Forage Bin Check In, Using 1/4” Sifter as Worm Bait Trap
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- Опубліковано 8 вер 2024
- Hi!
I’ve had several bins on foraging for 5 weeks now. It’s time to see what the castings look like, what the worms look like, and get ready to separate worms from castings.
This time I’m going to combine several bins into a smaller sized tote and use a 1/4” sifter to lure the worms out of the castings. Since I have one sifter, combining several worms bins allows me to collect more worms faster! A real time saver!!
This method is very similar to how I harvested worms in Big Boy. Here’s the link to that video :
3 Ways To Get Worms Out Of Large Tote of Castings
• 3 Ways To Get Worms Ou...
As always, thank you so much for watching, liking and subscribing ❤️.
I have worms, cocoons and wormie related items in my website. Please check it out!
www.RockinWorms.com
Yours in the dirt,
JayneT
Hello! I’m always excited when I’m doing something the same way as you are ❤.
Why do you think you get such different results some years vs other years? That’s quite a swing.
I’m happy to get some close ups of the mites and biota. Camerman will love putting his skills to work as well. As you can tell, I’m not very knowledgeable about the various specific types of bacteria and fungi and even the mites. Getting more info on that would benefit me and everyone else too so that’d be great!
I need to start a few more breeder bins again and I plan on sorting thru these baited worms to pick out breeders 👍.
Thanks so much for watching and commenting!! 🪱❤🪱
That sifter makes for a nice feeding zone packed with all those good eats, Worm Chow and Veggie Powder,...I look forward to hearing/seeing how it works out,..Thanks Jane
Hi Alfonzo! I was pretty happy to see that it fit nicely and I can finally use it 😆. I did twist it down a little bit to get more contact with the bedding after I cleaned out the bin residues. I’ll check it in a few days 🤞.
Thank you for watching! ❤️
This was such an interesting video. I cant wait for the update video on this. Great idea!
Hi Jayne, another good video. I do like the sifter idea. Last week I spent hours using the light method to remove the worms from one of my worm tower trays. Never again. I was sat on the floor doing it and I ended up hurting my lower back on one side. It is still hurting a week later. So lesson learnt, don't sit on floor leaning forward for hours. I should have known better as I have serious problems with my lower back and have done for the last 30 years. Next time I'll use one of the trays that come from the mini worm tower that my son and I designed and 3d printed. It would be perfect for this type of feeding bait trap as the individual tray is about 8 x 8 inches and about 4 inches high. Thanks for the sparking of this idea. Have fun, Mark : )
Hey. I hear you on the back pain. I get that too, exactly as you described it from various worm activity. Often my neck hurts too 😡.
I’ve come to admit to myself that I do use the light method in ‘kinda sorta’ ways often as a supplement to other methods. But as a pure method? No thanks.
I believe Patrick at Vermicomposting Learn by Doing uses a great from a stacking system to bait or sift. Any double usage from worm tools is great! I do wonder if the wire on the sifter will start to rust because of the constant moisture 🤷♂️. We will see. Regardless, I’d rather use something and use it up than have it sit uselessly on the shelf for years.
Is letting a 3D sifter less costly than buying one? Just curious 😊
Hi Jane. Love your videos. I have something similar, it's a system I developed in 2010 for separating worms from castings. It uses plastic plant pot bases drilled with many 1/4" holes. The bases are matched to large plastic bowls so that the base fits snugly on top. The bowls are filled with damp bedding of choice for a new bin and the bases with the holes are filled with about 1" of castings with worms. The bowls are set up outside, under direct sunlight. The worms immediately start moving downwards (as is their nature), through the holes and into the new bedding below. I have about 15 of these base and bowl sets of different sizes. As the worms move downwards, I move around the castings in the bases to expose all the worms to the sunlight. Within a couple minutes, the bases with the castings are worm-free and I can dump the castings into a separate container and refill. When I saw your video about using the green sifter (I have the same one), I thought it was a great idea. Unfortunately it's too large for my smaller indoor bins, which is why I remembered my own system as some of those bases are just right to fit my smaller bins. Thanks for a great idea.
Hi Shaul! How have you been? I love the idea of the plant pot bases as a bait try that’s small enough to fit into smaller worm bins! You’re using them as a downward migration set up where I’m using the sifter as an upward migration set up. Both work well 👍. I will say that at least for now I prefer my method because I can set it and forget it for several days. If I have worm bins out in my southeast Florida sun I have to babysit them 😳.
