redhen
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creating heat for outdoor bins test - 2005/10/26 21:57
I am in Raleigh, NC. We are experiencing our first temps in the 30's, at night. I decided today to try a test using feedstock to heat my outdoor plastic bins. I do have in-ground bins that I add "plugs" of grain to in winter, that act like little furnaces. (Having family in South Florida with no power for possibly 2 more weeks, I am having a problem putting electric heat on to keep my worms warm, or buying anything to make it happen). So, the test...
I have 15 plastic bins (COW's and rubbermaids), that live outdoors. Some I brought in today, to an unheated workshop. The others are my test bins. They are under a deck on a concrete slab. I took their temps and all were at 50 degrees at 2pm. I broke out my food processor and pulverized a bunch of carrots and snow peas from the discards at my local grocery. I added about 2 handfuls (I have big hands, so perhaps 2 cups)of the veggies (top feeding),to half of each of the bins. I only put it on half, in case the worms needed to get away from major heating.
It is supposed to get to the low 30's tonight. I will take temps in the morning and let you know what the results are....I know you all will be on the edge of your seats til I post again....Oh yeah...We know how to have big fun here..
Susan Quinby-Honer
redhen@nc.rr.com
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Kuznles
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Re:creating heat for outdoor bins test - 2005/10/27 00:04
Hi Susan, I have been using veggies to heat my bins for several years now. I have my bins in unheated sheds and use ground up veggies and sometimes some rice hulls to keep my bins warm in the winter. It works great and is cheaper that heating them all. I usually bury the veggies on one end of the bin and when it cools, I go to the other end.
KuznLes
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Bob Ingram
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Re:creating heat for outdoor bins test - 2005/10/27 04:26
Before heating any portion of my barn we used this method with veggies and fresh horse manure, always making sure the worms had room to get away from the heat. Susan, I bet your beds will be in the 50s or higher. It'll take some time for the ambient temps in the beds to get to the lower 30s...holding my breath awaiting your results. Seeya, Bob
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redhen
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Re:creating heat for outdoor bins test - 2005/10/27 08:37
At 7:30 this AM the outdoor temperature was 30 degreesF.
All of the bins were between 45-50. The bins in the indoor unheated workshop were almost 60 degrees, with the room temperature at 50. I will keep checking the temps in the outdoor bins, and I think the veggies will heat them up more today. I am thinking that my goal should be to try and keep temps moderate, and not be on a "temperature roller coaster".
Oh..yeah....Bob..Breathe!!
Susan Quinby-Honer
redhen@nc.rr.com
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Bob Ingram
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Re:creating heat for outdoor bins test - 2005/10/27 12:51
Whew.....
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Kuznles
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Re:creating heat for outdoor bins test - 2005/10/28 00:01
Susan I think you will find that it is not hard to keep your bedding at 50 to 60?F with the green veggies. Even with temps down to about 0?F night time and 30 - 40?F daytime I have no problem keeping the bedding at 50 to 60?F. Just make sure you always give the worms room to move away from the heat.
KuznLes
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redhen
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Re:creating heat for outdoor bins test - 2005/10/28 08:04
So far the bins outside are staying at 50 degrees. I know if I buried grain in there the temperature would really spike and I don't want that. Last year I put "plugs" of cornmeal in the center of my inground bins. Even with snow on the piles there was steam coming out of the center and the worms were working all around the edges. The piles stayed between 70-85 degreesF most of the time.
What about processing in the bins at the 50 degree temps? ... hmmm
Susan Quinby-Honer
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redhen
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Re:creating heat for outdoor bins test - 2005/10/29 17:03
I spent the last hour bugging the worms, (told ya I know how to have fun). I checked the temperatures and all the outdoor bins remain at 50 degrees. The indoor unheated workshop bins are 60 degrees. They all seem to be feeding with the same liveliness. I put more shredded newspaper on top, to add to the insulation. The worms seem happy about everything..except perhaps that I keep poking them with the long thermometer. I think they might wish I would find a hobby..
Susan Quinby-Honer
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Kuznles
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Re:creating heat for outdoor bins test - 2005/11/15 21:48
Hi Susan,
How is the heat project coming along in the outdoor bins?
KuznLes
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redhen
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Creating heat for bins & 1 new question - 2005/11/16 11:58
Well Kuznles..Seems Mother Nature is taking care of my bins not freezing, as here in NC, it has been in the upper 70's for the last 2 weeks. Night temps are the upper 50's. So, I have been able to ramp up their feed, so as to make the bins, themselves, more dense in the next few weeks, as it is processed.
Today it is 78 degreesF here and the front coming through tonight, from those nasty mid-western storms, is going to drop the temps to 30. NC gets these roller coaster temps all during fall and then again in spring.
I will start the tests again when the weather is a bit more stable.
Here is a question: I recieved 10-5gallon buckets of corn extract from NC State University, from an experiment they were doing. They did not want to just throw it out and I knew I could use it. I did use 5 of those buckets, but 5 have remained, for months now, (unrefrigerated). (I am sure some of you know where this is going.) I went over to those buckets this weekend and made the horrible mistake of taking the top off one of them.  X 100!!! OMG, the smell! I covered immediately but that smell took it's time disipating..'scuse me just 1 more So now I am staring at those 5 buckets and they are staring back. How am I going to use this corn extract? Do I wait until it freezes? HELP!!
Susan Quinby-Honer
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Judy
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Re:Creating heat for bins & 1 new question - 2005/11/16 14:48
Were the five buckets hot? Maybe you have your winter heat source. I about bet the worms don't have as sensitive smellers as we do!
