The Glorious Earthworm

Slimy? Yes. Gross? That depends. Earthworms might lean towards the creepy-crawly side, but they are actually one of the most important critters for organic farming. They are the key element of producing vermicompost, which is a nutritious fertilizer that helps plants grow healthy. It is made up of a mixture of decomposed food waste and worm castings. It is richer in nutrients than any other type of compost, has water-soluble nutrients, and can retain more water than regular soil. It can be mixed into the soil directly or made into a worm tea by steeping in water.

Vermicompost is a big reason why organic soil is so healthy. It provides many different benefits to the soil, to the plant, and to the environment.


The Soil: Vermicompost improves the physical structure of the soil, increases the amount of microbial activity (10-20 times the matter the worm eats!), and retains more water.

The Plant: It adds plant hormones, helps roots grow, and improves crop yield.


The Environment: As mentioned in the blogpost on climate change, the high organic content in the soil reduces green house gases.

Vermicompost is really easy to make. All one needs is red earthworms, Eisenia Fetida, a place to keep them, and any left over scraps of food. Apparently worms can process more than their equivalent of weight in waste everyday!

Completely unappreciated and even considered disgusting, worms are central to organic farming. Because of them the soil can produce plants that flourish and are more resistant to pests and disease. This is a little shout out to them, the creatures under our feet who are doing a lot to help us eat better.