Bob Swan, entrepreneur and vermiculturist of Rainbow Worms, has teamed up with Rose Marie Burroughs of Organic Valley Farms to offer worm composting bins to eligible educational groups. Although the program is open nationwide, Bob (who runs his business from his home in San Lorenzo) specifically encourages applications from Bay Area public and private schools, and members of organizations such as Future Farmers of America (FFA) and 4-H.
Organic Valley Farms is a national cooperative of organic family farms that promotes organic agricultural methods and sustainable farming in America. Ms. Burroughs provided Bob a $2,500 grant from its Farmer Advocating for Organics fund, which helps fund educational projects related to organic farming. Bob in turn is providing worm composting kits valued from $40 to $170 to interested groups that have a garden and want to be more self sufficient by converting food scraps and other organic matter to soil-enhancing worm castings.
Besides recyling organic waste into fertilizer, the composting kits help teach students how growing food depends on healthy soil that must be "fed" after harvest with more organic matter to replenish the nutrients removed by the crops. It's a basic life cycle replicated by the worms who devour the wastes and produce waste of their own, which is returned to the soil to produce more organics destined, in one form or another, for the worm bin.
Bob started Rainbow Worms in April 2010 and the business has continued to grow and multiply just like a bin of Red Wigglers. He has started his own worm beds in San Lorenzo and American Canyon and hopes to increase the farm's scale to the point where they can support his customer's livestock needs. In the mean time he continues his efforts to educate people on the virtues and benefits of vermicomposting and will have a booth at the San Francisco Flower and Garden Show, which starts March 21, 2012.
Bob is also currently working with Calvary Lutheran Church in San Lorenzo to develop their own school garden which will have, of course, it's own worm composting bin, and is considering establishing a local community garden if he can find a good location.
If you have an educational group interested in vermiculture go to shop.rainbowworms.com/OrganicValleyGrant to learn if you qualify for the grant and see what kinds of kits are available. You may also apply for a grant or send questions directly to Bob by emailing sales@RainbowWorms.com.
Comments