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redhen
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Re:Creating heat for bins & 1 new question - 2005/11/16 15:47
No, JudyAnn...You do not understand..this smell is horrendous. I only got a small whiff when I took the top off one very briefly. My mom said she remembers going through, I think, the Jack Daniels site in Nashville. She said the smell of fermenting grain was sickening. That is what this smell is ! I had thought to use it to heat my bins, but right now I don't know how to get it into the bins, to use, without asphyxiating me and my neighbors.
Susan Quinby-Honer
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Bob Ingram
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Re:Creating heat for bins & 1 new question - 2005/11/16 19:19
Susan to alleviate the problem, give it to the Worms!
Worms, in a day, will take all the smell out like nothing else. After the fermentation that'll be great feed. Seeya, Bob
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Kuznles
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Re:creating heat for outdoor bins test - 2005/11/16 22:02
Thanks for the update Susan, we are suposed to have our first freeze for the season tonight too. I have been grinding extra paper and putting sacks of it under my bins to help keep the heat in, I have also put a plug of freshly ground veggies in with my Euros and a heater with the Africans, the wigglers will be OK, as the bedding temps will still be around 55?F in the morning.
KuznLes
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redhen
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Re:creating heat for outdoor bins test - 2005/11/16 22:34
Bob..anybody...HELP! How do I get passed the smell? I know the worms will eat it but, OMG ..the SMELL! What is your best advice for getting this nightmare into the ground? Wait until it freezes? Dig a hole and dump it, one bucket a week at a time, when no one in the neighborhood is home? These are major stink bombs folks! Hep me sombudy..hep me!
Susan Quinby-Honer
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Bob Ingram
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Re:creating heat for outdoor bins test - 2005/11/17 07:10
Susan , I'm beginning to wonder if it's anaerobic...I didn't realize it'd been in sealed buckets....burying in a hole might be the best option...Seeya
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Kuznles
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Re:creating heat for outdoor bins test - 2005/11/20 20:57
I think freezing them would be your best bet. Then you could dump them out chip off a chunk and bury it.
The smell would be buried and gone in no time.
KuznLes
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billyW
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Re:creating heat for outdoor bins test - 2005/11/21 09:06
You're killing me... sorry. I'm not laughing at you, but rather with you.
We intentionally make those "stink bombs" to bait fishing holes for catfish, and for bringing in wild hogs to trap(they are major pests here in Texas). Fermented corn stinks to high heaven, and I know what you are saying.
1) freezing will help. It will still stink, but the smell "lays down" and is not in the air as much.
or
2) pour into a hole with lots of wood chips and sawdust, cover immediately. I accidently made a great natural worm bin this way.
or
3) find some fishermen or hunters who will take it off your hands
Just FYI. When the pressure gets high enough, the lids on those buckets WILL blow off, and you will literally have stink bombs.
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redhen
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Re:creating heat for outdoor bins test - 2005/11/21 10:11
We intentionally make those "stink bombs" to bait fishing holes for catfish, and for bringing in wild hogs to trap(they are major pests here in Texas).
So..Once again..one man's trash is another man's treasure..(somewhat).
The plan for these buckets right now is to let them freeze. Once I can get them into my outdoor, in-ground bins the worms will probably get so large, it will be like the movie "Dune" out back..
Thank you billyW and Kuznles.
Susan Quinby-Honer
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Bob Ingram
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Re:creating heat for outdoor bins test - 2005/11/21 13:08
Well, Billy, now you have me laughing...picturing pretty Susan standing close when it goes.....wheweee!
heheee....Seeya
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redhen
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Re:creating heat for outdoor bins test..Part 2 - 2005/12/07 21:23
I thought about starting a new thread, but when I saw all the views, I thought it might be best to just continue.
So.. I have been in and out of town for the last month, helping pack up my mom's house in Rogersville, Tennessee, (I'm in Raleigh..6 hours one way), and move her to Greensboro, NC. Knowing that I could not tend (obsess over) my worm bins, I added a 2" layer of food and a 6" layer of shredded paper. Today I finally got to check out what was going on with the bins. I was having great apprehension as I opened the outdoor bins. The outside temps had fluctuated greatly between 24 and 60 degreesF. To my surprise I found some very happy, involved in their processing, worms and friends. (It was 24F last night and not over 45 today, and will remain that all week). To my great surprise, I found a whole new batch of BSF larvae. I thought I had said goodbye to those friends until warm weather.
I added another 2" layer of food and filled the top of the plastic bins with as much shredded paper as possible. The in-ground bins got a big top layer of leaves. All bins got a big happy dose of Starbucks grounds. (oh yeah..there are some conga lines in my bins tonight!)
Tomorrow I will actually use a thermometer and let you know what the temps are.
As I am in the business of growing worms, I will be moving many of my outdoor, plastic bins to an unheated indoor space, and will still be experimenting with creating heat. I have some outdoor, cinderblock bins that are really rocking..without my obsessing, (seems I have "latch-key worms"). Any of you, who have experience with "creating" heat, without plugging something in, your experience would be greatly appreciated. If you are new to this process, then please register, and let me know I am not alone in this learning process.. 
Susan Quinby-Honer
redhen@nc.rr.com
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redhen
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Re:creating heat for outdoor bins test..Part 2 - 2005/12/30 21:07
Please go to "in-ground bins" topic for further updates..
Susan Quinby-Honer
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