying pests, they are actually a pleasant house guest in the bins. Having no mouth they are unable to bite or sting, the adults, and the larvae are harmless to humans, and the worms. Left in the environment it is prudent to keep a close eye on the rate of food consumption because the worms are at a disadvantage when it comes to a race to the table. The Soldier Fly manure is a source of food for the worms as well.

A good picture of a Soldier Fly

Larvae are the undeveloped form of an insect that undergoes metamorphosis, known as maggots. We find grey-brown 1/2-inch long invaders in the worm's habitat. Being attracted to compost piles, and worm farms they will do no harm to human or our little round partners. The most common inhabitants of the bedding are the larvae of Soldier Flies.

Flatworms or Land Planarian are known also as Flat Worms. Iridescent worms with a slimy coating, gray to brown coloring enhanced with dark stripes down their backs. Sporting a head resembling that of a hammerhead shark, they move and feed mostly at night. Living in their preferred high temperatures they require high moisture content to survive. They hide in dark, cool, moist areas during the day, they are native to the warm, wet, Tropics and sub Tropical domains and are thought to be distributed worldwide in the roots of tropical plants. Land Planarians are cannibalistic, they also eat other insects, slugs, larvae, and they are a predator of worms. They are a danger to the worm colony and must be removed as soon as they are seen. Crushing them will not destroy them, they little bits will come alive and there will be many more in short order. Spraying with bleach or orange oil will do the trick, as well as collecting them to dry out in the hot sun is another successful ploy. Bleach will kill the beneficial bacteria, nematodes, and molds in the vermiculture, avoid letting it come into contact with the healthy bedding.

A Flatworm photograph, these guy's are nasty.

The invaders I have listed in this article are not a complete list, worms like many other animals and organisms are preyed upon. Mammals such as rats, mice, possums, and raccoons favor the easy pickings of the worm beds when left unprotected. My outdoor beds during the winter are constantly upended by the roaming critters during the nighttime hours. When it becomes a problem I cover them with wire fence fabric. The beds are covered every fall with a layer of organic material, cardboard, leaves, and straw to cover them, it is 80% successful in discouraging the garden diggers. I had a worm colony completely destroyed by mice when they gained access to one farm that is kept in the garage, the bin had too large of holes in it. That is the subject of another article, which I may write soon.

Thank you for reading and sharing this article, if you are interested in Vermiculture feel free to ask me your questions in the comments, I will be happy to help you out without selling you a single item. Most worm farming equipment is cheap and many times may be had for free, after all, their habitat is all around us, unless we live in a desert. Thanks again.

jacquesandkate  emergencykitsplus.com

#1 Bugs in the worm farm, what are they doing in there? Will they destroy my herd? Read up on them in this article.

"A mere teaspoon of good garden soil, as measured by microbial geneticists, contains a billion invisible bacteria, several yards of equally invisible fungal hyphae, several thousand protozoa, and a few dozen nematodes."

From "Teaming with Microbes", Lowenfels and Lewis

Not this kind of Worm Farmer.

Vermiculture, commonly known as "Worm Farming", is the creation of an ecosystem designed to support composting worms (Red Wigglers are the preferred worms for composting) for the purpose of transforming organic waste into a usable form. Fertilizer is that usable end product, it is the bodily waste of composting worms, manure in other words in the form of "Castings". It is a living ecosystem with millions if not billions of active participants, in this article I will describe some of them and explain what they add to the composting system.

Starting with Bacteria which is the most numerous of organisms in the system, and also the most prominent primary composters in the world. They secrete enzymes that break down the bonds which hold the organic materials molecules together. Bacteria reduces the materials to their component elements, simplifying the waste making it available to the other organisms in the ecosystem, enabling the earthworms to consume what is then rotted matter.

Actinomycetes are a higher form of bacteria with many noteworthy characteristics. The smell of fresh soil is one of the contributions of this higher level of bacteria, they also create the benefits that are derived from Humus, (the dark organic material in soil). They work deep in the dirt converting organic materials into a form of Peat, releasing nitrogen and carbon which make it ready for mixing into the topsoil. Creating antibiotics many non-beneficial bacteria populations decrease as the Actinomycetes increase.

Here are some Actinomycetes now.

Protozoa digest microbes, which are rich in amino acids and minerals are deposited into the compost after it travels through their digestive systems. Plants use the nutrients directly from the soil, which is the basis for production of chlorophyll, duplication of DNA, and protein chemistry basic to plant growth.

Common in a healthy worm environment are Molds and Fungi, they present no threats to the ecosystem or any of the animals living in it. Fungi are simple plants, unable to produce their own carbohydrates due to lacking the chlorophyll that other higher-level plant forms contain. Fungi include yeasts, molds, and mycelium. Eating the decaying organic materials secreting enzymes which break down the organics simplifying dead plant life. They too are a source of food for our composting worms as well as for the other organisms in the farm. Large amounts of Mold and Fungi are an indication of the system containing more food than what can be managed in the proper amount of time. Feed rates should be decreased when this condition appears. Being no threat to the worm bin, molds and fungi may cause irritation to humans suffering from allergies to molds. If this is the case the Compost bins should be kept outdoors, in a garage, or a well-ventilated basement which will eliminate the irritation.

Nematodes are small, semi-transparent, unsegmented roundworms that mineralize the nutrients contained in bacteria and fungi. Throughout planet earth there exists at least 20,000 species of the tiny lucent creatures, several species will be in the worm farm. For the most part, they are beneficial in the eco-system breaking down nutrients in mold and fungi making them readily usable to the plants.

Anthropods are invertebrates having an external skeleton (exoskeleton), segmented body, and appendages with joints. Included among them are insects, arachnids, crustaceans, and beetles. Living in the soil and upper composting areas among the organic litter. They are instrumental in controlling the rate of litter decomposition in the worm composter.

Continuing on with other Arthropods and Organisms.

Potworms are small white worms very common in soil, they are able to expand into massive size populations in compost piles or in earthworm farms. They are segmented relatives of the earthworms known scientifically as "enchytraeids", (pronounce: enn-kee-Tray-ids). Easily confused with baby red worms, however, a closer look will reveal a Potworm is white, and red worm babies are reddish from the moment they are born. The need to worry about an overpopulation in the worm farm driving the composting red wigglers out is unfounded. As is with most of the organisms in the bed they reside peacefully with the worms posing no danger to them. They are much like their composting cousins inhabiting rich organic environs being efficient at breaking down organics and aerating the soil. They like an acidic habitat that is moist, it is common to see them appear after acidic materials are added to the bin. The fermented starchy matter will attract them as well, if the medium is too dry they will die. In the event a farm is over-run, bread soaked in milk left in the bin will attract them. The milk soaked bread may then be lifted out and disposed of, the Potworms will cling to it, repeat as often as needed. They prey on Nematodes, but other than having a tendency to overpopulate and aerate the soil they are really minimal contributors to the farm. 

This is the only color of Earwig I have seen.

Earwigs are wingless small insects, they come in a variety of colors. White is the most common, followed by yellow, red, green, orange and lavender, those in my bins are a weird copper color. Harmless to earthworms they feed on mold, fungi, bacteria, and decomposing organic materials. They are capable of "springing" about 75mm (3-inches) by means of a small spring-like apparatus under the midsection that causes them to leap when disturbed. They thrive in a moist bed, with their numbers decreasing as the bedding dries out. A large population may drive the worms deep into the beds, keeping them from coming to the surface to feed. Earwigs are a nuisance in the environment because they feast on the worms food, they are dealt with in the same manner as we deal with Mites, (detailed below).