I can definitely use some additional cheap bait traps that come pre-holed or are easily drilled but are smaller than what I have with the 1/4” sifter and the white shelf trays. Thank you for that idea!
I’m glad to have reminded you of something that worked in the past. I can’t tell you how often I’m trying to think how to do something and then think duh! I already know a good way I just had to remember it! 🤣.
Thanks so much for stopping by 🪱👍❤️
Thanks for your response. I've changed a lot of the ways I've done things over the years as new ideas emerge (such as your channel), etc. Currently, I have several small bins indoors and one large bin outside on my patio. I also have a small compost tumbler to pre-compost my food waste. I have stopped feeding fresh/frozen foods to my indoor bins because of the fly problems and only feed dry mix. The outdoor bin, which is a 15-gallon fabric grow bag inside a large 16-gallon plastic bin (with cover), that has been drilled out with 1" holes all over the sides for massive air flow. The outside bin receives the fresh and frozen foods as well as dry mix.
@@shaulgrantz9077 It’s been wonderful that an influx of interest in worms and vermicomposting has brought new people and new thoughts into play. Better mouse traps are being built 👍.
If you want to feed your indoor bins food scraps you can give cooking a try. I’ve moved to pressure cooking food scraps (in what is called the pot in pot method so the food doesn’t become waterlogged and too wet) to kill insect eggs. Other cooking methods will work as well but I find the pressure cooking the fastest and easiest.
Thanks for the update on what you’re doing! It helps everyone to get ideas from lots of people having success in different ways 👍🪱❤️
Enjoying all your videos. Thank you.
Thank you!! 🤗🤩
I like this method of baiting worms to start new bins.
It is my preferred method for starting new vermicomposting buckets.
I have one tote for vermicomposting that gets cleaned out once a year (light method then sifted 3 days later).
Once it is 3/4 full, I do the same as in this video and start a bucket with 3"-4" in the bottom and slowly build on that. Some years the yearly clean out is 1 tote and 3 buckets some years 1 tote and 1 bucket. For me it is a great way to use up wastepaper and food scraps and have a wonderful fertilizer for the garden.
Can you do some close ups on your mites. I would like to see if it is possible to identify the type or better yet the species. Also, can you do a close up on your biota. The biota really interests me. I think I have seen little orange dots and possibly yellow dots. Your biota reminds me of Trichoderma. When I get Trichoderma, it is usually green. I have seen it in orange and yellow before. I have an experiment I would love to see. If you are so inclined.
It would go something like this:
1 canning jar with lid, sterilized.
oats or wheat sterilized; rice would work too if sterilized in the jar (like canning).
sugar water sterilized.
add to the jar along with a 1Tbs of your bedding with biota unsterilized.
And then see what the grains look like 7-10 days later.
To sterilize the sugar water just bring to a biol and turn off heat. It would be less than a 1/4 cup sugar water to add to the grains in the jar.
Grains could be sterilized in the jar or the same as the sugar water except with a pasta strainer after cooling down.
Enjoy worms and have a great Day!
I’ll see what I can do about the experiment. Sounds fascinating. Just need to carve out some time to do it 😊. Thanks for the idea. ❤
Thanks Jayne. Great as always.
Thanks! I’m so happy you are here 🤩
Hi Jayne great vid as always. I’m interested to see how many worms you cast out first. It’s like a new cafe in town it will be a cue right round the tub waiting there turn 😂😂🪱🪱
Haha! Reservations not needed! Last time in Big Boy it worked fast son checking in on it at 5 days. These worms are bigger too so may eat more faster too. Thanks for watching 👍❤️🪱
@RockinWorms hi, I checked my worm farms today, I last check just over two weeks a go. Last checked I put a small amount of food in as they weren't active because it had been very cold as I mention before. The temp though higher still hovering just above freezing point at night. I just thought I would check on them, they hadn't eaten the food so nothing added also I did turn some of the bedding last time, no to much as they had been through the v. Cold temps. They hadn't flattened it out, so I knew they had been almost comatosed😂. They were all moving about and wow! There is a baby boom, little worms all over the place. So many, I thought I had put them all back in the tower but no, while checking the bucket I found several on my hands so, if my buckets was pure rw's it contaminated now with worms from the tower. I came back to the house and found some more hitch hikers on my hands, I didn't want to disturb all the layers on the farms, so these hitch hikers went into the mini farm. The bucket had 250g as starter likewise the tower. I am interested in seeing how many are in there them now! Looking forward to the warm weather so I can prepare to harvest etc. Both are still v. Moist, it will take a while to dry them out. When it gets warmer I will start using bait pots. So I can put the castings to dry. I have two trays in the tower being inoculated ready for the worms to go into and I have a spare bucket for the worms from the bucket farm to lodge whole I clean and start the bucket farm again. Roll on the spring. Take care 💕
Hi Taya! It’s always nice to get a surprise going into a worm bucket - lots of wisps! Excellent!
