Book Notes: "The Complete Guide to Working with Worms" - Part 1

I offer here some initial notes on The Complete Guide to Working with Worms, by Wendy Vincent.  I checked it out from the library on Saturday.  It's great!  Mary Appelhof's Worms Eat My Garbage is often cited as the classic text on vermicomposting.  I haven't read it yet, but hope to soon.  Working with Worms came out last year, yet looks pretty classic to me.  Here I will touch on just a few points.

1. Chapters: A quick overview - Detailed info on worms themselves - Setting up a worm composting bin - Bin maintenance - Common concerns/FAQs - Harvesting and using worm compost - Setting up and running your own worm composting business.  Several appendices and a bibliography.

2. Your own worm composting business!  Yes, two whole chapters dedicated to it.  That in itself makes this book unique and valuable, going the extra step of encouraging the reader not just to do vermicomposting, but to start his own business.  Appendix B actually consists of a sample business plan.

3. Case studies.  Vincent doesn't just give you raw facts, common wisdom, or abstract thoughts.  She connects the concepts and principles in the book to the real world through a series of case studies on different facets of vermicomposting.  These include:

• Vermicomposting on a Grander Scale: Middletown, CT, city-managed VC program
• Learning About Worms through a Child's Eyes: A mother and daughter's VC educational project
• Expert Home Composter: Dan Coulton, home gardener, Arlington, MS (with contact info)
• Opening a Successful Worm Business: Dirty Worms, Ocklawaha, FL - www.dirtyworms.com

4. Dirty Worms.  This is sad.  The above site for the Dirty Worms company no longer exists.  I guess they went out of business.  too bad, because, from the info in this case study, it looked like an amazing set-up.  Probably not sustainable by itself, at least in a small market.  More on this later.

5. Family Projects.  My family is still warming to the idea of playing with worms in a bucket of rotting organic matter...

Lots of nitty-gritty details in this book.  I probably won't be able to study this book in depth, but there are a few topics, like those mentioned above, that I'd like to take note of and discuss in upcoming posts.  One thing I've learned very quickly just glancing through this is that it's a miracle I haven't killed my worms yet.

More to come in future posts.