Hi everyone,

I apologize for this lengthy post, but if some of you successful growers could take a few moments to analyze my post, I would very much appreciate it!

I've been trying to establish a EF worm farm for two years now, and at first I thought they were multiplying okay. I would split my two 3x8' beds every 3 months until I had eight of them. Then, when I started trying to harvest for sale, I didn't have as many as I thought, and depleted my stock. I think I may have tried to be too high tech.

When I talk to other growers that have outdoor simple bins, they have plenty of worms. I didn't want to hi-jack the "worms all died" thread,but it got me thinking that maybe I don't have enough airflow.

Here's a rundown of how I've been trying to raise them:

Bins are 3x8' made out of 2x6 sides 15" high with a 3/4" plywood bottom with drain holes. These are elevated to waist high on legs. I have them wrapped with foil insulation, with 6 1" holes on each side and 3 1" holes on each end. I have kept 1" foam panels on top as lids. On top of the bedding, I keep a sheet of black plastic which leaves a 2" margin of bedding exposed on all sides.

My bedding material started out 100% peat, as recommended from the farm I bought my 60 lbs. of stock from. I am now changing over to half shredded corrugated cardboard & half shredded newspaper.

I first fed rabbit manure the first year, along with some typical kitchen scraps. This past year I have now switched to cow manure from an organic dairy just down the road.

I don't water the beds often because they hold moisture quite well (needs more airflow? )
I spray them down whenever I do feed, which is probably every 2-3 weeks. I feed the bins by spreading a 1" thick x 12-18" wide layer of manure down the length of each bin.

I'm embarrased to say, but the peat in six of the beds are 2 years old . About 9 months ago I dug a 12" wide x 6" deep trench down one side of each of these bins and replaced it with a mix of shredded newspaper and corrugated cardboard. Plan was when they migrated over to the new bedding, I would change out the old bedding. Unfortunately, I still have 5 beds still to change. I use to have worms crawling on the top edges of the bin. Once I added the trench of new bedding they stopped trying to escape. Obviously they didn't like all the castings.(On these beds I only apply feed on top of the newest bedding.)

My own thoughts of changes to make is:

1)Get rid of the old bedding.

2)replace the solid lids with landscaping fabric.

3) leave off the plastic? I know some lay cardboard over the top. I went to plastic because it was easier to take it on and off when feeding.

4) Switch to feeding old produce from a grocery store. (although, the cow manure is much easier to keep a supply of.)

The pH level seems fine. I never notice sick worms. Just a sparse population. Although I do find eggs. The bins are in an old barn where the temp stays in the right range for them. In freezing weather, I can turn on heat cables.

Well, that's the good and bad of what I've been doing. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Larry C