What is worm farming? History and basics
Worm farming (vermiculture) means keeping compost worms to recycle organic waste into castings. People have valued earthworms since Aristotle and Cleopatra. Today worm farms run everywhere, from a bin under the sink to commercial beds with millions of worms.
Worm farming, worm composting, vermiculture and vermicomposting are all names for the same thing: recycling organic matter with the help of earthworms. It’s a neat, brilliant way to take pressure off landfill sites. Here is a short history, and how it works at every scale, from a kitchen bin to a farm.
Who first recognised the value of earthworms?
The Greek philosopher Aristotle (384–322 BC) called earthworms “the intestines of the earth”. Cleopatra VII (69–30 BC), the last pharaoh of Egypt, knew how much worms did for the fertile banks of the Nile, and she reportedly made it illegal to remove earthworms from Egypt. Much later, Charles Darwin studied them for years and published The Formation of Vegetable Mould through the Action of Worms (1881).
When did worm farming as we know it start?
Worm composting as we know it only became popular in the 20th century. Of the roughly 3,000 kinds of earthworm on our planet, only a few suit worm farms. The most popular are the red wiggler (Eisenia fetida) and the European nightcrawler (Eisenia hortensis). Find out more on compost worms.
How does the worm farming process work?
Worms live in a bin and are fed organic matter, usually kitchen scraps and garden waste, but really anything that was once alive. As the food starts to break down, the worms eat up to half their body weight a day. They enrich it as they digest it and leave their castings near the surface. It’s faster and less work than traditional composting.
Where can you farm worms?
Almost anywhere. Small bins fit under a kitchen sink or in a storeroom, which is ideal for flat dwellers. Bigger bins serve families and gardens. Commercial systems run on farms and landfill sites and at big hotels, in bulk beds that hold millions of worms.
Is worm farming still a growing field?
Yes. Worm composting is still a niche with lots of room to grow, both for households cutting their waste and for small worm businesses selling worms and castings. Read more on starting a worm business, or see why it makes a good home business.
How do I begin?
Start small with starting a worm farm and the troubleshooting FAQ, so you know what to do if something goes wrong.
Happy worming!
Stephan Kloppert
Nearly 30 years of worm farming in South Africa and Germany
Running your worm farm as a business? How to Start a Profitable Worm Business on a Shoestring Budget shows you the way.
