Vermicomposting Resources

Information provided by
NC State University
North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service
Rhonda Sherman
Extension Solid Waste Specialist
Biological & Agricultural Engineering, Box 7625, Raleigh, NC 27695-7625
Phone: (919) 515-6770, Fax: (919) 515-6772
E-mail: rhonda_sherman@ncsu.edu, Web site: http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/people/faculty/sherman
http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/topic/vermicomposting/vermiculture/index.html

Answering the Knock of a Business 'Opp' (June 2002) by Federal Trade Commission, Facts For Consumers. Explains that some business opportunity promotions are scams that take consumers' money and fail to deliver on the promises.

Books on Worm Farming  (Vermicomposting News -  No. 5, 3/00, 1 p.).

Building a Sustainable Business: A Guide to Developing a Business Plan for Farms and Rural Businesses focuses on helping alternative and sustainable agriculture entrepreneurs. Published by the USDA's Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, the guide's sample worksheets illustrate how real farm families set goals, determined potential markets and evaluated financing options, and helps the reader develop a detailed business plan. To preview, this publication is available online in a 277 page pdf file. See http://www.sare.org/publications. Print copy order information is also provided.  Each wire-bound copy is $14 plus $3.95 s/h. Credit card and discounted volume orders may be placed by calling 802/656-0484.

Commercial Vermicomposting Technologies: A Summary of Commercial Adoption of Vermicomposting Technologies (2009) by Professor Clive Edwards, Soil Ecology Laboratory, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH. 

Controlling Mite Pests in Earthworm Beds (AGW-001, 1997 with S. Bambara). Suggests five methods for removing mites from earthworm beds.

Directory of Vermiculture Resources: Worms, Supplies, & Information (Vermicomposting News - No.1, 10/96 (updated periodically if contacted by business owner).

Directory of Vermiculture Resources: By State In the U.S. and By Country: Worms, Supplies & Information lists businesses that sell worms, supplies and services. Not updated unless contacted by business owner.

Earthworm Castings as Plant Growth Media (No. 2, 6/97). Summary of research conducted by Clive Edwards and Ian Burrows.

Franchise and Business Opportunities. Federal Trade Commission, Facts For Consumers. The Federal Trade Commission's Franchise and Business Opportunity Rule requires franchise and business opportunity sellers to give you specific information to help you make an informed decision.  

Latest Developments in Mid-to-Large Scale Vermicomposting (BioCycle Journal of Composting & Organics Composting, November 2000, Vol. 41, No. 11, pp. 51-54).

North Carolina Worm Resources (Vermicomposting News - No. 2, 8/96 (updated periodically). Worms and supplies.

Potential Markets for Vermiculture and Vermicomposting Operations (Vermicomposting News - No. 6, 2/01).

Raising Earthworms Successfully (AGW-641/E04-43936, 2003, 26 pp.). Describes the conditions necessary to raise earthworms depending on the business market the grower chooses to pursue.

Recycle Your Garbage With Worms! (NCSU Communication Services Slide Set and Script, 1995). How to set up and maintain a worm bin for the home, office, or classroom. This is a slide set that Extension Educators may borrow from Comm. Services Slide archives. 

Small Business Development Centers in North Carolina - They give advice--for free--on how to start a business, finance a business, manage a business, research markets, write a business plan, do an industry analysis, utilize the internet, etc.

Snapshots of Selected Large-Scale Vermicomposting Operations (No. 1, 4/97). Describes 17 operations throughout the world; i.e. United States, Canada, Australia, India, Cuba, Mexico, and France.

The Soil Ecology Laboratory, The Ohio State University - Directed by Dr. Clive Edwards, it leads the world in research into vermiculture and vermicomposting technologies, and the effects of vermicompost on plant growth.

United States Small Business Administration - They give advice--for free--on how to start a business, finance a business, manage a business, research markets, write a business plan, etc. Locate Small Business Development Centers in your state.

Vermicomposting Curricula (Vermicomposting News - No.3, 3/97). Brief descriptions and ordering information.

NEW!  Vermicomposting Leader's Guide: A 5th Grade School Enrichment Curriculum (E08-50326 4H-16-14PW, 2008, 28 pp.). A new curriculum for teachers, extension agents, and educators to use.

Worm Away Your Cafeteria Food Scraps! (AG-551, 1997). How to vermicompost cafeteria food scraps generated by schools or businesses.

Worms Can Recycle Your Garbage (AG-473-18, 1996 revised). How to set up and maintain a worm bin in your home or office to compost food scraps.