More thoughts on large scale vermicomposting

A few weeks ago I had an e-mail conversation with a person from Mt. Abrams ski mountain. She was interested in using vermicomposting to help achieve conservation goals.

I shared the following information and considerations. I thought I would open this discussion to share with others and solicit additional information.

In general, vermicomposting could be used to save $$ on solid waste disposal and be good for the environment. However, there are some limitations and challenges that should be considered.

I have a related blog about that somewhat relates to these situations and presents some of my earlier thoughts (http://wormmainea.blogspot.com/2009/03/sourcing-food-for-my-herd-and-dreams-of.html).

I think your best bet is to partner with someone who is already making compost (either a farm or facility). Here is a list of compost facilities I found on the DEP website: http://www.maine.gov/dep/maps-data/documents/compostfacil.pdf

Second best option would be to set up your own on-site outdoor composting (knowing that without a lot of effort it will be mostly dormant during winter). The obvious drawbacks here are staff hours to maintain, the possible need for permits, and then the possibility of attracting pests (large and small).

The tricky part for vermicomposting on your scale will be sizing your herd that allows for reasonable processing of the compostable waste. I suspect your additions will be seasonal (obviously). This can be tricky for vermicomposting, because you're better to scale too big than too small to be able to process the maximum additions so you don't have problems (bad smells, etc). However, that can be expensive and difficult to maintain (food supply must be consistent for a stable population). Look at my situation, I import compostables to feed my herd to maintain a population that permits me to sell or donate (on average) about 1 pound of worms per week.

Perhaps that is another viable solution: can you get enough staff/coworkers to set up worm bins at home who may be willing to bring a bucket home for their worms? A decentralized system like this can work, but you have to have enough people to make it work. This may not be reasonable for you, but it is part of the discussion that should be mentioned. It can work and provide staff with a great source of vermicompost.

A final consideration for vermicomposting is managing the waste prior to addition. Vermicomposting is a bit more restrictive (in terms of what can be added) than outdoor hot compossting. Salt and oil in particular must be limited. This can present challenges (problems) during collection, and will require education of all involved.

In all honesty, I think your best solution is to find a local farm or compost facility to take your waste. Like solid waste disposal, there will be costs associated with this, but the costs should be less than landfilling (since the receiver is able to make & sell a product). I think we need more compost facilities in Maine to provide solutions to business and compost for Maine citizens. Until Maine businesses demonstrate a need for these as a service, the growth of these operations is slow. I am very please to learn that Mt Abram is moving in this direction.

I don't want to discourage you, but I want you to benefit from the many discussions I have had with schools and businesses looking to incorporate vermicomposting into their waste stream.

Cheers,

Mark

Composting Surprises

There has been some recent press about composting, including an article on surprising items that can be composted: http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/surprising-compost-items.html

This list (compiled by PlanetGreen) has good information on OUTDOOR composting. While you could try some of those items in your worm bin, I generally recommend that you stick to the basics shown in the figure on the second page of my welcome to vermicomposting handout: http://db.tt/GS5flJD9.

Cheers,

Mark

Local oatmeal

Our pre-Holiday CSA share box included a bag of best oatmeal I've eaten.

It was from Aurora Mills (Linnaeus ME).

I eat oatmeal almost every morning in the winter (I LOVE IT!). And when I remember, I use the presoak (overnight) method to make it more digestible and cook faster in the morning.

I find the Aurora Mills product to be superior to any other oatmeal (Irish, steel-cut, etc.). it just tastes great.

If you're intersted you can reach them at Auroramills@myfairpoint.net

Here's their label

Cheers,

Mark

A great product that solves a problem

The Right Mat (www.gomlf.org) Especially, http://www.gomlf.org

One of the results of the new federal whale rule mandating the use of sinking groundlines is the new abundance of unusable floating groundline.  GOMLF has been buying back floating groundline from lobstermen since May of 2007 as part of the Bottom Line Project and during that timeframe, clever individuals and companies have found a unique way to re-use the float rope without any possibility of entangling a whale:  woven doormats.

In March 2009, GOMLF made over 150,000 pounds of the float rope available to doormat makers in the Waldoboro (Maine) area.  Since then, other enterprises throughout the state and region have also been cropping up, and float-rope doormats are beginning to appear on some of the finest porches in New England.  Our groundline buy-back program continues, and more than a million pounds of lobstermen’s rope may be used to make doormats!

Their doormats make a great gifts. Mail a check for $40 + $10 shipping ($17.50 shipping for two) and you can get one for yourself. No two mats are alike and each features the colorful rope used by Maine lobstermen – stripes or solids – often complete with barnacles, which aid in boot-scraping!  Mats are best for outdoor use and should not be placed on slick surfaces.

Here is a picture of ours.

Cheers,


Mark

Preserving Summer: Canning Blackberry Jam

Thank you to my friend Celina for sharing her family blackberry patch!

We tried a new blackberry recipe this year: blackberry-port jam. It came from Better Homes & Gardens Canning Cookbook (August 2011).

4 cups blackberries
5 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup vintage port (we used Sandeman)
1/4 teaspoon groiund cloves

Gently crush berries in a cookpot while heating. After crushing slowly add sugar so it dissolves. When all sugar has been added, then add the port and cloves. Bring to a full rolling boil (stiffing constantly) and continue heating until the mixture sheets off a metal spool. Leave 1/4" headspace in canning jars.
Makes 5 half pint jars.

Some beautiful Maine blackberries

Just thick enough to sheet

We use the boiling water bath method

Bert is carefully filling the jars

Jars are filled and boiling

The finished product: blackberry jam to enjoy for the whole year

Our final product! Blackberry jam to enjoy all year.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark

Great deal on the GeoSpring water heater

I just saw this today.

Lowe's has discounted the GeoSpring water heathers.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_79425-83-GEH50DNSRSA_0__?productId=3127075&cm_mmc=email_promo-_-20110915-_-banner-_-$600_off_water_heater

Follow-up on Air-source Water Heater

As a follow-up to my post from last October (http://wormmainea.blogspot.com/2010/10/water-heater-wrap-up.html), I am providing an update on my experience with the GeoSpring water heater.


The air-source heat pump is working great.  I haven't purchased oil since February 16, and since last May (May 2010) we used only 370.1 gallons of oil. That is a 28% savings (370 gallons vs 517 gallons [average from previous 2 years]). I realize that not all of that is due to the GeoSpring-- we did a lot of air sealing in 2010. But, my boiler has been off since May 15, 2011.

How has this impacted electricity use? That was my biggest question, too.

Here are my results of my electricity consumption for 2011, 2010, and 2009 (in KWH/day):

Month	2011	2010	2009

May	17	18	17
June	19	21	18
July	18	26	20

Do you see a difference? Neither do I!

I think this may be due to replacing the dehumidifier with the GeoSpring (which cools and dehumidifies while it heats the water).Same number of people in my house. Still taking hot showers.

I think this is wonderful. Since I typically used around half a tank of oil each summer (May to October), I am saving around $340/year (100 gallons * 3.40/gallon). The GeoSpring cost me around $2500 (for unit, installation and less state rebate). The ROI is 7 years, assuming oil prices stay level (something I very much doubt). I can live with that. Realize that we had to have a lot of electrical work to accommodate the installation-- your ROI may be lower!

I see this as a very successful energy saving investment. I hope more people consider this as an option.

Cheers,

Mark