Yea, that’s a challenge when you have more than one species and you want to keep them separate. It’s really hard! You have to never ever use the same gloves no matter how sure you are they are clean from the prior bin. I’m doing that with my mite free experiment. I have one set of gloves for that bin or I get a new pair. Every single time.
Spring is on everyone’s mind! Our dry season seems to have arrived - about 8 weeks late. And with it some warm weather again. It’s really nice out now! I hope spring comes to you soon! And more worms! 🪱
@@RockinWorms hi, thanks, it's made me start to think what am I going to do with them all assuming they all survive - we technically have another month of winter to get through. I bought some planters last year, they are on legs so nice height when you have a bad back. unfortunately, they weren't packed too well and all had some damage. I used plastic weld glue to fix as best I could and so far even though the few hurricanes we have had caught up the odd one and thrown it, they have survived. I have a fair amount of wind damage to repair this year. Anyway, I have one planter I haven't used yet. I'm thinking of turning into a worm farm for the offspring - if they survive. If I weigh down the legs and planting them firmly in the soil underneath the honeysuckle, once I fixed the trellis that supports the honeysuckle. It will be in a corner with the one side exposed to the west and the front exposed to the south. So it should have a fair amount of cover which should be OK for the summer. Winter - I will have to cover them up as best I can and do as I have with the two farms this year. keep an eye on them and adjust the covering as best I can. The guy in Yorkshire and the guy in Wales Told me to pick worms who have got used to low temps. For outside farming. Well, the babies hatched in low temps. Take care 💕
@@tayag9223 There have been several self reported cases of worms seemingly acclimating to their environment and being able to remain more active at the temperature range extremes. It may take a few generations to really settle in though.
Sometimes the only thing you can do is try and see what happens. Using planters in a shady location is a decent way to go, especially if you already have them. And anything that helps the neck and back is definitely the way to go! Good luck! 👍 🪱❤️
@@RockinWorms hi, I was really worried about getting them through the winter. I had so many folk say they wouldn’t survive, some said they would dissolve in the cold😟and a few said the cocoons would perish. My common sense told me that the cocoon’s would be ok. Talking to the guys in wales and Yorkshire made me feel better how I was dealing with the weather. The guy in Yorkshire really was best, he is north of me, so get colder temps. He uses the wedge method and he says his worms plunge deep, I said well they can’t be rw’s ( called tiger worms here) he said he thought he had some but he farms mixed. Rw’s wouldn’t plunge deep! They are surface worms in the wild ie under leaves and leaf mould. I find the blues half way down or right at the bottom of the trays in my farms the rw’s are always lounging under the brown packing paper i have over the top. I don’t have much newspaper just the occasional freebie so I have to use the brown packing paper Amazon pile into the boxes . I’m glad I found these guys, talking to them it seems reasonable to me that the worms have to acclimatise to their surroundings in the wild. When they are in farms they are protected from winds, rain, cold and being stood on by animals and people. So they should in theory stand a better chance of survival than their relatives in the wild, except for extreme temps. I went into the garden when the temps were -10c and looked under a few pots and there were worms, on the concrete, under the pots. So they went for shelter from the wind etc. though if it poured with rain they may have drown in some places. I know the ground holds warmth to some extent. It seems to me watching the wild can teach us a lot. Take care 💕
@@tayag9223 Hey. You are right on so many points you make in this post. The easiest is yes, observe nature and then replicate it as much as possible!
Worm cocoons have built in anti-freeze that make surviving very cold temperatures possible. Different species differ on the anti-freeze type and amount and that’s where matching type of worm to environment becomes pivotal.
