We have a question from a network member regarding worm towers in Haiti. Do any of you have experience with worm towers in Haiti?
Here are some of her questions:
“Do you know if I can bring worms into Haiti from the US? Or are worms available to be purchased in Haiti? When can the soil made from the worms be removed from the tower? How much at a time? Can cow or chicken manure be added to this mixture? In what ratio? Will it get hot enough to kill the pathogens? And if it gets too hot, will it kill the worms? How moist should it be?”
I have a big concern about moving life from one place to another which has never had that type before. Before the Europeans arrived there were no worms (so they say) in the Eastern forests. Worms came in with the settlers and changed the whole eco-system of the forest.
In Cuba - we received some worms from a permaculture friend to help improve the soil for our roof garden. They ate everything in sight and then died.
I have gardened since I was 8 - first garden was where the stone mason had cut the stone for the house. I had a compost heap, and worms and the whole thing to lighten the soil etc. Great worms, but that was in England on clay soil, with horse manure for decades way down, beneath what the builders had piled on top. The worms brought up all the nutrients and I had fabulous peas and beans and wild strawberries. I have never seen anything like these worms we were given.
You can find worms in country, I was out of country for the past year and unfortunately mine all died, I’m working on getting more and would be glad to help you get some worms. I have little experience with towers but did try it once, it didn’t work the best and I couldn’t tell much difference in yields with the towers. So we used worms in composting bins / tires mainly.
I am sure you can find worms in Haiti… I was in Northern Haiti last November (Milot area) visiting some families who graduated from a malnutrition center. One of them had several 5 galllon worm bins. He told me that he learned vermicomposting from someone 2 years ago who also gave him some worms… He “grows” bins now to sell the compost to others but keeps the worms… little by little this practice will take roots.