Worms will eat any organic matter that comes from your kitchen, garden, or barn.  This includes things such as:

• vegetable scraps
• fruit scraps
• fruit peels and pulp
• yard waste
• garden waste
• tea bags
• coffee filters and grounds
• egg shells
• paper (shredded is always best)
• cardboard
• egg cartons
• seeds
• old clothing made of 100% organic fibers (ex: cotton, silk, etc.)
• manure

Acidic matter, such as citrus and coffee grounds, should be fed in moderation because it can harm the worms outer membranes if it is given in excess.  Also, keep in mind that more fiberous matter, such as woody stems and wood shavings, will decompose at a slower rate than other organic matter because it takes bacteria longer to beak them down. 

 You will be suprised at the significant reduction of waste you have going to the garbage dump when you start feeding your worms all your organic waste!

There are very few things that shouldn't be put in your worm bin, such as:

• Dairy
• Meat
• Oily substances (mayonaise, vegetable oils, margarine, etc.)
• Non-organic matter (plastic, rubber, elastic, etc.)
• The feces of animals that eat meat (cats, dogs, etc.)

These substances are not reccommended to be put in worm bins because they either attract pests, such as rats and flies, or are not organic matter and can't break down in the worm bin.

Worm tea, also called "liquid castings", is not for human consumption.  Instead, it's great to spray on the leaves of plants or water them with at their roots.  Working like a supplement, perticide, fungicide, and growth enhancer, worm tea is a perfect alternative for pesticides and other toxic chemicals.

Our pledge is to keep things simple.  So we'd have to choose a basic wire compost bin.  Its the perfect all-purpose bin and can be altered in size to fit your needs and lifestyle.  Its perfect for worms too because it easily drains liquid and has a natural, free-flowing air supply.  Plant some climbing flowers, like sweet peas or nasturtiums around the wire bin in the spring and you'll have a blooming decoration in your yard or garden!

• Wire (we reccommend hardware fabric with any size opennings).  We use 10 to 12 feet of wire for our bins, as this allows for 1 cubic yard of debris for the worms to work on during the winter months, keeping them busy and insulated from the cold.
• Zip ties to fasten the ends to each other.
• A lid is optional and can be made of anything from a small swimming pool to a or extra wire.  It will keep birds and unwanted guests out. 

 Directions:

• Cut the wire to the desired legth.
• Wrap in a circle, overlapping the two sides of wire about 2 to 4 inches.
• Securely tie two ends of wire together with at least 5 ties so it doesn't break.
• Place in the desired location (preferably out of direct sun) and start filling it up.
• Introduce worms after there is about a foot of debris in the bin.
  

Of course!  Just remember that composting with worms (vermicomposting) is different than traditional composting and needs to be able to drain and have good air flow.  The following are several designs that are good for use with worms.

No, worms are a very primitive creature.  They do not have eyes and therefore, cannot "see". They are, however, "photophobic", which literally means "afraid of light".  Worms are nto actuall afraid of light, but avoid it because light usually indicates the presence of the hot sun, which can dry out, overheat, and kill a worm.  Sensory cells in the worms skin, which are especially concentrated in their front ends, allow them to "see" light and retract back into the moist, cool earth.

The front, or "anterior" end of the worm houses its mouth.  Worms actually do not have teeth because they do not eat the food, but rather the bacteria that break down the food.  The worms use their "prostomium" (a sensitive pad of muscle and skin that protrudes out over their mouth similar to an "over-bite") to scoop the bacteria into their mouth.

Unfortunately, no.  Although that would make growing worms much easier!  If you cut a worm in half, it will die.  A worm, like any other organism, needs both halves of its body to survive.  The "wriggling" motion a worm makes after being cut in half is simply the last firings of its nerve impulses.