School Presentation 4 6

“What a good feeling to find out that there’s a way to change what we think of as totally useless into something VERY useful and it has been under our feet since the beginning of time.: 

“What a good feeling to find out that there’s a way to change what we think of as totally useless into something VERY useful and it has been under our feet since the beginning of time.

Windswept Worm Farm: 

Windswept Worm Farm Vermiculture & Vermicomposting: What is it? How Do You Do It? What are the benefits? There for more than fishing

Slide3: 

Vermicomposting is the process of recycling material by using worms into something very useful. How is this done? Vermiculture is the raising of earthworms under a controlled environment

Slide4: 

Worms are part of the animal kingdom These are called Eisenia Fetida but you may know them as  Red Worm  Tiger Worm  Red Wiggler

Slide5: 

These rings are called segments. When all grown up, there will be 120-170 segments.

Slide6: 

Worms have no teeth, They cannot really chew their food like you do. They have a gizzard inside, close to their mouth. You might have heard this word before because birds, including chickens and turkeys, have a gizzard. As food is eaten some grains of sand and soil get into my gizzard. These grains of sand and soil push against each other, mix with moisture and grind the food into tiny pieces (kind of like my own personal food processor).

Slide7: 

A Worm Is Born! Each cocoon can have 1-5 worms. If conditions are not right for hatching, such as dryness, my cocoons can be dormant for years and hatch when conditions are right.

Slide8: 

Want to see the hearts in action?

Slide10: 

Worms use muscles and my setae. Setae act like the brakes on a car, helping me to slow down or stop. Muscles that go in circles around the body and other muscles that run the length of the body. This movement of circular muscles squeezes the front end forward. Other long muscles squeeze together and help move the rear end of the body towards the front end. This creates forwards and backwards movement.

Slide11: 

Worms do not have lungs but breathe through their skin. Oxygen is taken in through the skin and it goes right into the bloodstream. Skin must stay wet in order for the oxygen to pass through it. Too much water will drown them. Keep worms damp, moist and slimy. Although if the water has lots of air in it, they can stay under for a long time.

Slide12: 

Worms are VERY sensitive to light They have cells in the front of their body that warns them of light. Because light hurts them they need to be in a dark place.

Slide13: 

Let’s look at who lives, works and helps worms in a worm bin

Slide14: 

The pseudoscorpion is a small arachnid that lacks the long stinger of a true scorpion. It feeds on other small insects, which it subdues by poisoning and then tears apart with its pincers.

Slide15: 

There are many microscopic organisms that live & work together in a worm bin. Here are just a few of up to 21!

Slide16: 

There are many microscopic organisms that live & work together in a worm bin. Here are just a few of up to 21!

Slide17: 

Nematodes (roundworms) are worm-like organisms that are surrounded by a strong, flexible layer called a cuticle. Many nematodes are free living and play critical ecological roles as decomposers and predators on microorganisms.

Slide18: 

There are many microscopic organisms that live & work together in a worm bin. Here are just a few of up to 21! Nematodes feeding on a dead worm

Slide19: 

Pauropoda, consist of tiny arthropods living in leaf litter and soil; both superficially resemble centipedes.

Slide20: 

There are many microscopic organisms that live & work together in a worm bin. Here are just a few of up to 21!

Slide21: 

These tiny beneficial predator mites search for pest mites and kill them. They are very small and do not bite or harm humans or animals. Once they destroy the plant pest mites, they leave, seeking more spider mites elsewhere.

Slide22: 

There are many microscopic organisms that live & work together in a worm bin. Here are just a few of up to 21! Predatory Mite, on a penny

Slide23: 

There are many microscopic organisms that live & work together in a worm bin. Here are just a few of up to 21! Beetle Mites, on the date of a penny!

Slide24: 

There are many microscopic organisms that live & work together in a worm bin. Here are just a few of up to 21!

Slide26: 

There are many microscopic organisms that live & work together in a worm bin. Here are just a few of up to 21!

Slide27: 

We need places to put our trash – What are our choices?

Slide28: 

Landfills ? It may be a choice for those Things we cannot reuse BUT- They smell And We are running out of space

Slide29: 

What about burning our trash in incinerators? They can pollute the air and….. They smell too!

Slide30: 

Our best choice is to Reuse everything we Can over and over again Worms Are The Answer!

Q. What will Worms Eat? A. Anything Biodegradable: 

Q. What will Worms Eat? A. Anything Biodegradable 1. Animal Waste Horse Cattle Poultry Pig Sheep Rabbits Almost Any Manure

What will Worms Eat?: 

What will Worms Eat? 2. Green waste Grass clippings Produce waste from grocery stores Pumas from all fruit crops, orchards, & vineyards Coffee grounds-but not too much! Most Left over food from your school lunch

What will Worms Eat?: 

What will Worms Eat? 3. Brown Waste Wood Sawdust Paper Leaves Corn cobs /shucks Many Others

What will Worms Eat?: 

What will Worms Eat? 3. Brown Waste Wood Sawdust Paper Leaves Corn cobs /shucks Many Others

What Not to Feed Worms !: 

What Not to Feed Worms ! 4. Even Though Worms will eat most anything there are some things that are best to avoid. Meat Oil – like salad dressings Any kind of fat –meat or vegetable

Worms Love!: 

Worms Love! Crushed Egg Shells And A little bit of Sand to help them grind up their food. They have a gizzard – like birds!

Slide37: 

How To Begin Your Worm Farm 1. Get a plastic bin – fill it with shredded newspaper & a small amount of compost,peat moss or dirt 2. Add worms 3. Start adding food scraps – Up to 5 lbs. Per week Watch Them Go To WORK! You can vermicompost in your home or school

Slide38: 

When the worm bin is full It is time to harvest the worms Melon is the worms favorite food. When you place a piece of melon in the bin they all come to eat it. Carefully remove the melon and the worms onto a piece of newspaper Remove the remaining contents of the bin (castings) and use them on your houseplants, garden, yard, trees. Worms can double in population every 3 to 6 months under the right conditions If they get too crowded they stop eating. So share some worms with a friend or another class Start all over again

Slide39: 

What Does A Worm Produce With All That Eating? A very beneficial substance known as WORM CASTINGS Also known as worm dirt - worm manure or worm “poop”…

Worm Castings Are Nature’s Natural Fertilizer-no chemicals needed: 

Worm Castings Are Nature’s Natural Fertilizer-no chemicals needed Provides nutrients (food) for plants Retains water for the soil so plants can grown even when it doesn’t rain! Helps plants resist diseases so they grow faster & stronger Environmentally friendly - created from 100% recycled materials Naturally insulates plant roots & reduces soil erosion Breaks up hard clay soil so plants can grow faster & bigger Use Worm Castings at your school on plants, trees, grass & garden or take them home to use there!

Slide41: 

What a GOOD feeling to know that something GREAT can come from our WASTE and that everyone in this room can do something about the waste WE create!

Do You Have Questions?: 

Do You Have Questions? Thank you for Letting Us Come to your school !