![]() And get this – worms can process their body weight in food each day, so a pound of worms can process a pound of kitchen scraps EACH DAY. The material that passes through the gut of a worm is called a worm casting, and according to Moose Hill Worm Farm, worm castings are made up of bacteria, enzymes, remnants of plant matter, and animal manure that create water-soluble plant nutrients that contain more than 50% more humus than what is normally found in topsoil. Instead of throwing your organic material into a compost pile or bin, you feed them to your pet worms and after happily feasting on your leftovers and lawn trimmings, they do what we all do. Microorganisms are also decomposers, but worm composting, or vermicomposting, can get it done faster than microorganisms alone. OK that is grossly simplified but back to my original question…COMPOST needs decomposers! Decomposers break down organic materials (like kitchen scraps) into more stable and non-smelly compost that is full of nutrients and can be used as a fertilizer and soil amendment. Does anyone else hear the “Circle of Life” from The Lion King in your head right now? ![]() Whenever anything dies or is pooped out, the decomposers break down the nutrients and return it to the soil to be used by more Producers. They do super important work – remember the food web you learned in grade school – Producers, Consumers, and Decomposers? Producers are plants that make food with the energy from the sun and are eaten by the Consumers (herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores). ![]() Worms are great decomposers, and what needs decomposers? OK that’s a trick question, technically worms are detrivores and EVERYTHING needs decomposers and detrivores. Unlike my 5-year-old who simply enjoys collecting and talking to worms, Marj puts them to work. Really it would put anyone’s yard to shame, so I should have known right away that she was onto something when she started talking about worms. Over the years Marj has turned most of her yard into an organic garden full of gorgeous flowers and tasty fruits and veggies. ![]() Marj’s worm farm is all the way in Australia, but we visited my in-laws earlier this year so we had a chance to check out her worms for ourselves.
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