Worm Links

Mary Appelhof (www.wormwoman.com) – A source of inspiration for vermicomposters. Mary passed away in 2005. She is the author of Worms Eat My Garbage, Worms Eat Our Garbage: Classroom Activities for a Better Environment, and The Worm Café.

Worm Digest (www.wormdigest.org) – You can get a sense of the popularity of vermicomposting by lurking in the forum. It is also a great place to pick up tips.

State of Maine (Worm Composting Fact Sheet) – Maine has produced a fact sheet on worm composting (this is an Adobe Acrobat PDF file).

Deuley's Own - Organic Matters (Deuley's Compost Tea Maker) – Bruce Deuley is an excellent source of information on organic gardening and methods. His site also has pod casts that are entertaining and informative.

MOFGA (www.mofga.org) - MOFGA is the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association. MOFGA hosts the common ground fair and is a source of inspiration for organic gardening. I will be at the Common Ground Country Fair this year. If you are curious or have questions about vermicomposting, stop by. I will have a worm bin you can see and I will have worm bins for sale.

Boreal Wormer (http://members.shaw.ca/borealwormer/) – Another example of indoor vermicomposting in a northern climate. Very good pics of a worm bin in action!

Suza's Farm (http://home.earthlink.net/~suzaplants/worms.htm) – A nice page on gardening, soil conservation, and of course vermicomposting!

The O’Mama Report (www.theorganicreport.com) – Good source of organic information.

Garden Web Vermicomposting Forum (http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/verm/) – Another great place to pick up tips and connect with worm composters in your area.

Recommended Reading

Worms Eat my Garbage by Mary Appelhof – In my mind, the definitive primer on vermiculture.

Tiny Game Hunting by Hilary Dole Klein and Adrian M. Wenner – A great read and full of useful information on alternatives to pesticides and lethal traps for pests of all sizes. I have the old edition. I checked this book out from the library so much that I decided I needed it. It was out of press, and I couldn't locate a copy. I wrote Adrian Wenner to explain my dilemma, and he mailed me his copy. Very cool.

Great Garden Companions by Sally Jean Cunningham – I love this book. Her intensive and companion planting techniques work so well that I found myself quoting her often: "Sally says...".

The Organic Lawn Care Manual by Paul Tukey A Maine author and editor of my favorite gardening magazine (People Places and Plants), Paul describes in plain English how to break the synthetic chemical addition for our lawns and gardens. In the book, Paul explains how organic methods can be used to work with nature (rather than against it) to create a beautiful, healthy low-input lawn. Paul's book also has some fantastic photos of brewing up some compost tea! (The Organic Lawn Care Manual) (Related resources: Cumberland County Soil and Water Conservation District & Safe Lawns)

How to Grow Vegetables and Fruits by the Organic Method edited by J.I. Rodale – My faded light-green hardbound copy from 1961 is worn, stained, and well-loved. I refer to it regularly. I have the newer encyclopedia, but I really love the old version for the stories from gardeners about their experience with organic methods described in the text.

ANY BOOK by Michael Pollan –Pollan's writing is infomrative and pleasurable. Second Nature, Botany of Desire, and Omnivore's Dilemma provides an interesting perspective on our relationship with other living things in the garden and larger natural world. His insightful observations about nature and biology will ring true for many organic gardeners.

Sudoku for the Spirit by Heather Peters & Kelly Manahan and illustrated by Alberta Follansbee – An excellent book on sudoku. If you're curious about sudoku, this is the book for you. Also makes a great gift (Sudoku for the Spirit).

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver An excellent TRUE story about eating locally and sustainably.

See You in A Hundred Years by Logan Ward Another true story about what it would be like to live in 1900. A great story about agrarian life and the value of community.

Any of the essays by Wendell Berry What a visionary! Make sure you have a pencil in hand. You'll want to make notes and underline passages...

Other Links

Maine Businesses For Social Responsibility (MEBSR) –WormMainea is proud to be a member of Maine Businesses For Social Responsibility (MEBSR). MEBSR is a diverse community of Maine business people who believe in the unparalleled power of business as an agent of positive social change. Our mission is to educate, advocate for, and encourage profitable and sustainable businesses in Maine. MEBSR will take a leadership role in defining, demonstrating, and recognizing innovative socially responsible business practices, and will work toward public policies that support such practices.

Rodale Institute (Rodale Institute) –Rodale Institute provides information for all things related to organic farming and sustainable living. This is also a tip of the hat to Sir Albert Howard , Lady Eve Balfour,and JI Rodale.

Summerwind Farm Sporthorses (Summerwind Farm) –Summerwind Farm sells foals obtained from Premarin mares. Visit the site to see the beautiful horses they have available. Horse manure is a wonderful resource for an outdoor worm bin!

Scott's Backyard Habitat Enhancement (Solitary Bees & Beneficial Insects) – A source of great information on beneficial insects and solitary bees and how to create a habitat that brings them to work for you. The UMaine Cooperative Extension has a fact sheet on native bees and blueberry pollination (the Maine wild blueberry factsheets).

Kwytza Craft (Functional art from recycled chopsticks) – Did you ever wonder what happened to all those chopsticks used at Asian restaurants? A friend gave us one of their bowls. What a great way to repurpose!

JIMPIX Free Ecards (JIMPIX) – A wonderful source of free e-cards that advocates for social responsibility. Check it out and send an e-card from the site.