How To Raise Earthworms for Easy Money

Simply stated, YES! Earthworms are a very valuable commodity. New markets open up regularly for worms because a worldwide shortage exists. Redworms are a very simple creature to raise and care for. Until recently, the actual earthworm market was mostly working for the fishing industry, providing bait (literally billions of worms were dedicated to the job). Now, as the concern for ecological awareness grows, earthworms are also being used to compost organic waste. Our landfills world wide are being helped by the worms voracious appetite to compost. Universities and scientist alike are conducting studies to see just how helpful the effects of the worms can be. I would hazard to guess, that the worm producing businesses that can support the quantity needed for these studies and larger composting markets will profit greatly from a monetary standpoint.

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WORMS REBUILD OLD SOIL

The agriculture industry thrives on the use of worms as a way of rebuilding over worked soil in fields as well as home gardens. These soils have been treated by commercial fertilizers and pesticides in the past. Those chemicals can improve plant growth, but do nothing to enrich the much needed soil nutrients, making the soil decline in quality and usability.

Worms are considered to be little factories that produce high quality fertilizers from an organic waste load. You may want to raise earthwormsfor household or garden waste, producing organic fertilizer for your own use. You may be an avid fisher person who wants to use them as bait while selling them on a small or even large scale. Redworms can grow and reproduce under a wide array of conditions. You will have to find the method for you to use and then adapt it to what is practical for your situation.

Know this, if you enjoy working with the natural things in life, growing redworms is for you. They are absolutely for you, if you have an interest in watching creatures grow and wouldn't mind putting a $few bucks$ in your pocket while doing it.Most worm farmers find it quite easy, even if you have to get your hands dirty once in a while. Be assured, if done correctly, raising worms is an undeniably easy and enormously rewarding business from a personal standpoint as well as a monetary one!

The money for raising worms comes from the prolific nature of the worms themselves, they reproduce in rapid form when provided with a healthy environment. Literally millions and millions of dollars worth of earthworms are quietly sold every year by everyday people just like you. Growing redworms is a full time, profitable business for many folks. For others it is a nice supplemental income. Many situations begin as a redworm hobby for personal use; for fish bait, and for the sake of ecology and recycling food waste. Over time, these hobbyist realize that the potential for a monetary venture becomes more viable and decide to grow the venture into a business with little-to-no trouble. Most commercial growers operate as independent business owners and work at a pace which makes them comfortable and happy.

Practically every grower who learns how to grow good quality earthworms and who deliver reliably to their customers with the worms in good condition, rarely have very far to look for new clients. The more likely result is having to determine how quickly they want to expand their business and managing that expansion so they can continue to operate with the expected level of customer service. Customers will spread the word quickly when it comes to good service and quality earthworms, as worms are always in demand.

Earthworms are sold in a wide variation of markets and used to complete a variety of tasks. As mentioned before, the sport-fishing industry is a huge buyer of redworms world wide. Fishing with live bait is always a dependable and traditional way to catch a wide variety of fish. When an angler serves-up a juicy wiggly worm, it's impossible for a fish to resist (worms are a natural food choice for fish). If you look closely, even those fisher people who are dedicated to using artificial lures will have a cup of worms as a back-up plan, guaranteeing their 'catch of the day' fishing reputation.

Any good business person will tell you that a consumable product is a profitable product. And earthworms are very consumable! As the world population grows, so does the need for anglers and gardeners to buy more worms. Even as new worm growers start growing each year, the supply is never enough to meet the demands (especially during the peak spring season). Bait and tackle stores that are far from worm farms will frequently buy the product via mail order. It is not unusual for a worm grower to have never met the customer he has been servicing for several years.

A large market for redworms is found among those who are looking for "breeding stock". The end customer may be a new grower stocking new beds or an established grower restocking old beds. Many times a wholesaler will buy the worms (never to grow a single worm of their own) and put them in cups so he can sell to his local market.

Gardening and seed and flower magazines often run articles raving about the attributes of worms in the garden and using them as compost machines. Earthworm growers often find a grand bit of business by running ads within these plant, garden and composting style publications. More frequently then not, after advertising a few times, their customer base is established and the worm growers never have to advertise again. They end up with ALL of the customers they can supply.

Earthworms are the farmers best friend, so a market to sell to these agricultural endeavors is very big, because the worms rebuild soil quality. One of the best features of worm castings(castings are what is expelled by the worms and used as fertilizer,...okay, it's worm poo ) is how it enhances the soil quality with an enormous amount of nutrients. But, unlike regular fertilizers the castings won't burn your plants, yet they contain five to ten times the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium along with other nutrients than that found in regular gardening soil. The majority of elements in the worm castings are water soluble and are introduced easily to your plants.

