Just Keep Swimming ...

We took on a new project this spring, preparing a first-ever vermitrench at the farm. The idea is to dig a trench (about 18 inches across) that will have a "false bottom" with sticks and brushy material, so the worms won't drown if it collects some rainwater at the bottom. Then there is a layer of bedding and food, followed by more bedding and a cover layer. The worms will be able to process a tremendous amount of kitchen scraps in such a system, and anything you plant nearby will see a boost from the worm activity.

The trench (ditch?) digging went well, but after shoveling out 4 tractor bucket loads of heavy wet clay soil, I wasn't able to get it fully set up before the rain came. And our vermitrench became something more akin to a mini lap pool. And I almost forgot about the roots — so many roots in such a small trench!

Oh well. My Saturday included some old-fashioned bailing out with a bucket.

By the way, my wife often quotes Nemo when things don't go according to plan, noting that we have to "just keep swimming." Perhaps we should get some swimming lessons for the worms!