worm composting

[lhtown]

Keith, Caco, anyone?

I am still wanting to set up a worm bed for exactly the same reasons that I described a year ago. Worm Composting

The only difference is that I basically traded a Dachshund for a Doberman and now have a much greater "solid waste management" problem.

I have a bed setup for worms, but I still need the worms. I got busy and never followed up before and got with Jaime even though he made a very generous offer to sell me some worms and show me his stuff.

If anyone knows how to get in touch with him or anywhere else that I can get some worms, I would appreciate your help.

[Keith R]

Hi, somehow I missed this thread before. I'll see if I can get you in touch with Jaime, as I know he is still doing the worm composting, and PM or email you with contact info (you have a preference on which way I contact you?). He's extremely busy (on the road alot), though, so be patient, ok?

BTW, did you catch the two pieces in the Green Team blog on composting?

http://www.dr1.com/blogs/entry.php?u...ment&e_id=1263
http://www.dr1.com/blogs/entry.php?u...ment&e_id=1157

The former one includes links to some helpful reference material.

If you do set up your worm composting project, can I talk you into chronicalling its challenges, rewards and lessons for a "guest blog" for the Green Team? Let me know by clicking the email or PM link for me, or by emailing the Team at greenteam@dr1.com

Best Regards,
Keith

[lhtown]

Many, many thanks to all who responded and helped.

Yesterday, I brought home about 1,000 healthy new babies. Allright, my wife is hesitant to claim them, but the red worms now have a new home with us. So far, Daddy and babies seem to be doing fine.

I got them from Don Rafael Tavares who has a very large worm farm on the north side of Villa Mella. It is said to be the largest in the Caribbean. I would suppose that he would have enough worms to supply just about any size operation. He was very kind and helpful and seemed very genuinely interested in conservation a la vermiculture and in helping spread the word about the tremendous benefits in vermiculture as well as in helping people get set up.

He was introduced to me as the Father of Dominican Vermiculture, and I am content with giving him that title. He has been growing worms for about 40 years since he imported them from the US. His farm is well worth a visit for anyone remotely interested in raising red wrigglers in the DR.

You may reach him at 809-215-8805. It should be noted that his farm isn't too easy to find unless you are familiar with that part of the city. It is about 4km north of the stoplight in Villa Mella where the Hiper Ole is, and then you turn off to the left and it is maybe a quarter or half a mile down on the left. You should get really good directions or have someone go with you the first time who knows how to get there.

I will try to keep up with their progress as Keith suggested on the blog, but no promises. You can always PM me to find out how they are doing.

[funckytown]

hi..
I know worms in earth from europe...

did you ever watch the coast area from sto domingo to san pedro?

at least in the juan dolio area?



it is ONLY coral...

poor worms...

how do they work over here?
do they have Power Pick?
well I have 1 foot imported black earth....
maybe i could use some...

[Don Juan]

This is the one question I've been meaning to ask of the environmental experts but never got around to.
Ever since I was a young guy, I've often wondered about "latrinas" (latrines) that everybody in DR uses to dispose of human excrement.
All that flushed household $hit goes into a holding tank (of sorts) that, when overfills, it falls into an adjoining deep well that supposedly disperses "las aguas negras" (translation?).
It seemed to me, even back then, that this was one very harmful way of dealing with a basic necessity that, apparently, had no better solution.

Much later, after reading up on the classic modus operandi, ( waste treatment plants & "leach systems"), I wondered about how much damage the absence of a modern disposal systems had, and continues to seriously affect our underground water resources in our large cities and intense crop-growing regions (pesticides, fertilizers).

what amazes me is that is spite of all the abuse mother nature has suffered through in DR, people there, generally, don't seem to show any adverse or dire consequences due to these pollutants.
The question is: Would I still be able to extract water from a well in the campos without getting sick? How safe is it to drink without treatment?
I know it all depends on location. But, can we assume it won't eventually affect us all?..... I wonder.

[Keith R]

If you want to read about lhtown's adventures in worm composting in Santo Domingo, he's agreed to do some guest blog entries on it in the Green Team blog, starting with this entry:
http://dr1.com/blogs/entry.php?u=environment&e_id=1935

[Keith R]

lhtown's second blog about worm composting is now up at this link.

[Keith R]

lhtown's third blog about worm composting is now up at this link

[Keith R]

lhtown's fourth blog -- and last of the current entries -- about worm composting is now up at this link