For over 40 years, Uncle Jims Worm Farm has been raising mealworms, super reds, and red wigglers. It is the largest worm farm in the United States. Providing worms for vermicomposting, enhancing soil, feeding pets, and eliminating chemical fertilizers, Uncle Jims Worm Farm helped begin the practice of reducing landfill waste organically using red worms.

Landfills can have extreme effects on the environment. Because they release a substantial amount of methane gas, landfills contribute to global warming. They also pollute groundwater, waste energy and resources, and discourage recycling and composting.

On average, 28 percent of the material found in landfills is food scraps and organic debris, meaning composting can diminish the size of landfills significantly. Many municipalities implement composting programs by collecting yard waste separately from household garbage. Using red worms in landfill composting applications can accelerate decomposition time by up to 75 percent. Consumers can contribute to reducing the size of landfills by composting food scraps at home instead of tossing them in the trash.

Located in Pennsylvania, Uncle Jim’s Worm Farm, the largest worm farm in the United States, has operated for nearly four decades. Uncle Jim’s Worm Farm offers its customers comprehensive information about vermicomposting and supplies red wiggler worms and compost bins in addition to the company’s special worm meal and bedding. Here are answers to some common vermicomposting questions.

Question: What is vermicomposting?

Answer: Vermicomposting uses worms to break down organic matter. Worms expel this matter as castings, or droppings. Along with other decomposed organic material, these castings form a nutrient-rich soil that is an excellent fertilizer for plants and gardens. Vermicomposting can be done both indoors and outdoors using compost bins.

Q: What type of organic material can be added to vermicomposting bins?

A: A variety of organic materials can be used, including fruit and vegetable waste, egg shells, manure and ground yard waste, coffee grounds and tea leaves, grains, and non-glossy paper. You should not compost meats or oils, dairy products, citrus peels, coated papers, treated woods, or dog and cat waste. The compost is ready to harvest when the consumed organic matter has attained the texture of coffee grounds, and a rich, dark brown color.

Q: What are the benefits of vermicomposting?

A: Vermicomposting significantly reduces garbage production by recycling food waste into an ecofriendly natural fertilizer, which in turn enhances soil and agricultural production. Indoor vermicomposting can be done year-round and is a good option for apartment dwellers. Vermicomposting also produces compost quickly, often in less than six months.

Since 1975, Uncle Jims Worm Farm in Spring Grove, Pennsylvania, has been selling earthworms, mealworms, and organic gardening supplies. Specializing in red wigglers, Uncle Jims Worm Farm provides environmentally conscious gardeners with wholesale prices and friendly customer service. The worms purchased from Uncle Jims are great for composting, fishing, and even for feeding other pets. The company also sells composters, heirloom seeds, and all the equipment needed to start an at-home worm farm.

In worm composting, worms recycle organic material, such as yard waste and food scraps, into vermicompost, a highly beneficial soil amendment used for growing plants. Since the worms are consuming organic material that is rich in nutrients, the compost they produce makes an excellent organic fertilizer. The best substances to compost are grains, vegetable and fruit scraps, and other plants. Avoid composting dairy, meat, and oils because they do not break down as well and can attract other animals.

The best worms to use in composting are red wigglers or super reds. The composting occurs in containers that hold the food scraps and allow for substantial airflow. Compost is ready for use in around three to five months. Once harvested, worm compost can be used immediately or can be stored for future gardens.

Some farmers grow wheat, and others milk cows. Then there are places such as Uncle Jims Worm Farm, where these segmented invertebrates are raised to help refresh gardens and eliminate food waste. Worm farms are increasingly popular among gardeners and composters, even those who live in the city.

Worm farming, also known as vermiculture, requires a composting container, usually made from plastic, filled with layers of newspaper or soil. The container often is kept in a backyard, but stores such as Uncle Jims Worm Farm sell specially designed versions for space-constrained people who have to do their composting indoors.

The container is stocked with worms–usually the variety known as red worms or composting worms. If kept at a temperature below 84 degrees and fed a regular diet of organic waste–like leftovers from the kitchen table–these farms can produce a steady stream of compost. By reducing the waste they send to the landfill and producing nutrient-rich fertilizer for the vegetable garden, many worm farmers say they enjoy the hobby and take pleasure in making the planet greener.