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The Worm Farmer’s Handbook: Mid- to Large-Scale Vermicomposting for Farms, Businesses, Municipalities, Schools, and Institutions
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About The Worm Farmer’s Handbook: Mid- To Large-Scale
Product Description Choice Reviews, Outstanding Academic Title Techniques and systems for processing food scraps, manure, yard debris, paper, and more Turning waste into wealth sounds too good to be true, but many worm farmers are finding that vermicomposting is a reliable way to do just that. Vermicast―a biologically active, nutrient-rich mix of earthworm castings and decomposed organic matter―sells for $400 or more per cubic yard. Compare that to regular compost, sold at about $30 a cubic yard, and you’ll see why vermicomposting has taken root in most countries and on every continent but Antarctica. Vermicomposting is also one of the best sustainable solutions for organic waste management. Vermicomposting manure and crop wastes on farms improves crop yields while reducing demand for off-farm inputs. Vermicast has higher nutrient levels and lower soluble salt content than regular compost, and it improves soil aeration, porosity, and water retention. Plus, vermicast suppresses plant diseases and insect attacks. Municipalities, businesses, community gardens, schools, and universities can set up vermicomposting operations to process food residuals and other waste materials. The Worm Farmer’s Handbook details the ins and outs of vermicomposting for mid- to large-scale operations, including how to recycle organic materials ranging from food wastes and yard trimmings to manure and shredded office paper. Vermicomposting expert Rhonda Sherman shares what she has learned over twenty-five years working with commercial worm growers and researchers around the world. Her profiles of successful worm growers across the United States and from New Zealand to the Middle East and Europe describe their proven methods and systems. This book digs into all the details, including: Choosing the right production system Regulatory issues and developing a business and marketing plan Finding and managing feedstocks Pre-composting: why and how to do it Monitoring an active worm bed Harvesting, screening, testing, packaging, and storing vermicast Markets for earthworms and vermicast Food security: how vermicast benefits soils and plants Keys to success: avoiding common pitfalls From livestock farms and restaurants to colleges, military bases, and prisons, Sherman details why and how commercial-scale vermicomposting is a fast-growing, sustainable solution for organic waste management. The Worm Farmer’s Handbook is the first and only authoritative how-to guide that goes beyond small-scale operations and demystifies the science and logistics of the fascinating process that is vermicomposting. Review Choice Reviews― “The real value of this work is the applicability of the national and international information brought together in one resource for use by vermicompost operators.” Library Journal― "Sherman offers an important addition to the literature on vermiculture and vermicomposting with an eyes-wide-open approach to planning, starting, and managing a viable commercial-scale operation that steers clear of hype while weighing both the risks and rewards of the venture." Booklist― "Vermiculture, the process of using worms to turn organic food waste into compost, has been around for decades but has been growing in popularity. Vermicompost or vermicast, the product of vermiculture, makes a rich, organic soil amendment or growth medium which has been shown to increase yields, reduce the damage caused by some diseases and pests, and help repair damage to degraded soil. This book covers everything one would want to know about vermiculture, from how it works to designing a harvesting system and laying out postharvest practices. Sherman also profiles a range of worm-farming examples from throughout the U.S. and around the world, including details such as the size of the operation and its setting, the cost of setup, the amount of food waste processed, and the span of time the process takes. While written for use in a mid- or large-scale setting, much of the
