Chicken Chart for redworms
One of the techniques I learned in my permaculture class is the “chicken chart”. This is basically of a list of the inputs (needs) and outputs (products) of a component in a system. If you can match up the outputs of one system with the inputs of another, you end up doing less work; the systems support themselves.
Here’s my chicken chart for redworms.
Inputs
- controlled temperature
- food (nitrogen source)
- protection from predators
- moisture
- bedding (carbon source)
- harvesting effort
- grit
- oxygen
- other beasties (bacteria to break down food)
Here’s the outputs worms give
- castings
- surplus worms
- vermicompost
- educational opportunity
- soil
- carbon dioxide
Did I miss anything? Is there more that we need to give redworms, or that they can give us?
4 comments January 18th, 2009
