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Dear Friends
Welcome to The Urban Worm newsletter, and thank you so much for joining us, for believing in the humble but mighty worm!
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Happy new year! We hope 2025 brings you loves, adventures, joys and worms... lots of. We are grateful for the lessons and the opportunities for growth that last year gifted us. After some twists and turns we are ready for some very exciting ventures in the year ahead, and we look forward to taking you on the journey with us. The future is fertile, and there will be worms.
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A world of worms
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The USA don’t do anything by halves, and that includes worms. Over the years we have learnt much of what we know from practitioners in the States where vermiculture is very much mainstream in comparison to here in the UK. Here we are still finding our feet, and there is still so much to learn. Unfortunately we are unable to make the Worm Business Conference at Arizona Worm Farm this month, so we took an early trip to check out the operation in Phoenix and have a personal tour by the proprietor and legend himself, Zach Brooks.
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Zach Brooks, Arizona Worm Farm
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Zach uses the ‘Wedge System’ in his vermicompost operation, and produced 110 tonnes from municipal and equine waste within the first 11 months of 2014. After 10 years in the business ourselves this process was new to us - every day is a school day. We came away in absolute awe, and with something to aspire too, or dream of at least. And it was all in the name of love. Zach, who previously worked in IT in the medical healthcare sector decided on a career change because he wanted to create a better world for his grandchildren. When you are driven by love anything is possible.
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Zach's low-tech but highly effective Wedge System producing tonnes of vermicompost
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Anna at the Arizona Worm Farm
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Based on 10 acres, with 11 full time employees with 10 part timers and interns, the operation goes beyond vermiculture - it is an inspiring educational center that teaches 200 people a week how to grow organically and showcases solutions for a regenerative world from black soldier fly waste management to off grid housing, from food forests to low tech ground heat source pumps for greenhouses to extend the growing season - it’s all going on.
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Built by Zach, the straw bale Tiny House is a completely off-grid home next to his food forest
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If you are ever in Arizona, or want to take a special trip just to see the worm farm, you will not be disappointed - thank you Zach, an absolute legend: we salute you.
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Eeuww factor 10 - highly efficient waste managers, black soldier fly larvae will eat anything!
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Going large in 2025
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We have some pretty exciting projects ahead of us this year which we will share in due course, but for now, after numerous requests we are happy to announce that we are now offering DIY Wheelie Bin Conversion Kits for bins from 770 to 1100 litres. We’re in the process of getting pictures of components uploaded onto the shop but you can still get your orders in in the meantime.
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By the end of March this year all businesses (with more than 10 employees) producing 5 kilos or more a week of organic waste are required to dispose of this via a food waste collection, or even better feed it to the worms. Our kits will be perfect for small to medium enterprises looking to manage waste in-house. With a T26 Exemption businesses can process up to 6 tonnes a year without a permit, and at The Urban Worm we can advise on making the application, to help companies take that step toward a cleaner, more responsible operation.
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Soon schools, companies and community organisations will be able to install their own large bins - Anna will show you how...
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Worms on trial
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This year we would like to recruit your assistance for a little citizen science project. When you are planting your veggies or ornamentals this year and if you are planning to use the incredible vermicompost your worms are making from your own worm farm projects, we would love you to do some growing trials for us and send them over so we can share in New Worm Order News! This could be a great science project with the young ones in the family too, or even something to suggest to your local primary school, but even if you'd just like to help out with a little experiment in your own greenhouse, we'd love to hear from you.
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It's simple really - as you can see from the photo; when planting out your fruit, veg or flowers for house & garden, we'd love you to plant using vermicompost - of course! - and then plant one without vermicompost or with a different feed, ensuring conditions are as identical as possible. So use plants from the same batch, in similar or identical pots, placed close together in the same place with as much the same heat & light as possible, water them the same but don't mix up feeds - vermicompost for one, whatever else - or nothing - for the other.
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Take progress photos, keep measurements and notes... and share your results with us here, replying to this email address that your New World Order News comes from. We'll gather the information you send in and we'll see how our worm nation is doing in the growing world! And of course we'll make sure every participant gets full credit, share your photos and observations, and celebrate the brilliance of the worms together.
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New year, new home
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Last month we did a call out looking for a loving home for some orphaned worms, and Roni from Stratford Upon Avon came to the rescue accompanied by her friend Sharon, who consequently went home to Leamington Spa with some new residents too - thank you ladies!
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Roni & Sharon, worm rescuers
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We hope you had a wonderful Christmas & New Year break and we wish you only the very best for 2025. We are looking forward to new challenges ahead, and sharing our journey with you.
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Anna & The Urban Worm team
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