Vermicomposting is a Simple Way to Compost

I love gardening. I can spend hours pouring over seed catalogs, dreaming of the harvest I will reap. Digging in the dirt is such a soul-cleansing ritual. Over the years I have become convinced that organic gardening is the way for me. In my zeal to garden organically, I was convinced I needed to start a compost heap in the back yard. My husband was certain I did not. We discussed our points. His points overruled mine. No compost heap.

Without a compost heap to nourish my garden soil, I was forced to purchase compost from retailers. Not ideal, but still better than commercial chemical fertilizers in my book. Last year was my first year gardening in this house. Our soil is full of clay and I had to amend it with a lot of purchased compost in order for anything to grow in it. My husband thought I was crazy to put so much effort into trying to grow things we could just purchase at the store. But I was driven. Driven by a need to produce something from this bare, nutrient-starved earth I call a yard.

We did reap a moderate harvest last year. Not spectacular, but enough edibles to complement our meals. Of course, if you compare the amount of plants to the yield produced, the ratios were pretty slim. Slim but not none, so I consider it a success.

As fall approached, I agonized over my lack of a compost heap again. I was convinced that with home grown compost our garden would flourish. Winter began and I abandoned my hopes of a compost bin. I consoled myself with the belief that I could begin my plea for a compost heap again in the spring. I was sure I could convince my husband that our success in the garden would be amplified by the addition of our own compost. He had enjoyed eating the fruits and vegetables of that garden, so I was sure I could win him over to my side.

Little did I know that the answer to my dilemma would arise from an innocent question... "Mom, can we have a worm farm?" asked my youngest child one chilly winter day. A worm farm? I thought it over, then decided to do some research. As they say, "out of the mouths of babes." Problem solved! We researched the options, collected the necessary materials, and constructed our own vermicomposting worm farm.

My child asked me that question four months ago, and we have just harvested our first compost from our worm farm. What a gratifying feeling I had in my heart as we added that compost to our newly planted garden. We have given our worms fresh bedding and they are very happily eating our fruit and vegetable scraps. We are looking forward to harvesting compost regularly from these busy critters. My garden will benefit, which in turn means that our stomachs will benefit. The environment also benefits from the reduced amount of garbage we are adding to the landfills.

While this may not be a traditional compost heap, vermicomposting is certainly a simple way to accomplish my goal of home grown compost. Our worm farm is tidy, enclosed, and easily kept in the kitchen or garage - and they are a favorite tourist stop for the neighborhood kids! Each time I feed those hungry worms, I smile and think to myself "I got my compost heap after all!"