Mites are the most common bug to show up in the worm bins playing an important role in decomposition. A worm farm normally contains several species of Mites, small, normally whiteish brown, to reddish brown in appearance. Eating the worms food they are otherwise harmless to their bin companions, however, when Mites are overpopulated they will drive the worms underground keeping them from feeding and reproducing. Mite populations increase due to feeding overly moist food to the colony, or the bedding is too wet. To test for moisture take a small amount of bedding and squeeze it, a few drops should drip out if the moisture is correct, if more drips add shredded paper to the bed. An inexpensive moisture meter may be employed as well, they are readily available on the internet. (A moisture meter will record a level of 60%-75% when the conditions are correct). On a higher note, if there are few Mites it is an indication your bed is in good condition for the worms to multiply. If there are a lot of Mites the bed needs attention, most likely reducing moisture, which is effective in controlling Earwigs also.

(Follow this Link to Natures Footprint page on worm farming.)

There are a total of 40 different residents of a worm farm, I have listed 20 above, in my next article, I will list the additional 20. It is to our advantage to know and understand what comprises our gardens and vermicomposters. Most of the inhabitants of the bins are beneficial unless of course, they become overpopulated, but even then we can deal with them effectively. However, there is that rare occasion when disaster can strike and kill off an entire colony. There are plenty of larger predators that are eager to gain access to the worms, we need to guard against them also. Household pets (unless they are lizards) generally pay no attention to the worm farms.

I had found a plastic bin floating down the river past my house two years ago, it was set up to be a worm farm from its appearance. I did notice the air holes were on the large size but I thought I would be able to compensate for that with an inside cover of cardboard. I am not sure how long the cardboard lasted, I was asleep when the mice attacked. Penetrating the cardboard like it was cheese, they ate every worm in the bin, when they were finished it looked as if small rototillers had turned over the bedding. If it was one mouse he must have grown three sizes, however, I'm sure there were many more than that from the condition they left the box. The air holes should not be larger than 1/4-inch in diameter.

Some Worm Farms are huge, others, like mine, are not.

Thank you for reading and sharing, be sure to read my next article which will be published on June 26. I will be describing the remaining 20 beneficial and not so beneficial occupants of our man made worm environments. Leave a comment with suggestions, questions or stories about your worm farming experiences. Thanks again.

jacquesandkate  Emergencykitsplus.com

10 items to include in the FEMA evacuation planning template, a unique plan for how to find your pets after the event.

"I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I am not sure that you realize that what you heard is not what I meant."

Robert McCloskey, U.S. State Department

Communications have come a long way.

We experienced an earthquake last night, this one was unique for one reason, the epicenter was 10 miles from our house. There was a loud "crack", earthquakes do make noises, then the earth shook violently. It was a 3.5 magnitude followed by several aftershocks, the entire event lasted just over an hour. I slept through the entire episode, my wife woke up but did not realize what took place. My wife's daughter felt the entire occurrence, as did our two grandson's who were still awake. One of the biggest threats the residents of our island are faced with would be a levee breach, flooding in other words. All of the associated calamities would follow the initial shock, flood, loss of electricity, loss of water, and the subject of this article communications during an event and planning prior to one.

Planning prior to a natural disaster which causes the loss of residence is an important first step to take. There are four basic questions we must ask ourselves:

1) How can we receive emergency alerts and warnings?

2) What kind of a Shelter plan do we need?

3) How will we evacuate?

4) Do we have a communications plan?

A consideration of the needs of each family member must be recognized and addressed, each emergency plan is unique to every household. It is advisable to take into account:

* The ages of the people in your household, not all residences are occupied by related family members, some households must include planning for visitors.

* Who will be of assistance to others, special needs such as elderly, disabled, and babies.

* Where is everyone, a list of frequent hangouts for each person.

* Special dietary requirements of residents.

* Devices and Equipment used by household members with disabilities and special medical needs.

* Medications and prescriptions

* Allow for the languages spoken in the household.

* Special religious and cultural requirements.

* Pets and service animals.

* Youngsters, toddlers, and babies.

We take all of this information into consideration, then put it all in writing, it looks like an insurmountable task, it is not. FEMA, Federal Emergency Management Agency, has developed many templates of which we may download and complete. (Follow this Link to FEMA's instructions on how to create a family emergency plan.) It is advisable that the planning be a household activity when a person has input there is a real sense of ownership. Children especially will be enthusiastic when their suggestions are put into action and valued by the family.

Pay particular attention to communications, during an event everyone in the community who is affected will immediately start to call loved ones. The cell phone lines and landlines will be jammed up, human nature is when we receive a "busy" signal we immediately hang up and redial. This further adds to the congestion on the airwaves, very few people will complete their calls, communications will be stalled. Texting may have more successful results, it does not occupy as much space on the lines as a telephone call. A better solution may be to have an out of area contact, a relative several states away, or in a distant city is advisable. All members of the household should have the contact information on a card in their wallet at all times with instructions to make contact as soon as reasonably possible. When making the initial call make it short, stating where you are, what condition you are in, and any other pertinent information. After first contact call again several hours later, everyone will have reported by then and a plan for reuniting will be established by the person pre-selected to make that determination. Four hours after the event the telephone lines will begin to clear up, it may then be possible to communicate directly phone to phone.

We may all be trying to call at once.

If communication by cell phone is not possible, look for other ways to let others know you are alright. Post office bulletin boards, email if you have a computer, post-pre-made flyers, or meet at a pre-determined spot.

Know where your local evacuation muster areas are, many at-risk locals have designated staging areas for victims to wait until they are able to be relocated to a relief center. First responders will under certain situations venture into the communities searching for people in distress, this could take several hours if not days. Due to a lack of adequate planning many times we don't have all of the information we need to make informed decisions. This is one of those points, if we do not know where to evacuate, we will be unable to help ourselves. Getting in contact with the local emergency planning agency is prudent to gather as much information as possible to prepare for the unthinkable. It is important to talk with them about special needs people in your family also, many local governments keep a list of at-risk people and prioritize their evacuations at the highest level. If we fail in contacting them in advance there is no way the emergency personnel will know you are there.

While putting the plan together another consideration is to be certain to address the possibility of people being away from the house. Not so much for the people who are away but for the people left at home alone, many times they are vulnerable children. Written instructions on what actions should be taken during the various events that may impact your area, each have common implications as well as unique challenges. The demands of a flood are much different than what we face during a tornado for instance.

Cats most of the time stay in the vicinity of the house after the wildfires of 2017 in Northern California people reported finding their pet cats hiding under bushes and structures near their destroyed homes. Dogs, on the other hand, have a tendency to run fast, far, and in a panic. Many of them never find their way home again, lost to their human friends forever. A partial solution or one that can enable the search to be successful is to take a photo of your pet with the entire family. Neighbors are more able to associate an animal with its owners when they are together because that is how most of the time the pet is seen. Include all of your pets, birds, cats, dogs, and pot belly pigs also, whatever your pet is include them in the photo. I suppose fish may be an exception, parrots, iguana's, and turtles should all be in the family portrait. It's also prudent to make a flyer and have them ready to post immediately when the threats are relieved.

