1. The composition of the liquid dripping from the bin is entirely dependent on the contents of the bin at the time. It is essentially the liquid dripping from the rotting food scraps. If the bin is mature, meaning it contains a lot of castings, then the liquid might pick up some beneficial bacteria as it soaks down through the castings. Even so you probably don't want to pour this on your plants. It might or might not help but it is chancy.

When most people talk about tea they are referring to a liquid that is specifically brewed for tea. They add castings to a bucket of water along with molasses or similar food source then let it brew for a day or two. Some people add aquarium bubblers to ensure a good oxygen supply.

2. The liquid from food scraps is usually not a problem assuming you do not add more water and you do not overfeed. The usual cause of a too-wet bin is adding water in addition to what is in the food. Note - the water content of food scraps varies. If you use food with a high water content (lettuce, tomatoes) you might need to let the food drain before adding it to your bin.

I have also read about freezing food to break down the cells but I have my doubts. I regularly freeze my people food. When thawed it looks just like it did before I froze it. I do freeze my scraps but that is to preserve them until time to add them to my bins.

re worm tea, is it necessary to run a pump to add oxygen? is there an alternative? what would happen if I made a batch without oxygenating it? thanks. CST

Here is my method:
Thursday evening I start a batch in a 5-gallon bucket. As I fill the bucket with the hose I make sure to get lots of bubbles in the water so it starts out with plenty of oxygen.
Friday morning before work I dip a cup into the water, hold it up above the bucket and pour it back in to the bucket, stirring up plenty of bubbles. I do this about 10 times. I do this again Friday evening after dinner.
Saturday morning my tea has a nice foamy head indicating the bacteria are thriving. That is when I use the tea.

A bubbler is more work to set up but it lets you walk away until the tea is done. I have no experience letting the tea sit without adding bubbles.

thank you for your response, MikeJ. you've been a great resource for me and I appreciate it very much. sounds yummy....gotta go and get a 5-gallon bucket now! thanks again, CST

My guess is there is too much light on top tray..worms like it "pitch black" and they are very sensitve to any light even if it is a faded light through surface.

I have "see through" bins for study purpose and as soon as you remove the cover they start buggering out and sliding back to the inner bin area real fast and that's only "dim lighting" from the outside so I can see through the port holes I made in the side.

Just a thought anyway

thanks Jeff. I did notice the afternoon sun was beginning to touch the bin, so I put a shield up to block out the sun. Because I don't have the bins under cover, like in a garage or shed, between the heat of the summer and the moving sun, I'm learning to keep my eye on the sun. I'll continue to watch it as the temps drop, but in SoCAL, how low can it go? thanks again.

picked up a 5-gallon bucket from Home Depot and made my first batch of tea, to protect my plants. looking forward to foam.

thanks to all of you for sharing. CST