🎄 December 2024 edition
NWOnews

Dear Friends

Welcome to The Urban Worm newsletter, and thank you so much for joining us, for believing in the humble but mighty worm!

Remembering Sarah

As you know we generally aim to bring the light into your inbox, however this month we are deeply saddened to share the death of our friend Sarah Cunningham, 31, an immensely gifted landscape artist with a beautiful spirit and soul who we had the honour of working with in 2015. We received funding from Arts Council England and Nottingham City Council for our Green Heart City project to work with 10 Nottingham based artists to live-paint wheelie bin worm farms during The Riverside Festival. These worm farms were then donated to community and voluntary groups in the city. Sarah’s beautiful worm bin was donated to Pulp Friction’s Super Kitchen in Bestwood.

The worm business brings some extraordinary people into our orbit and Sarah was certainly one of these. She was in her final year at Loughborough University studying Fine Art when we had the pleasure of working with her; we watched her career soar with pride as she became internationally acclaimed, exhibiting in London, New York, Florida, Colorado and only weeks before her tragic death in Seoul, South Korea. Sarah radiated ethereal beauty, and so did her artwork. We send our deepest condolences to her friends and family.
Sarah Cunningham, artist and friend of
The Urban Worm, 1993-2024
Sarah working on a worm bin at Green Heart City
Sarah's beautiful worm bin for Pulp Friction's Super Kitchen in Bestwood
Video: Sarah working on Green Heart City for The Urban Worm >>>

Sarah's artist website >>>

Veg Box Vermicomposters

Women who sow together grow together. It is not often we come across an all female power team of growers, but the worms are certainly a passport to unique and inspiring projects. Vista Veg Ltd is an organic veg box cooperative in picturesque Crosby Ravensworth, Cumbria based on 2.5 acres with 5 polytunnels supplying 220 boxes a week, with a growing customer base - people want organic chemical-free food. With thanks to the support from Cumbria Action for Sustainability (CAFS) we were able to support Vista Veg to introduce vermicomposting into their operation. Cumbria Action for Sustainability are passionate advocates of vermicomposting, with an understanding of the long lasting ecological, economical and educational benefits - we are grateful for their ongoing support and look forward to our return next year to this truly stunning part of the country to work with pretty great people too.
Setting up the Vista Veg Vermicomposter

In Good Company

A huge thank you to Alex Dye from FarmEd for hosting a fantastic Compost Clinic, and to speakers Martyn Richards from Agriton and Tim Marshall from Asthall Manor Kitchen Garden for sharing all the Bokashi and hot composting wisdom, and of course thank you to all the wonderful participants. People who love compost and all things that come from the earth share a foundational respect for ecology, we want the very best for all living organisms - what a great industry to be part of, we are super-grateful to be such company.

Agriton >>>
Asthall Manor Kitchen Garden >>>

Seasonal Voucher Code

A quick reminder that we are offering our lovely readers a 10% off everything in the shop until the end of December to say a massive thank you for reading our newsletter and loving the worms. Head over to the shop and use the code xmas24 when you check out.

Can you help?

We have a very healthy worm farm looking for a new home for Christmas. Adopting parents must be willing to dedicate 10 minutes a week to keeping the worms well fed and comfortable. These worms are perfectly happy in a home with children, although noise levels kept to a minimum nearby so as not to unsettle, especially as they adjust to their new environment. These worms have come from a very loving and dedicated home, but unfortunately due to unforeseen circumstances their guardian can no longer offer the attention they deserve and has reached out to us to rehome them. Please contact us if you can help to arrange a collection from FarmEco, Screveton, Nottinghamshire. No previous experience required, we’ve got your back here at New Worm Order News with essential tips and tricks for happy worm homes.

Let Them Know It's Christmas Time

The worms are guaranteed to be well fed this Christmas, and over-feeding during the frosty season is never a bad thing as the multiplication of bacteria generates heat for the little wrigglers when they need it most. However, if you have ever attempted to compost your Brussel sprout and broccoli stalks you will know that they can be quite troublesome, in the sense they can take some time to break down. This is due to the strong cell walls and lignin content of the plants. Putting your vegetable scraps in the jiffy bag in the freezer until frozen solid before feeding breaks down lignin and cell walls making it a lot easier for the worms to feast on, it also reduces fruit flies and speeds the whole composting up - a win for all.
So that’s a wrap for this year friends. A heartfelt thankyou from us here at The Urban Worm for believing in the power of the humble worm, and thank you for following the New Worm Order. Sending all the wormiful loving blessings to you and yours this midwinter. Catch you on the other side.

Worms & Peace
Anna & The Urban Worm team
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