I forgot to include the people!

Elderly parents, children, parents, and neighbors will all be at an advantage with a pre-written plan. It gives the family confidence that in the chance that a natural disaster does occur everything will be going according to plan, mom and dad will be where they said they will be when they said they will be there. Distant relatives will be released also due to the out of area contact being able to report the condition of the family, eliminating more attempts of calling on cell phones. Friends will benefit as well because they too will be able to contact the distant contact number. Caregivers will appreciate a written plan as well, they have their hands full when there is no activity, during an emergency stress is a by-product for them.

To further confidence in the plan, practice it until everyone knows what it entails, and all of the bugs are worked out of it. Making sure everyone performs their assignments that will assist in the completion of the entire plan is the goal. Now is the time to determine what makes sense and what doesn't, fix the problems, all plans are made to be altered, none are perfect. We do love when a plan comes together though, don't we? They will, for the most part, we don't shoot for perfection, if 80% of our plan is successful after practice, and editing, it's a positive outcome. Disasters are not uniform, to expect our plan to follow the progress of a storm or other calamity in its entirety is not reasonable. The plan will be flexible enough to work with the events we have recognized as threats.

A written plan with practice will work, placing us a step ahead of those who did not put a thought into what they may need during such an event. In conclusion, I am an advocate of being in a position prior to an evacuation event being prepared to the point of being a responder versus a victim. Having an ample supply of water to share with neighbors, directions on where the muster points are, how to get up to date disaster reports, is all information and supplies people need to share with one another. A Catastrophic event is no time to exercise the "I got mine, so much for you", philosophy.

Aim to be in a position to assist during an emergency situation.

The signs of success are fairly straightforward if we all survive, the plan was successful We can purchase an endless amount of supplies to assist us in making it through a natural event, however without the planning the equipment is useless.

Thank you for reading and sharing this article, the earthquakes that occurred this morning serve as a wake-up call for me. Most of these types of events strike me the same way when my neighbor's houses burned down, it inspired me to create a website dealing with self-reliance. When a levee breached it inspired me to write a blog on the levees. Earthquakes are much more common here, just not as close. as the ones that took place early this morning. Thank you again for reading and sharing, if you have something to add please leave it in the comments.

jacquesandkate  Emergencykitsplus.com

Build a worm farm it is not complicated, learn how in this article, bedding, food, and 5 foods to avoid

"Early bird Oh, if you're a bird, be an early bird and catch the worm for your breakfast plate. If you're a bird, be an early bird-but if you're a worm, sleep late."
-Shel Silverstein-

In this article, I will be discussing how I construct a worm farm using the plastic storage type bins. They are used by many people due to their being readily available, inexpensive, and easy to work with. Other materials may be used, old bathtubs, cement blocks, used galvanized water troughs, and of course wood. I have four farms in my garage three are constructed from the storage containers, one is made from a heavy plastic box. Outside there are nine raised beds made of re-claimed wood 2x6 planks. There are many commercially available set-ups, they all work well. I bought and use the "Worm Factory 360", it is a verticle multi-bin system. The verticle system is actually the same type of farm as the storage bin assembly, more expensive and smaller being the obvious noticeable differences. No matter what device is employed it is best to purchase "new" versus using those that have stored things over the years in which the identity has been lost. If a decision is made to employ previously used equipment be certain to clean it completely, using the "triple rinse" method.

(Follow this Link for the EPA's paper on how to create and maintain a worm farm.)

I raise "Red Wigglers", they are among the best composting worms from my experience and the input I have gleaned from other sources. I began three years ago, my first attempt was a dismal failure, I was wiped out by mice. That is one issue with earthworms, they are a universal food source for many animals. I have thousands of worms in each of my wood raised bed garden boxes, critters dig for them. I don't know if the Possums, Skunks, and Racoons are able to hear the wigglers chomping away or if they just know to dig and they will find them. As many as they consume I do not notice a reduction in the population, there are still many worms in each spadeful of compost. In the garden bins are "European Nightcrawlers", and "Red Wigglers", I mixed them for a purpose. The Red Wigglers reside in the layer of organic debris which lies above the completely decomposed material, and below the partially broken down leaves. I use straw over the leaves to help control weeds, so the layer is Straw-partially decomposed material-compost. European Nightcrawlers are tunnel constructors, rising to the surface at night to feed they will follow the burrows down to their dens. Nightcrawlers carve out lairs as deep as six feet under the surface. They carry organic material down to them, aeriating the vegetable beds and distributing compost throughout the box. I do not harvest worms, or castings from these boxes, it creates a "natural" environment for the worms and a great medium to grow plants in.

A stock photo of the worm factory 360. The ends are
cut out from this example to show how it works inside.

The plastic storage bins are much the same, although they are on a smaller scale, the goal is to emulate the natural environment as closely as possible. I prefer the 18-inch plastic totes, I am handicapped and I have found any larger bin is too heavy for me to handle when it comes time to harvest the castings. We must realize when a farm is started that worm manure is heavy, determining how much weight a person can handle is important. I have found the 18-inch bins weigh about 50 pounds when 3/4 full of castings.

One plastic bin is initially needed, the addition of a second one will be needed 60-90 days after the successful beginning of the farm.

In order to build them these tools will need to be gathered together:

1) Electric Drill Motor
2) 1/4 inch drill "bit"
3) A sharpie type of marker, black is best.
4) A straight edge or yardstick, at least 20 inches long.
5) Measuring tape, or use the yardstick.

Set the new box on a flat surface, the floor or a table, it's important to be comfortable, don't choose a rickety old something to perform work on. Place the plastic tote "bottom-up" after removing the lid. Measure 3 inches from each edge of the box bottom and draw a line parallel to the sides and ends. On each of the long sides mark 5 equal spaces then connect the marks with a line, on the short ends repeat with 4 equal divisions. There should be a grid with 20 places where the lines intersect, at each of these intersections drill a 1/4" hole. The bottom is completed, now lay the bin on its side.

Scribe a line 3 inches from the bottom, and 3 inches from the top repeat on the ends and the far side of the bin. Starting in the corner place the first mark, then measure the length of the box, placemarks equally spaced on each line. A note of encouragement, we are not shooting for perfection, in fact, measuring is not even needed if aesthetics are not the desired outcome. Most of the time no one will notice if the hole is off by even a large amount. All of these holes are for maintaining a flow of air through the box. Drill a 1/4 inch hole at each mark on the lines, all around the top and bottom. The box is now completed for holes, next is the last step. Lay the top flat on the working surface setting the box to one side. Lay out the grid on the top to match the bottom as closely as possible, it is desirable to have at least 20 holes in each the top and the bottom, more is better. The final step is to remove the plastic "burrs" left on the inside of each hole by the drill, not only will they cut the worms but they may be sharp enough cut our fingers as well. Remove them with sandpaper, a pocket knife, or a paint scraper, the object is to remove them. The box is complete and ready to be set up with bedding, food, and finally after 5 days the worms.

The bottom of the bin laid out ready for the holes to be drilled.

The top of the bin laid out ready for the holes to be drilled.

To prepare the box for the introduction of the worms we need to gather together:

1) One piece of cardboard large enough to cover the bottom of the box, and another large enough to cover the top. The top cardboard will be larger, the bin is tapered out from the bottom.

