Worms
Composting worms are earthworms which efficiently consume dead organic matter. This organic matter is digested and then later excreted as little pellets called casts. Composting worms are found in nature at the interface of soil and the dead leaves which fall to the ground each year, and they help create forest soil. There are different types of composting worms around the world, but in the United States, most composting worms used to make vermicompost are called Eisenia fetida, or red wigglers. This is the type of worm we raise at Soil Stewardship. They stay close to the surface, need darkness, moisture, oxygen, a lot of food, and moderate temperatures to survive. They will not survive when put into most “regular” garden soils that contain mostly mineral matter.