Esenias (red wigglers, tiger worms, Europeans) are indeed surface dwellers but the surface isn’t just the leaf litter. It’s anywhere from that to 18” to almost 3 feet deep. Worms need to get below the frost line to survive winter. Heavy snow can further insulate the ground. Bins, totes, trays exposed to the more frigid air are the ones in greater danger of freezing and killing most and maybe all of the worms. There are reliable reports of worms freezing and successfully thawing out and surviving just fine. There are also reports where worms froze and that was that. I personally had a shipment where about 97% of the worms froze and died. A literal handful did survive. My thought is the survivors were in the center of the worm ball and benefited from the heat given off by the dead and decomposing worms. Worms that are already used to colder temps may also fare better.
I have the opposite issue. High summer temps are also dangerous to any exposed worms systems and mitigating/managing that is just as difficult. Mother Nature doesn’t make it easy on us worms wranglers! 😆
I’m glad your worms are handling your temps well!! 👍🪱❤️
Awesome castings, would love to take a look under my microscope.
I almost harvested one of my 50 gal grow bag bins last week, I have plenty of castings stored already, so I just threw in a bunch of leaf bedding along with a huge feeding.
I still mainly use a downward migration into fresh bedding, works best for me.
Have a good day! Stay Well!!!
Hey Brian! I have alot of castings stored too. I do need to refresh all the veggie pots though 👍. I’ll still have quite a bit left - so I’m in a similar situation as you - no need to rush a castings harvest. But the worms do need a feeding.
Tell me again how you do your downward migration 👍.
Maybe I’ll put a microscope on my wish list! 🪱🪱
@@RockinWorms Here is a link to my old channel separating out the castings. I also have a longer video on the same subject. ua-cam.com/video/YpH16ktXrFs/v-deo.htmlsi=ljh3cqOIOe8ff-ee
Only problem, I have no access to reply to peoples comments.
My microscope opened a whole new level in the way I garden.
Stay Well!!!
@@brianseybert192 Thanks Brian. I’ll check it out and if I have any questions I’ll ask on your new channel 👍🪱❤️
Hay, as always interesting 🧐
Makes me thing about the best way to do my stuff.
My worms seem to really enjoy the top feeding of chow and veg powder….with just the wet newspaper on top of it.
This week I had a lettuce go off that I brought, very limp and unpleasant. So I cut it up small and put some in the baby bin, coz in the week since I changed the bins they have really grown, shows they needed more space not volume. And the bucket wasn’t cutting it for them.
So they have a bit of lettuce but I still have a load left I’m not sure if I should add to the breeder bin as don’t know if it will slow down the reproduction if they after the tasty stuff. Lol
What would you do?
I can freeze some of it and can add some to the main farm as they only got tea bags for a few months and maybe some lettuces will do them good?
And I have another bin that’s just got some in- they live in compost- as an experiment I’m doing as to what’s better coir or precompost or compost that’s better for the worms.
And I have my bucket of euros so they can have some. Will use up a fair amount I guess. I haven’t cut it all up. Had only got 2 sandwiches myself from it lol wasn’t impressed at . As it didn’t last
Hi Cheryl! Ah too bad about the lettuce going off. But ANY of the worms will love it! If you freeze or cook it first they’ll get into even faster ❤️. If you put it into a food trench that’ll call the worms in and can actually increase breeding 👍. You’ve got a lot of good options for that lettuce 👍🪱❤️
@@RockinWorms ok will put some in with the breeders then… like you say in a trench thro the middle. Will do that and give it to the others too x
@@cherylhowker1792 Perfect! Looking forward to hearing about your results 👍🪱❤️
I like your feed trap idea .im going to try it 👍
Hi! Please do try it and let us know how you did it and the results! ❤🪱
Can you put the link for the sifters again?
Sure! Here it is:
www.calranch.com/se-stackable-sifting-pan-set-green-sku7059020
@RockinWorms Thanks Jane for the link..Just placed my order with CALRanch..I have been using homemade rectangular sifters made from stainless hardware cloth 4, 10, and 20 mesh per inch...Look forward to using that 12.5,....Plus nesting them up on a 5gal bucket will be nice..
@@alfonzograzadaushka3470 Excellent! I hope they work as well for you as they do for me. I use them all the time. I am a big cheapo but sometimes it just pays to buy the right tool for the job. 👍🪱🪱
So I have a question. Ive been reading up on feeding fermented feed to chickens. Seems like its all good, from expanding the amount of food, to providing chickens with more vitamins and fermentation. So.....what if we fermented feed for worms? Any thoughts on that? The process is simple; putting chicken feed in a bucket and covering it with water. It takes approx. 2-3 days to start fermenting. Wouldnt you think this would be great for worms? What thinks you?