2) One gallon of garden compost, store-bought organic compost will work fine, stay away from additives.

3) A combination of these materials to equal 3 gallons, 2-1/2 gallons of dry leaves, a newspaper some shredded some torn into 1/2 inch pieces, cardboard cut into 1-inch squares (torn is fine). It is not set in stone, flowers, vegetable leaves, corn husks, straw (it takes forever to decompose), fern leaves, and I also use Ice Plant.

4) 2 slats of wood 18 inches long x 1-2 inches wide and thick. 4 medicine bottles, building blocks, or PVC pipe will work as well.

Cut one piece of cardboard to cover the entire bottom of the box, this is the only time this will be done. We do this to keep the worms from crawling out of the bottom, it is a precautionary measure. It doesn't seem to make much sense to cover the air holes on the bottom, but that is why we put holes along the bottom and top edges. Spread the one gallon of compost equally across the bottom cardboard, then moisten it, not dripping mud wet, just moist. Mix the bedding material in a bucket or other vessel, add water to it as well, wet versus moist is best. Place a small amount of worm food in the center of the box bottom, on top of the compost, (a detailed list of food is at the end of the article). Spread the bedding over the top of the compost, and worm food, four to six inches of bedding is required. We now lay the wood slats on the deck, or shelf where ever the bin will reside. The slats are to allow air to flow from the bottom to the top through the bin, any material may be used as long as it is strong enough to support the box. I have used empty medicine bottles, building blocks or PVC piping may also be used. Now is the time to order your worms, they will be at your doorstep in 3-5 days which will allow the food to decompose and the moisture level of the bedding to even out. When they arrive they will be "balled" up together, this is how they deal with stress. Do not pull them apart, simply set them on top of the bedding and cover them. Do not disturb them for several days, they need to acclimate to their new environment. Feed them again when all or most of the food has been consumed, it will take about a week. Check the worms after 3 days, the food may be consumed if so add some more. If the food has not been eaten check again the next day, add more if it's mostly gone.

(Follow this Link to my youtube video on how to construct a worm bin)

Construct a second bin identical to the first, it will be used when the first bin is filled 3/4 of the height with castings and some uneaten bedding. Making certain the cardboard is not laid across the bottom of box #2, remove the lid on #1 bin and slide #2 into it allowing the bottom to rest on the top of the uneaten bedding. Prepare box #2 with bedding and compost as we did #1, making sure everything is moist place a good quantity of food under the bedding. Place a piece of wet cardboard on the top of the bedding in box #2 then replace the lid. The worms will begin to migrate up into the second bin. After the food is consumed in the lower box they will move in rapidly. Give them time, it takes 3-4 weeks for the majority to move up, at that time the remainder may be moved manually from #1 to #2.

There are several ways to get worms for your farm:

* If you purchase a commercially available farm some include a "voucher", follow the directions included.

* Order worms by mail, there are several suppliers on the internet.

* Local worm farms, there are more around than we are aware of, they are also on the internet.

* Get them from a friend, I set up a lot of worm farms for people.

* Bait shop worms, they are OK, most bait worms are at the end of their lives but are still capable of laying eggs. Worm life expectancy is about one year.

* Local recycling programs, they will know local worm farmers.

It is advisable to keep bedding ready to add to the bin, I have another 18-inch tote I keep filled with prepared bedding and add some every week.

Listed below is more acceptable bedding materials:

* Tree leaves, I use a lot of them, in fact, my bedding is 90% leaves. All are not usable avoid these, Green Bay Leaves, Eucalyptus Leaves, Coniferous needles and Citrus Leaves. I have seen good results from Pecan and Black Walnut leaves, I suspect any fruit or nut tree leaves will be great.

* Cardboard, use bare cardboard only, the ink of the silk screening process will harm the worms, that's the shiny information on the exterior of the box. Remove all staples, tape, and plastic address label pockets. Rip it into 1-inch pieces, or cut it with scissors.

* Paper, newspaper, printer paper, caution an excessive amount of shredded paper has a tendency to clump up, it is advisable to include torn up pieces along with the shredded. I have an old paper cutter I use, it works well with my arthritic hands.

* Peanut shells unsalted, as with all things worms salt is an absolute no-no, it will dry the little guy's out.

* Coffee Grounds spread throughout the bedding with the filters. It is not only for bedding the grounds are good for food as well.

* Garden waste flowers, ice plant trimmings, cactus, artichoke leaves, zucchini leaves, and any vegetable leaves, stalks and underdeveloped fruit.

* Cocoanut Coir is available in most nurseries and big box stores, it makes great bedding material and if you live in an area that is devoid of other material, it may be advisable to keep a supply on hand.

* Peat Moss like Cocoanut Coir it is another great bedding material. If there is a shortcoming it is that Coir and Peat Moss will be eaten by the worms but there is little if any nutritional value in it. In other words, the worms will not gain length or weight.

* Saw Dust, I stay clear of unless I know for certain it is not from treated wood, painted or stained wood.

This is my leaf tower, however, this one is filled with straw.
There are others filled with leaves I use during the summer.

The more experience that is gathered the bigger the list of bedding grows.

Following is a short list of food:

# Tea bags and tea, without the staples.

# Fruit cores, peels, and flowers

# Pasta, Bread, Cereals

# Oatmeal, cornmeal (unsalted)

# All Vegetables

# Squash

# Bananas'

Foods to avoid:

* Citrus,

* Hot Peppers

* Meat, Bones, and Grease

* Onions, they don't like them.

* Dairy products

* Garlic

Cover the food with at least 4-6 inches of bedding, it serves to keep the fruit flies out and controls odors.

Eggshells are a staple in the bedding I put together, it performs double duty. One it controls the acidity of the bed, and secondly, the worms eat them for use in their crops. Worms like birds have a crop to aid in digesting their food. Mineral dust is included in some commercially available farms for the same purpose, use in their crops, they also get grit from leaves. First-year growth has a lot of silica in it, also leaves merely by the fact they are on the ground pick up more dust and grit.

Now we are engaged in a learning curve, reading, and asking questions are all important, read forums and blogs. There is a lot of information you will pick up on as the farm grows, a lot happens in a worm farm. There are signs that will be displayed for both a healthy and unhealthy colony, the presence of eggs, the appearance of the worms, and the smells coming from the bin are all important. Keep your farm moist, don't disturb the worms an excessive amount, and keep the lids on to keep the mice out.

Place spacers of any material that will create an air space below
the bin to allow air to flow from bottom to top.

I raise worms for several reasons, I have achieved zero kitchen waste, castings for fertilizer and making worm tea. I also use most of the cardboard coming into the house, in fact, I gather more from the neighbors. I use the cardboard in my raised bed garden boxes as well. I use all of the leaves that fall from my trees, and a lot of them from my neighbors, I store them in hog wire columns to use over the summer. It is amazing to me the amount of organic material, paper, and cardboard the Red Wigglers consume. It's interesting also how attached I have become to them, I have a real solid sense of responsibility towards them.

Thank you for reading and sharing this article, if you have a comment or question leave it in the comments. It's an interesting and rewarding activity to be involved in, I have heard it said that being a little eccentric is almost a pre-qualifier for a Worm Farmer. I know one thing for a fact, the plants react wonderfully to it when placed in the soil.

jacquesandkate  emergencykitsplus.com

Witnessing Arson or even the start of a fire is more important than many of us realize, read on for what to do.