Redworms grow best in moderate temperatures (from 59ºF to 77ºF). So spring generally seems to be the best season to get things started. Redworms will mate throughout spring and again in the fall, depending on outside conditions. But, if you can control the environmental temperature, (i.e., shade, cool cellar, fans, sheds, etc.) any time of year, is the perfect time of year to begin your worm growing business. Worms who are kept where it is constantly warm can continue to reproduce year round. Keep in mind when you set out to put together your worm bins and growing system that most worm growers will agree on one important thing, temperatures under 50ºF or above 86ºF can be quite harmful to your worms.

As well as finding the right temperature for your worms, keep in mind where you place your beds, after all, you want the beds to be convenient for you to work around and to tend. Large worm bins require water frequently, so place them where you can easily access a water source. Small bins can be sprinkled with a watering can.

Most worm growers do so outdoors, so keeping a light on the beds at night is helpful to discourage the worms from migrating out and away from your housing bins. So, it may be a good idea to have an electrical outlet near by, just in case. (Worms tend to move away from light, it represents the sun to them, which in some cases can be a worms worst nightmare.)

Worm bins that are outside might require extra insulation in the winter or summer months, depending on how extreme the climate where you live can get. (Remember the important parameters of 50ºF to 86ºF for the best worm health.) A few ways that many worm growers today use to insulate their outside bins are as follows:

• Cover the worm bin with Styrofoam or thermal insulation. However, be aware that these products do not breathe, so be sure to leave ventilation spaces so your worms get enough air.
• Stack hay bales around the box. This can be as simple as stacking the hay bales on and around the bins. You will have to move the bales when you go to tend to the worm beds.
• Locate the bin in a shady tree laden area. Often this idea gets forgotten but it can help keep your earthworms cooler when the weather gets too hot.
• Place a low-wattage night-light inside the box to help raise the temperature. Be sure it is grounded so you don't give your worms an uncomfortable zap .
• Add a bit of fresh green waste to the bin. Don't use too much, the thermogenic bacteria in the early (fresh) composting process can really heat things up. Place the green waste on one side of the bin so if it gets too hot, the worms have room to move to the opposing side to chill out.
• Place wet towels over the bins on very hot days. The evaporation will help to cool the bed. Add a fan if you need more air flow.
• Heaters made for reptiles and bird baths can also be used. Check your pet store for one that can be kept safely in a moist place. Some offer adjustable thermostats that are very helpful.

NOTE: Never place a worm bin next to a refrigerator or anything that vibrates. Earthworms don't like a lot of movement around them so they will not do very well under these circumstances.

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As we are learning, worms provide many services to humans by breaking down organic matter into castings that enrich soil, reduce waste build-up, enhance plant growth while helping to control diseases that attack those plants and much more. Worm tea is a byproduct of the organic worm composting process. The water that has been used to keep the worm bins moist or to harvest castings gets collected by the worm growers strategically placed containers. This water has diluted castings in it, making it a rich source of plant and garden nutrients.

Using worm tea on potted plants requires adding an equal part of fresh water to dilute the solution (it is VERY concentrated nutritionally speaking). The liquid has a revitalizing effect on old potting soils. If you choose to use the worm tea on ground planted plants, using it full strength is fine. You will find that your sick or weak plants will benefit significantly from a drink or two of worm tea. Roots of stressed plants have shown a real increase in vigor when treated with worm tea. Drench plants with worm tea or use during your standard feeding agenda.

You can grow worms just about anywhere, from Styrofoam ice chests to old refrigerators to large bins in outdoor buildings. Worm farming is said to be the fastest growing agricultural industry in the country. Worms are making millionaire's out of people overnight. That statement is more likely an exaggeration than truth, but there are a lot of stories being told about the easy money being made from the worm farming business. And those stories are very true!

Once you decide to start a worm farm business, you will need to get the things required to get things rolling right off-of-the-bat. The following is a general list that will work for most worm growers (vermiculturists). Your worm business may or may not need everything listed, or in some cases may need more.

1. Read, read, read—Consume every bit of data you can find on the subject. Bookmark this article! Get a really good idea of what you are getting ready to undertake.
2. Decide how big you want your business to be. Are you more comfortable starting small and then growing up your worm farm? Is there room in your backyard for a large operation? If your business blooms, is your property zoned to accommodate the growth?
3. Decide where to place your worms. Locate it near a water source, electricity or maybe in a shed. Where on your property will it be best placed when considering the climate fluctuation in your area? Where will the beds be easy for you to tend (consider your back-health and height)?
4. Find a supplier that can provide enough bedding and stock for your sized operation. Do you have a horse ranch or paper Mill close to you? Be aware that when acquiring manure you must ask what if any de-worming medications are given to the providing animals. These medications can and will also kill your worms.
5. Get the proper must needed tools; a pitchfork, pH meter, compost thermometer, hand claw garden tool, and a shovel. Getting a paper shredder will prove convenient if you decide to use paper as your bedding source.
6. Redworms require one square foot of surface area for every pound of worms. You will need to build or buy commercial bins or build *windrows—beds in the ground, to accommodate the quantity of worms you decide to grow. (So, how many worms are there in a pound? Most worm growers estimate there are approximately 1,000 adult redworms in a pound. But, this doesn't really matter because commercial worm growers only sell their worms by the pound.)
7. Get a hold of the bedding and feedstock—the organic material that is fed to worms. Take care of any preparation of that material that is necessary. Are you shredding newspaper or leaching manure?
8. Buy your worms. Make certain that everything is prepared for the worms before they arrive! What is the name of the worms you have decided to grow? Make sure you know the scientific name when ordering, in this article I am mostly in reference to Redworms.