Hi Kate! I feed my chickens fermented feed every day. Great stuff! I have not fed my worms fermented chicken feed directly. It is part of my worm chow recipe though. Some level of fermentation probably occurs in little areas of food zones naturally.
Worms will eat fermented foods. Some fermented food use a lot of salt which would be a problem for the worms. Chicken feed has salt but not that much so would be ok. I think adding fermented chicken feed to the worm’s diet would be fine. I’d start with a small amount in an area the worms can move in and out of easily. See how they react. I think they’ll like it! I wouldn’t add gobs of it though and I’d cover it with bedding. I’m a fan of a varied diet so adding some fermented feed to a ‘regular’ feeding would be a good way to go. Chicken feed isn’t cheap either so keep that in mind too. Adding it as a supplement to other free or less costly food is more wallet friendly
So in summary, yes I think it would be ok to feed the worms fermented feed but in moderation, following regular feeding practices 👍🪱🪱
@@RockinWorms Great reply, thanks!! Now of course, with my brain thinking, I have to ask you how, and what, you ferment for your chickens. I love getting new ideas.
@@katiem9644 I do it as you outlined in your original comment. Layer feed plus water to cover it. Quick stir. Wait a few days for the process to occur. I buy a 17.5% layer feed made somewhat locally (an hour away). I mix up enough for about a week’s feedings.
Step by step: after I mix the water and feed together I cover the 2 gallon bucket I make it in with a shower cap from the dollar store 🤣. It keeps the bugs out. Then I place a bucket lid (not locked, just laid) on top.
I use an old mixing bowl to scoop the day’s feeding into. Then I add in some dry feed to the fermented feed prior to giving it to the chickens to make it thicker and easier for the chickens to peck up. I use/keep a $1 store metal slotted spoon with the mixing bowl. The spoon and the mixing bowl get a quick rinse after use, get stacked on top of the covered fermented feed bucket.
This small tower arrangement saves space, keeps all the stuff together, and also keeps any bigger animals (mice and rats specifically) from getting into or tipping over the fermented feed bucket. I’m always ready for the next feeding 👍. Do you have a different process? I’m open to new ideas too ❤️
@@RockinWorms I think we're pretty much on the same page with that. I keep the buckets in the house to keep critters out. When I was diligent about it, I had 3 buckets going at a time. Used a scoop of chicken feed and made sure to have water covering it at all times. Covered each bucket with a towel. As soon as it started to make bubbles, Id feed it. Usually about 3 days. Used a strainer to get the feed out and left some of the old water to start the next batch. Got a little lazy and stopped doing it, but I think Ill get back to it. Really did save on the feed bill. I think Ill get back to it so I can experiment with the worms, too!
@@katiem9644 That’s why I make a week’s worth at one time. To keep it easy. I’d never keep up otherwise. It does save on the feed bill. And for those reading that aren’t familiar, it’s more healthy for the chickens too. Not only do they get good gut bacteria but they get more nutrition overall. Chickens have a digestive system that is super fast. It is food in and food out completely within 24 hours max. By fermenting the food it starts to get broken down (bacteria at work like composting), making the nutrients more readily available for their digestive system to absorb. It’s a win-win to feed chickens fermented feed. 👍
Hi Jayne. Very interesting. Can't wait to see the results. Thanks once again. Just one more question... how do you store your coffee grounds. Do you dry them out and store in an air tight container or do you store them as they are in any container with the moisture. I had some in a plastic packet but it kind of got mouldy. Is it fine to feed it to the worms. Thanks.
Hi Bobby! Thanks for watching ❤️. I store my coffee grounds as I get them, which is usually in a plastic bag. Some of my coffee grounds get quite moldy - and that makes me happy! The worms love it if you put the grounds directly into the worm bin. It’s also a great add to pre-compost as you’re adding biota to the break down process 👍.
Great question! 🪱🤩🪱
@RockinWorms Thanks Jayne. Stay blessed. You are a great inspiration to many of us worm farmers.
Get us an update, please
Hi Tim! Yes I will! I’m going to check in on day 5 or so. It’ll probably be a short so watch for that. Thanks for watching! 🪱