“Why do you have a cigarette lighter in your glove compartment?" her husband, Jack, asked her. "I'm bored with knitting. I've taken up arson”
― Audrey Niffenegger, Her Fearful Symmetry

Arson is difficult to prove if we are a witness the odds will
be improved. 

This time of year fire is on every resident of the Western United States mind. The rain we had over the winter, coupled with the mild temperatures of springtime lead to an abundance of tall grass, weeds, and undergrowth. The winter rains have been followed by days of temperatures exceeding 100 degrees F, rapidly drying out the landscape. Many fires are suspected to be "Arson", which is defined as "the intentional act with the intent to start a fire solely for the purpose of destroying a structure." Some are lit for vengeance, some for insurance settlements and some are set by people just to see stuff burn.
There are many psychological explanations for the causes for a person becoming an arsonist. 

There is another side of fires, whether they are arson or not, wildfire or city fire, the people who are the first to come upon a fire, are considered "witnesses".
 
In the event that you see a fire when it is started, or shortly after, you have just become a witness. It is not your decision to determine if what you saw is valuable to understanding what took place, the fire inspector will decide that. After presenting your self as a witness you will be expected to tell investigators what you saw, smelled, heard, and observed. When lives and property have been damaged one of the worst things to do is to walk away after being a witness without telling anyone what you saw, the information you have is important. It's in society's best interest to have every fire solved, and any cause identified, we can all help by volunteering what we see to the fire inspectors.
 
There are two types of witnesses:

1) People who see the fire as it is started, or arrived within minutes afterward.

2) People that were not on the scene and not close enough to see what happened, these individuals are familiar with the area of the fire the buildings, terrain, and they are more aware of people that frequent the area.

Fire inspectors are meticulous. 

Witnesses in category 1 are able to describe either how it started (if they saw it) or the speed and direction of the fire spreading after the first ignition. Sometimes a witness is someone that smells smoke then opens a door and is met with fire.

Some questions asked by the fire inspector may include:

1) Were you there when the fire started? If so explain what you saw prior to the fire starting, what were the conditions leading up to the fire starting.
 
2) When you initially saw the fire what did you see?
 
3) What action did you take after you realized a fire had started?
 
4)  What is your experience with the area?  Do you know of any hazards that were in existence prior to the fire starting?
 
5) Did you notice any paint, chemicals or combustibles in the area?
 
6)  When you first saw the fire, what color was it, how did it act, how hot was it, was it moving rapidly? You as a witness will be asked a lot of questions, with plenty of time to think and answer them.
 
7)  Did the fire smell abnormal, what color was the smoke, was there a lot of smoke?
 
8)  Do you know where the fire started?
 
9)  Were any people in the vicinity when you first noticed the fire? Do you know them, if so who was it?
 
10) Did you notice if anyone else was present? If so what were they doing? Were there cars in the vicinity, did any drive by, if so can you identify them?
 
(Follow this Link to read more on how to be a good witness.)

As the primary witness write down what you saw at the earliest possible opportunity, do not remain in the area to gather this information, your first duty is to stay out of harm's way.  A request may be made to record your findings, that is a voluntary choice to be made by you. Contact may be made with the fire inspectors after the emergency phase is over, it will be studied for several weeks.
 
The witnesses in the 2nd category have information on how the fire spread, however, the most important information they have is of residence. These witnesses most of the time have information pertaining to the conditions of the area prior to the fire. Knowledge of suspicious activities, feuds, arguments, threats and the like. If the local that suffered the loss is a business many times employees are 2nd category witnesses.

Huge crowd, how many are witnesses?

Some other questions they may be asked are:
 
1) Did you discover the fire, did someone tell you? How did you find out about the fire?
 
2) What time of day did you first discover the fire?
 
3) Did you call and report the fire? If so what was the conversation? Did they initiate any activities that you know of?
 
4) Tell us what you saw at the fire scene, everything you can remember.
 
5) Did you see anyone in the area, near the building, in the field or walking by? Do you know them, did they look familiar?

6) Why were you there? There will be numerous questions pertaining to your activities in the direct area and how familiar you are with it.
 
7) What goes on around here during the day and night? Did anything out of the ordinary occur that day, week, or month? This is where the true value of a local resident is important, people are astute and notice when situations are out of order.
 
8) What time did you come upon the fire? Are you sure of the time?
 
9) Do you know the people normally here? Do you converse with them? Are you on friendly terms with them?

10) Have you observed any suspicious activities or people merely "hanging around" over the past few months?

 (Follow this Link for an explanation of Witness Statements)

Normally there will be more questions than you have answers, just relax and be truthful everything will be fine. It is best at the first opportunity to write down all you remember about the event, everything, don't hold back. The investigator will ask for your contact information, it is rare during an investigation to not come upon the need for more questions to be addressed.
 
In summary, it is good practice to be forthcoming and completely honest with the investigators, they truly do work in the interest of society. Their main goal is to discover the cause of the fire and if it is arson, the perpetrators are held accountable. Whether a wildfire or a city fire, if you discover it, call 911, before doing so know where you are. Street address, city, as well as your name and telephone number. Knowing what to expect will remove some stress out of what could prove to be a trying situation. This brief description is close to what will take place if you are a witness.

Thanks for reading and sharing, the chances of becoming a witness to arson is fairly low, but it is incredibly important if you are. To report as a witness is entirely voluntary.

jacquesandkate  emergencykitsplus.com

The Pfieffer Canyon Bridge is repaired, the Mud-creek slide on Highway 1 is nearing, so is the wildfire and rainy season.

A mudslide is just a mountainside getting into a more comfortable position.

All mountains are susceptible to mudslides, even Mount
Shasta as shown here.

The winter of 2016-2017 was a wet one, it followed a 7-year drought that was experienced in the western United States. Dry periods are the norm here, followed by a season of heavy rains, rarely do we experience two wet years in a row. The slopes of the mountains dry out on top of the loose rock, shale, and organic material. The mountain ranges in the west are young compared to those on the east coast, part of the reason we have more mudslides than the East Coast. On account of their young geological age, the bedrock hasn't had enough time to compress and become hard. The harder the rock becomes the more resistant to absorption it becomes, thereby being more stable. Gravity, loose rock, cover soil, and water combine to create a mudslide, dry soil clinging to the side of a mountain slope is not stable, then the rain starts to fall. Creating terrain that takes up the consistency of pudding it collects water from the falling rain until the soil is no longer able to cling to the bedrock. When the slide occurs water, mud, organic material, and rock all move as a single unit careening downhill at breakneck speed, plowing over and burying everything in its path. Waterworks it's way to the layer between the bedrock and the organic material creating a lubrication layer for the muck to ride on. The top layer will begin to move first disrupting the entire stack, once momentum is built up there is nothing that will stop its downward motion. Water is heavy, one gallon weighs 8-1/3 lbs, 5-gallons weighs just over 40 pounds. Thousands of gallons of water are needed to saturate the side of a hill to enable it to move, being an unfathomable amount of weight there isn't much that can stop an almost 50-ton blob of inertia-driven rock, soils, water, and large organic materials (trees).

There isn't much of a chance to stop a mudslide once it's in motion.

