About Me

Hi. I'm Mama.

I'm a stay-at-home-mom in the San Francisco Bay Area who became interested in vermicomposting while working on my other blog, Mama Does Good. I've experienced a lot in a short period of time. I've been scared of worms, I've shrieked at my worms, I've killed a bunch of worms (sorry, guys), I've brought them back from the dead (thank heaven for fast reproduction!), I've touched worms, I've held worms, I've handled huge mounds of squirming worms, and mostly I've learned to love my worms. I find great satisfaction digging into my bins every day or two to find thousands of happily munching, moist, squirming worms. It's a weird affliction, I know.

Anyways, it seemed like this might be a good opportunity for me to do a little stay-at-home work while my maniacal children are growing up. 

There are lots of worm farmers out there. They sort of intimidate me. I thought that perhaps me, a regular mama, might not be so intimidating to the new vermicomposter. I ain't perfect, and I don't know it all. But I'm honest, I care about my worms, and I care about your happiness with my product. 

Got questions? Send 'em! 

Comments

[Kim]

Hi. I live in West Oakland. Would love to purchase a pound of red wigglers from you ASAP for my home compost. Could I come pick them up? Please contact me, thanks! Kim Cuddy (kimcuddy@yahoo.com)

[Pat]

Hi, I live in San Francisco, Miraloma Park area, and would like to know if I can avoid the shipping charges and get the worms faster by picking up the worms myself. I'd like a pound. I'm just getting started w/ a first time use of a compost bin. Only have about 6" deep worth of stuff so far. Is one pound going to be too many worms?

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[Heidi]

I have an open air compost pile which is inside a brick surround. The pile is under evergreen trees so it doesn't get much sun. I started it with some old potting soil, dirt, my hen's eggs shells, water, coffee grounds and coffee bean husks. A bit after getting it set up, I began adding my chicken's poo, old hay/straw and rabbit poo each week when I clean out their coop and cages. A friend recently said I shouldn't add the rabbit's poo. Is she right?
Heidi

[Wayne]

About the Rabit poo-

Rabbit poo is very rich in nitrogen and will make everything compost faster. (a good thing) I added about a 5 gallon buckets worth to my bioStack composter during a rotation from one bin to another. less than 3 months later I had a cubic yard of useable compost and its full of earth worms as well (common yard worms, I throw thme in when we find them digging)

I have extra sections and stack almost 2 bins high, and when I'm full, or have used the old bin's compost up, fork over the uncomposted top section and start the second stack anew. That is how I finished with a cubic yard, and the uncomposted stuff is well started.

[len raphael]

composting dog doo:

suppose the only way to compost dog poop would be doing it in a way that heated it up very high to kill bateria. carefully monitored.

so what about all those dog people who are putting the stuff in the green garbage bins and then Waste Mgmnt or whoever is making compost and selling it at their transfer stations?

[Will Johnston]

Hi Mama, This is Will with Growandmake.com. I wanted to reach out to you and see if you had an interest in being the editor for our Composting Guide? email if you'd like to discuss...

[melisser]

Thank you for all this awesome information! I just called all the numbers on your retailers asking about bins and one told me there are bins readily available at the Ecology Center at 2530 San Pablo in Berkeley and there is a discount for Alameda County residents. I'm headed there now and super excited to get my worm farm started!!

[Rena]

Hi,
my worms are doing fine, they have multiplied, I noticed! But with all this nasty rain, everything is getting far too moist and now I have fruit flies! What do you recommend doing?? Thanks for any suggestions!

[Ashanti]

I Live in Oakland, I have worms in a rubber tubs, but I am wanted to use the tray system.... do you still sell those, can I come pick one up. I did have a bad smell problem and I am using some of your suggestions.. I think that i want to move to another system because I go through a lot of vegetables and the tub cannot accomodate all of it.

I am looking to get this system transferred this weekend or early next week if possible.

Thank you for any advice you can provide or guidance for getting a bin.

[Ruopei]

Hi,

I like to order some red wigglers and pick them up by myself. I live in Hayward hills area. I have just setup a compost bin to get it started. I will need a lot of compost to heep my fruit trees and plants happy.

Thanks

[Susanne Borman]

Jen
Want to thank you for the worm class this past Saturday at
Evergreen Nursery. Very informative. And, you've inspired me
to try again. You may recall I had a tragic worm mishap a few
years back. I'm collecting my bedding now and will buy a pound
of your worms from Evergreen in the next week.
Thanks again.
Susanne

[rebecca]

Hi MAMA
I am interested in ordering stuff - but we do not have a traditional "business" address to take advantage of the free shipping.

We are self employed - home based business owners.

How much is shipping to a residence rather than business - in East Bay (ca)

Looking to buy the gusanito bin and worms.

email: rebecca@flyskyblue.com

[Desiree]

Is there any way to pick up a pound of worms? I also live in e'ville and have a very open schedule.

Thanks!

[Andrew Doser]

I just received my worms yesterday. Thanks!

I previously purchased a Can-O-Worms unit which was set up and ready to go. I used the coir bedding (moistened) they sent with the unit and then I added the 3000 worms you sent me. I added a single layer moist newspaper at the top and placed the cover on. The whole bottom tray is now pretty full. Am I to assume the core brick that was sent with my Can-O-Worms and the contents the worms were delivered in is enough to feed them for a while? At what visual point should I add more food?

I'm new to worm composting, so I just wanted to get feedback from an expert. I hear it is bad to overfeed them, so what are your thoughts here?

I appreciate your time and help.

Thanks!

Andrew

[ben]

HI!
I'd like to buy 2lbs of red wigglers (2000 worms). I live in Daly City, can I just pick up the order to avoid shipping charges and any delays??

Thanks for your busines..
Ben
email: bvchanmdx@yahoo.com

[jim brooks]

Hello, We met at your composting dept. I helped you for a bit........before the Ton O Sand party. I have a question for you. I have large fat larvee type bugs in my worm bin. They seam to be only in the top two layers of it.Where do they come from and do they hurt anything? The worms seem to work around them but they are gross looking. Thanks, Brooks" the dirt guy" 408-309-0846

[Xinting]

Hi,

I bought red worms from you about half year ago. Last two months I was busy traveling, so I didn't take care of them very well. Today I checked my worm bin. All the red worms are gone, and only some smaller white worms left. Are they baby red worms? Or I just lost my worms and have to reorder some?

[Jeni]

I'm working on a composting/gardening unit with a kindergarten class in Oakland and wonder if you or someone you know from a nursery, ecology group, etc. would be interested in bringing in some worms to show and tell. Any ideas? Thanks!