All Dumb and Dumber humor aside, Bri and I really do have worms and they are making 100% organic compost for our #cleanacres produce.
Worm compost, also known as vermicompost, is a natural organic aid in the garden. Its nutrients are more easily absorbed into the roots of plants. It’s also hard to wash away during a rain or regular watering due to the mucus that forms inside the compost, aiding the plants in nutrient rich feeding over a longer period of time.
Vermicompost is an organic plant and pest disease prevention source. How? As the worms digest scraps we feed them from our kitchens, the compost becomes enriched with helpful bacteria and microbes which assist in prevention efforts.
Additionally, built up hormones inside the compost give our plants an extra advantage making them stronger and healthier resulting in better yields.
There are other benefits to being mindful about food waste. According to a study done by the Journal of Consumer Affairs, Americans waste 55 million tons of food each year, or 40% of the food supply. How is it that people in America go hungry with this much waste?! In Illinois 1 in 7 people are food insecure (www.feedingamerica.org). Even if you decide not to compost your food scraps, you can help fight back against hunger by making wise decisions when it comes to food. The United National Environment Programme asks consumers to:
Plan your meals ahead of time. Be a smart shopper and think about how much of what you are buying will be eaten.
- Become a conscious eater by requesting smaller portions and taking leftovers home (preferably in a reusable container and not the common Styrofoam containers that contribute to hazardous landfill waste).
- And finally save your food, money and the environment by only purchasing what you/your family will consume.
By recycling our food scraps, not only are we fighting back against hunger and helping the produce at #cleanacres grow into optimum taste with optimum nutritional value, we are helping the environment. According to many studies, decomposition of food in our landfills releases lethal methane gas that is heating up the earth’s core, contributing to global warming. Check out http://www.epa.gov/sustainable-management-food for more information on how you can help.
Want to start your own worm farm? We learned by taking a course through our local University of Illinois Extension office. Thanks to Miss Karen Traum and Jennifer Shultz Nelson for teaching us about Herman the Worm, we have successfully made our own vermicompost at home for over a year now. Check out the Extension website for upcoming courses and more information on vermicomposting. http://web.extension.illinois.edu/dmp/palette/060205.html
No need for red wiggler worms at your house? There are other ways you can reuse your food scraps and reduce food waste! Check out these links for ways to fight hunger, start saving money and start saving the environment today.
http://www.offthegridnews.com/how-to-2/5-clever-and-unique-ways-to-reuse-old-food-scraps/
http://www.sustainabletable.org/5664/food-waste
Submitted by Tabitha Elder Tabitha is a Central Illinois resident and co-owner of Clean Acres Produce. Follow their journey of starting a Community Supported Agriculture program in the chemical free fresh food desert of rural Piatt County at www.cleanacresproduce.org, www.facebook.com/cleanacresproduce or @CleanAcres.
Clean Acres Blog 
2 thoughts on “We Got Worms!!!!”