During the winter of 1016-2017 several mudslides took place, the Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge was destroyed when a mudslide drove into it causing a collapse. Closing highway one on the California coast 45 miles north of the Monterey County line. The bridge closed in February 2017 and was re-opened October 2017, after replacing the entire structure.

(Follow this Link for an update and final report on the repair of the Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge.)

The Mud Creek slide is a horse of a different color, closing highway 1, 15 miles north of Big Sur at Palo Colorado in Monterey County, the road remains closed. The slide took place on May 20, 2017. Work is progressing on the $40 million repair answering to the massive landslide that released million cubic yards of rock, dirt, water, and organic material. It buried Highway 1, under debris that is still settling after more than a year. Pushing 15 acres of debris over the road and into the Pacific Ocean, creating more shoreline. The new beach may be compromised by wave action over the years by the storms that are created out at sea near Hawaii. This slide took place in one of the most iconic spots on the west coast, the drive from Monterey to San Simeon is a breathtaking trip to make. It is literally the transition from Northern California to Southern California, entering the road south of Carmel where it is normally cool. Driving south to San Simeon where it is dry and well, southern California. 3,000 vehicles travel the scenic route every day according to the L.A. times it is essential to the businesses on the route for the road to open as soon as possible. Caltrans reports the work has progressed so well that the southern access will reopen at the end of July 2018. Six weeks earlier than originally estimated.

The Mudcreek slide shortly after it took place.

The biggest challenge in repairing the mess is the millions of cubic yards having to be moved. 60 truckloads of rock are being delivered every day from distant Cities, this is, after all, a remote area. Cambria, San Luis Obispo, and Porterville 150 miles distant in the San Joaquin Valley. Building a new road over the top of the debris covering the highway beneath in tons of material. Compaction is critical to stabilizing the 80,000 cubic yards of fill material, just on the southern portion of the reconstruction. On the north end, the construction access road is 20 feet above where the finished highway will be, that material must be removed and leveled before paving can commence. When completed that end will be 236 feet above sea level, and uphill of the southern end by 80 feet.

Drainage pipe will be laid under the new road for rainwater to drain off of the mountain, under the roadway and into the Pacific Ocean. The repair is huge, with a lot of work yet to be performed Caltrans is on a non-stop mission to complete it. Five haul trucks, three loaders, five excavators, four dozers, along with six or seven other pieces of heavy equipment, and 20 workers are on the job every day. The weather co-operated with the project, it is rare to have two rainy years in a row, enabling non-stop work and creating many hours of overtime.

Whats to keep this from burning? Wildfires are the first step towards
Mudslides. 

I look out over the Diablo Range to the west of me about 25 miles and see a lot of dried grass. The wildfires have begun in Colorado so it is probably an indication they will start here soon as well. I drove by one of the foothills this afternoon on my way to a Doctor's appointment. My wife mentioned how dry it is with my reply being "yeh, it's a miracle it hasn't caught on fire yet." We went around the next bend and I swear to you there was a grass fire being extinguished by a fire crew. There is no water in those mountains until San Luis Reservoir 150 miles to the south. After that, I don't know of any, possibly in the Pinnacles National Monument, but I don't remember any there either. Drought, Wildfires, Rain, and Dirt is the formula for a mudslide if any one of those elements is eliminated the chances of a mudslide are greatly reduced. I vote to eliminate Wildfires, we need the rain.

(This Link will lead you to the Big Sur Blog with a current update of the repair work being performed on the Mudcreek Slide of 2017.)

Thank you for reading and sharing my article, there will be more wildfires, more flooding, rain, and mudslides. The drought has started already, it will last for at least a few years, then a heavy rain season. More slides will follow, the cycle continues and most likely has for the past many thousands of years. The good news is the Pfieffer Canyon Bridge is repaired and the Mud Creek Slide will be ready by the end of July.

jacquesandkate emergencykitsplus.com

8 uses for recycled coffee grounds some you've heard some probably not

Coffee is the juice of the universal survival plant.

Coffee, in any cup, is popular.

Coffee is grown on an evergreen tree (shrub), between the Tropics of Cancer, and Capricorn. Named after the region from which they originate, Colombian, Java, and Kona, mainly in Africa, Latin America, Asia, and Brazil. Approximately 70 countries grow coffee, with the majority of the production in Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia, Indonesia, and Ethiopia.

Coffee Trees grow to 15-20 feet tall, they have wide glossy leaves and white flowers resembling those of citrus trees. The flowers, like other fruit-bearing trees, give way to the beans, called coffee cherries. Beginning as small green dots, they grow then ripen to yellow, orange, and finally, before drying out they turn red. The beans are harvested by hand, mechanical pickers are hardly ever an option due to the plants being big and bushy. Planted in tropical rainforests mechanical harvesters have a nearly impossible job of maneuvering through the jungles.

Photo of a Coffee Tree with "cherries" during all stages of development
. 

After processing the coffee beans are ready for the final step grinding and brewing. Saving the spent coffee grounds is well worth the effort, there are countless uses for them, of which I have listed 8.




* Garden Fertilizer: Coffee grounds will add nitrogen to your garden soil or compost. The main advantage of adding the spent coffee is as a soil amendment, it adds organic material to the soil which aids in water retention, aeration and improves the drainage. Grounds may be added directly to the soil surface or worked into the soil prior to planting. Used Coffee grounds support beneficial microorganisms aiding in plant growth and earthworm attraction. Leftover diluted coffee may be added to the soil as well, used in the same manner as the grounds.

Fresh Coffee Grounds may be used also, slightly acidic root crops such as carrots, radishes, and beets react favorably to it. Tomatoes and other nightshades do not perform well with the addition of fresh ground coffee. Flowers such as Azaleas, Hydrangeas, Blueberries, and Lilies are acid loving and do well when they are fertilized with them.

* Composting: A wonderful way to use an organic material that would end up taking up space in a landfill. Coffee Grounds, when added to a compost pile, will add nitrogen. Filters and Grounds will decompose in the pile simply by spreading the material over the surface. Coffee Grounds are considered "Green" or Protein in compost, an equal amount of "Browns" or Carbon must be added to balance out. A carbon to nitrogen ratio of greater than 30:1 is considered a brown, or carbon. A carbon to nitrogen less than 30:1 is considered a green or protein. Leftover coffee can be diluted and added to the compost pile by pouring it over the surface.

* Fire Starter: Paraffin wax, coffee grounds, coffee filters, and old egg cartons may be added together to make long burning high energy fire starters. There are several different ways to make the fire starters, the first step in all of them is to dry the grounds. Lay a filter flat in the sun, or on a warm surface, then wait for several days until they dry. With the filter laying flat after the grounds have dried lay a piece of dryer lint down the center, a cotton ball, or jute fiber will work as well. On top of the lint pour a measure of wax, enough to cover the material. Fold the filter, wax, fiber, and grounds like a burrito. Placed under kindling and when lit with a match it will ignite the flammables. If a large number is being put together it is advisable to store them in a plastic ziplock bag then placed in the freezer, they will mold.

* Refrigerator Deodorizer: Dried coffee grounds when placed in a mason jar or similar container will eliminate odors from the refrigerator. Place the dried coffee in a pint jar, poke holes in the lid, like baking soda set the jar in the refrigerator or freezer. The grounds will deodorize the trash cans as well, simply place them in the can, it may take a few days but it will cut down the odors.

