Boulder Vermicomposting

Sources for worm donations for community projects?

January 13th, 2010

I saw a post on a worm mailing list a while ago:

I am doing a community project for my college and am starting worm composting bins at a local elementary school in Boulder.  I am trying to get a hold of enough worms for 4 bins, about 2 feet x 1 foot (10 gallons).  Does anyone know where I can get a hold of enough worms for this project, and possibly as a donation to the school?

What to do?  Of course, she could buy the red worms from a local source, but she’s trying to do this for a school on a shoestring budget.  I thought the following options would be the best way to acquire several pounds of worms for a community project around Boulder, Colorado.

• Contact local Colorado producers and see if they can give you a great deal, or perhaps donate them.  I don’t know any big producers in Boulder.  Boulder Compost Company used to do this, but they shut down a bit ago.  You could try contacting them and seeing if they know anyone else around here.
• Another alternative would calling Growing Gardens and seeing if they can spare some worms.  I know they have a largish bin; not sure how many surplus worms they have.
• I’d also contact Flatirons Elementary School here in Boulder.  It looks like they have some kind of worm bin program [pdf] and might be willing to share.
• And, finally, it would be worth contacting Eco-cycle.  They do worm composting and might have some extra for donation.

So, the general path I’d recommend if you need pounds of worms for a non profit would be:

1. Try worm farmers for discount/donation
2. Find other organizations that have worms (community gardens, recycling centers, schools) and see what they did and if they have any to spare
3. Pay for some worms and start the project on a smaller basis than you may have wanted

What would you recommend?

PS She ended up getting a donation from a woman in Loveland for all her needs.

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