• REDWORMS (Lumbricus rubellus)

Lumbricus rubellus is a very active wiggler when it is in the light. Sport fishing experts say this worm is irresistible to fish and is in fact, the perfect bait. The worms expel an amino acid that the fish lack causing the fish to impetuously race to the dangling wiggly redworm. It makes a good compost worm. Like nightcrawlers, they aerate and mix up the soil. They can be found in soils that have a rich organic make-up, doing best in ranch pastures and compost bins/piles.

◊Common names: Red worm, Blood worm, Red wiggler

◊Color: Slightly iridescent on top, dark red to maroon. Lacks stripes between segments and is light yellow on its underside.

◊Adult length: Up to 3" and has 90 to 120 segments

◊Habitat: Prefers the top 6" to 12" of soil

◊Food preference: Rich compost and decaying plant and animal material

◊Temperatures: 64ºF to 72ºF (18ºC to 23ºC)

◊Cocoon hatching: 12 to 16 weeks

^{*WINDROWS are worm beds that are in the ground. Many worm grower prefer this type of bed because they feel it produces a better, bigger and healthier worm. These beds generally have very good drainage and aeration, and the food is in good supply. A key attribute to this style of worm bed is that if the conditions get out of control, the worms can migrate to another location within the bed until the proper conditions are available again.}

Most scientists agree that earthworms have been on earth for at least 120 million years. Earthworms have developed into a very specialized critter that has perfected the management and transformation of those things we consider waste, into some of the most useful stuff. They have no eyes, ears or nose, yet they do have senses. No jaws or teeth can be found within their tiny mouths, yet they munch their food at a significant rate. Every worm is both boy and girl—yet it still takes two earthworms to create baby earthworms. Describing an earthworm to someone who has never looked upon the squirmy creature, is like speaking of an imagined being that is far too good to be true. But, fortunately for us, earthworms most certainly do exist!

Are you wondering if earthworms can "hear," "smell," and "see"? The answer is both yes and no. As do snakes, the earthworm uses its setae—a slender usually rigid or bristly and springy organ/hairto sense vibrations, thus "hearing" their surroundings. The surface wall of the worm body has several nerve receptors that taste chemical changes, thus "smelling" their surroundings. Other nerve receptors can determine the light concentration, thus "Seeing" their environment. An unusual bit of worm trivia is that earthworms can't detect (or "see") the color red.

Boy Worms (vs) Girl Worms

The most fascinating fact regarding redworms has to do with the concept of boys and girls. Our friend the earthworm has been created with both male and female reproductive organs, making them hermaphroditic. In Lumbricus, we find two male segments and one female segment.

Three to six weeks after hatching your earthworms will mature enough to complete three mature worm tasks; forming the clitellum to produce mucus for copulation, to discharge the wall of the cocoon, and to secrete albumin, in which the eggs are deposited inside the cocoon. In the clitellum there are three layers of glands that do these three separate functions. When this state of maturation is completed, pairs of worms will line up head to toe to begin the breeding cycle.

A few days following mating, the worm secretes a cocoon where the eggs will be deposited. A cocoon can contain any number of eggs, ranging from one to twenty, depending on the species of worm. Since we are mostly referring to Lumbricus, it is good to know that this species of earthworm will usually have only one or two eggs that will actually hatch from the cocoon. However, adult worms may mate and produce cocoons continually every three or four days all through the spring and again when fall comes around. (As noted before, if you can provide constant warm temperatures for your worms, they can reproduce year round.) They are very prolific critters who never sleep, don't watch T.V., and have no hobbies, leaving breeding the main thing to do, and very frequently.

You will start to see tiny little lemon looking debris among your worm beds once your earthworms begin to mate. These are actually the new yellowish lemon looking tiny cocoons, with your next generation of worms growing within. They darken as the embryo grows, feeding on the albumin that was deposited inside each cocoon. In time, the young worms hatch from the ends of the cocoon. This time span varies widely from species to species and also depends on the climatic conditions. Our friend the Lumbricus' cocoons will hatch from 12 to 16 weeks after conception.

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