* Worm Farm Food: Worm Farmers add grounds to the worm food, they eat grounds, and filters equally. Castings (worm manure) are naturally rich in nitrogen, the grounds have a minimal amount which adds to the total. The uneaten grounds are added to the manure as organic material. The nitrogen-rich castings can also be brewed into "Worm Tea". A sock of castings is suspended in a bucket of water, I use a 5 gallon with 4 gallons of water in it. Air is circulated through the water mixing the castings in it, after 24 hours the tea is completed. When the tea is ready it is able to be diluted up to 10 times, then poured around the base of the plants. The nitrogen is in a state that is readily available for the plants to use, it's organic and is unable to "burn" the plants.

(Follow this Link to view my video on brewing worm tea)

* Cat repellent: A mixture of grated orange (or lemon) peels, mix with a bag of commercially prepared soil, or combine it with your garden soil. Mix it together until it is well blended and appears to be uniform. Spread the mixture over the cat problem areas concentrating especially in those places damaged by them. Spread it where they regularly use your garden as a relief station. Cats do not like citrus and dislike the pungent scent of coffee grounds as well. It doesn't work for all cats, but most will move along after encountering this natural repellent.

* Deodorize Hands: Onions and Garlic odors stay on the hands like an aromatic scent, Coffee grounds deodorize the hands. The grounds do not have to be dried, right out of the brewer works just fine. Simply use the grounds as soap is used, scrubbing hands vigorously. The odors will be neutralized.

* Flea Treatment: Bathe the dog as usual with your normal pet shampoo. Rub coffee grounds, dry or wet, into the coat being sure to cover the entire animal. Rinse the pet completely, the grounds will run off of the coat and onto the ground. Let the dog's coat dry, grooming will be needed to remove the grounds that have not been shaken off. The amount of coffee grounds required is dependent upon the size of the animal, saving them for a few days may be needed. Treatment should be performed outdoors because when the dog shakes the coffee will fly off in all directions, there is less cleanup outdoors. The abrasive qualities of the grounds are good for the skin of the animal, it is exfoliating it. Another positive aspect is upon completion the coat shines radiantly.

There is another use for coffee grounds, my favorite use, morning coffee. Brewed fresh the aroma awakens the entire household, and the caffeine perks me up. There are many ways to prepare the brew, and just as many different flavored coffees available. All grounds will work for any of the suggestions I have made, brewed leftover coffee is usable also in the garden. Eight good ideas for using recycled coffee grounds, there are many more. Some are urban myths, some have mixed results (Cat repellent is not effective with all Felines.) and some actually do work. I envision the ideas for using the grounds must have been discussed next to a campfire while drinking a freshly brewed mug of Joe in ancient times. "Let's try it on the dog," I can hear someone say "maybe it'll stop that doggone scratching." Amazingly it did, a flea repellent was born.

Thanks for reading and sharing, tell me your uses for coffee grounds. This is good knowledge to aid in our quest to be as Self-Reliant, Self-Awareness and accepting our Personal Responsibilities as a matter of course. Thanks again.

jacquesandkate  emergencykitsplus.com

Organic fertilizer, zero kitchen waste, elimination of cardboard, newspaper, & leaves all through worm farming read it here.

"What goes in one end of a worm and then comes out the other end are, truly two different things. Soil that a worm ingests is suddenly 5 times richer in nitrogen, 10 times richer in potassium, it has 7 times more phosphate, 1.5 times as much calcium and 3 time as much magnesium. I am here to assure you that worm poop IS gold, actually even more."
quote by Jeff Lowenfels, author, Teaming with Microbes.

Air, Moisture, and Food are vital to the Red Wigglers.

Vermiculture, worm farming creating as close as possible a natural environment supportive of earthworms, encouraging them to thrive. That's my definition I came up with after watching them for the past 3 years, my successes and failures. There are successes and failures due to the changes made on the farm taking a long while until results are realized. It's difficult to track how many of the wrigglers die because they are made up mostly of water and decompose rapidly. Success is measured by the number of eggs and young worms in the bins, the eggs will hatch under optimal conditions. Failures are noticed by the inactivity of them, abnormal appearance, a noticeable drop in the population, and most obvious when they try to leave the farm. There is a learning curve involved, to succeed immediately with the completion of the first worm farm would be notable indeed, sometimes entire colonies are lost, due to inexperience.

Setting up the farm is not complicated or greatly time-consuming, setting it up is straightforward and not at all difficult. Dedication to the little creatures and a level of passion are major components for the development of a successful brood. Plastic packing bins are among the best items to be used to set up the first farm. (see my video explaining how I make them Link). Verticle bins are available, the worm factory 360 is just one,

Worm Factory 360, (I earn no money in any way for depicting this photo.)

There are home constructed wood bins, old bathtubs may be used. Buckets of all sizes and shapes are used. I have a friend who's grandmother raised them in tin coffee cans, he swears they can be heard chomping through their environment. Old bathtubs, water troughs, wood or metal bookcases, and brick assemblies all work well. Most containers, with a lid, serve, new is best and if used containers are employed be sure to clean them perfectly.

The farm may be set up in many places, garages, basements, sheds, outdoors, and even under the kitchen sink. Garages are a good place for a worm farm, typically they are in the shade, quiet, safe and relatively cool. The environment in a garage is adaptable to the farm due to the lighting, and normally a deep sink with water is available. Leaving a light on day and night helps to control the population, they will not venture out in the light.

Basements also are good places for the colony's, they are notoriously cool during the summer and warm during the winter. Water is normally available, lighting is good, and it like a garage is an easy venue to keep safe.

Outdoors is a tougher spot, weather, dryness, sun, and creatures are all threats. If an outdoor area is the best a person can dedicate a few things need to be addressed. Sun, the bins must be kept cool which means shade, the sun will bring the surface temperature of the boxes to unmanageable levels. Worms thrive in the 55F-75F (12-24 Celsius) range, the cooler the beds get the slower the worms move, recreating stops. Moisture is also harder to control when in low humidity, the dryness of the air will take the water right out of the beds. Water keeps the beds cool, there are times of the year moisture must be checked more frequently. Monitoring of the bin with a thermometer is a must, keeping the moisture at the proper level is critical, and air flow has to unimpeded, lack of any one of these may be fatal to the brood.

Under the kitchen sink may be a spot some people choose for the convenience, they may live in an apartment in the city or another circumstance. But it won't happen in my house, my wife did not accept the suggestion real well, neither did our friend when I offered to set one up for her. Setting up under the sink would have to fit the space, buckets come to mind. I use five gallon, three gallon and one-gallon buckets for small setups. I prefer the 3 gallons for under the sink, 1 gallon when I am setting up a "fishing" box, and the 5 gallons when I have overflow from one of the big boxes and merely need someplace to hold them until I build a new bin.

Composting toilets are also available, they appear to be a regular toilet, the difference is the bin under the assembly filled with worms dutifully going about their appointed tasks. They seem to be the perfect solution for certain challenges, I would imagine inside an isolated cabin up north is a good candidate.

As long as the environment the colony is placed in is controllable to a certain extent, it will be fine. It doesn't take long for an interested person to "get up to speed" on what needs to be done.

Food is probably the most talked and written about subject dealing with vermiculture, they literally eat their way through their environment. That means the food and bedding are directly related to one another, they are one and the same.

Browns such as paper, junk mail (not the shiny stuff), paper egg cartons, cardboard boxes, dry leaves, newspaper, wood shavings, coconut coir, organic compost, and peanut shells (unsalted) all make fine bedding materials. Mineral dust for their digestive systems (they have crops like birds), and egg shells for control of PH in the bedding, addition of calcium, and grit for their crops. All bedding should be moist when it is added otherwise once it is in the box adding water to gain the correct level may prove to be difficult.

Worms eat what we eat, with the exception they like it to be a bit more degraded in quality than we do, rotten is good. They eat coffee grounds, tea bags, vegetables, fruit scraps, bread, pasta, flowers, houseplants, garden trimmings, and vegetable plant leaves. I have found when the colony is struggling a combination of oatmeal and cornmeal cooked together when fed to them positive results are realized. Boiling the food, placement in the freezer, left to thaw and then pureed in a blender is the best way to prepare the food. Worms prefer their food as small as possible, which allows the good bugs in the bedding to attack it. Cooking and freezing break down the fibers.

Use of the castings dictates in many ways the restrictions of which foods to avoid. Feces should not be fed to them due to the possibility of creating "pathogens", and other potentially harmful bacterias. If pathogens are created and the worm castings are used on vegetables they may become contaminated. Humans eating the vegetables may incur a serious illness.

These are the foods not recommended for feeding to the herd. Dairy, bones, fat, meat, oils, grease, lard, salty items, cardboard with silk screened printing, onions, hot peppers, convenience food leftovers, prepackaged foods or processed foods should be avoided as well.

Some earthworms are better at composting than others, some are not allowed in certain states or countries, 7,000 species of worms share the planet along with us. Earthworms are divided into three groups, based on their feeding and burrowing habits, one group is best suited for composting.

Endogeic and Anecic worms are not suitable for composting, they reside too deeply in the earth.

Epigeic worms live on the surface in the layer between the totally composted organic materials, the partially composted material and the freshly fallen leaves. They must have the organic material on the surface, they will not survive in a garden unless it is rich in organic debris. they are more adaptable to the changes in moisture, and temperature that affects the surface. The best performer for composting is the Eisenia fetida, the noble "Red Wiggler", these guys are industrious. Small and reddish brown, they reproduce at high rates when conditions are just right, they live harmoniously among large numbers of their kind. Red Wigglers are big eaters, they consume 1/2 of their body weight in food and decaying organic matter every day. Handling by humans don't bother them, but it's best to leave them alone for several days at a time, they can become stressed. They are eaters, a wide range of foods appeal to them, it is noticeable when a food they like is placed in the bin, banana's being one.

Red Wigglers are not the only worms capable of composting, here are four of the remaining 6,997 species I have not talked about.
Lumbricus rubellus redworm, similar to the Red Wiggler, they are not as fast at reproducing or composting but they do the jobs well.
Elsenia hortsenis the European Nightcrawler, they have a lot of different names, the Belgian, Super Red, Carolina Crawler are just a few of the monikers they are identified with.
Eudrilus eugeniae or African Nightcrawler, larger than it's European cousin however good for fishing they cannot tolerate cold, being touched, or disruption of its environment.
Perionyx excavatus known as the Malaysian Blue Worm, or the Indian Blue worm, it is a tropical earthworm and not suitable for most of North America with a Hawaii exception. They have been known to invade worm farms and force the residents out.

Earthworms breathe through their skin, they are cold blooded and remain cool due to water keeping them moist all of the time. Mucus on the surface of their skin assists in holding the moisture lubricating the worm as it works it's way through the environment. They have no eyes, ears, teeth, or limbs of any kind, they have no need for them under the ground where they live. Their bodies are divided into "somites", heavily muscled, they are the segments easily visible on the exterior skin. All along each segment are "setae", tiny bristles helping to gain traction during their endless wandering. The setae are also what keeps them in the ground when a bird or a human attempts to pull it out of the soil. Five hearts between the intestines and the body will keep the blood flowing through capillaries delivering it to all points in the body.

With no teeth or stomach, they also have few digestive fluids, depending mostly on bacteria fungi, molds, nematodes and other organisms to predigest and break down the fibers in the food.

This isn't just any old bathtub.

The worms bodies are separated into two parts, the front "anterior", and the rear known as the "posterior". The forward most part of the worm is a flap over the mouth, called the prostomium, it pushes the food into the mouth. The prostomium also functions as a sort of shovel pushing unwanted materials aside. Earthworms have strong likes and dislike for various foods, it stands to reason they have cells that detect taste.
They have no real "brain", the nerve cells form a "ganglion, when paired up they form a sort of "brain". It gives off impulses to other parts of the body, mostly muscle activity, reaction to light/dark, and sensing moisture. Service cells on their exterior are sensitive to light, particularly blue light, they are unable to detect red light. Developed to help worms stay of the UV lights which can kill them rapidly. They are sensitive to touch, helping them find food and mates, also avoiding danger.

Earthworms are hermaphrodites, they have the sexual organs of both male and female, however, they are not capable of fertilizing themselves. It is not possible for them to cross between species. Two worms of equal length lay head to tail in opposite directions. Mucus surrounds them, after a few hours they separate with the mucus in a semi-liquid form. As they crawl away from one another the mucus rolls along the body enveloping the fertilized "eggs" which is worked off the head and into the soil. Ideally, the colony will double itself every 90 days, realistically they double their population every 3-4 months as long as there is adequate space, food, and other environmental needs.

There is a substantial amount to vermiculture, making a person wonder why in the world would someone take on a project such as this.
We have achieved zero kitchen waste, our garbage can is now empty of food waste other than the few bones, and meat. I am aware it is advised to not feed the wild ones, but I am guilty of leaving the foods Racoons dumpster dive for out. They are going to get it anyway, I set the food in the garden and in the morning it is gone.

All of our cardboard, as well as our neighbors,  is used in the worm farm, and as weed control in the raised bed garden. Newspapers, paper plates, fallen leaves, and spoiled fruits and vegetables from the garden are all used.

The castings are used for fertilizer, spread on the garden and added to the mulch I create in "leaf towers" it is better than steer, or poultry manure. Castings are easily brewed into a "worm tea", rich in nitrogen, and potassium it is in a form that is ready to use by the plants. It can be diluted up to 10 times, one gallon of tea can be diluted to 10 gallons, I mix mine 1 quart to 1-1/2 gallons of water.
(Follow this Link to my video about making a worm tea brewer)

My big worm bin, 4'x4'x4', with some bedding on the bottom.

Farming worms is an interesting activity, I was told it takes a different kind of person to raise them, some say a touch of eccentricity is an asset. But that overexuberance only comes out when the question "I understand you raise worms," comes up. The conversation has a tendency to hit a fevered pitch when two worm farmers start to talk, look out if there are three or more, that's a conspiracy, they must be colluding to overtake the world by storm. This article could go on for several thousand words more but all good things must end, and this is one of them.

Thank you for reading and sharing this blog, if you are so inclined to take up worm farming start today it doesn't take much research to get started. If you are a gardener the positive aspects far outweigh the negatives. I hesitate to call them "pets" but a guy gets attached to them after a while. Thanks again for reading, let me know what you think in the comments.

jacquesandkate  Emergencykitsplus.com