Why We Like Worms

Everything you wanted to know about worms but your mother was afraid to ask

Hey, kids! If you've been to our web site, you've probably noticed our Farm Friends Kids' Club logo—our very own worm on a skateboard.

But do you know why we picked the humble worm? Worms make the soil healthy. And healthy soil grows the very best organic foods!

For the farmer, worms are very important. Worms live in the soil, and break down plant matter into more soil. This makes the soil very rich, so that new plants can grow strong and healthy. Worms will eat almost any kind of organic matter—potato peels, eggshells, coffee grounds, tea bags—they will even eat old newspapers! They also eat bacteria and fungi and other microorganisms that can make plants and people sick. When worms eat, they make natural fertilizer to feed the plants the farmer grows. If it weren't for worms, we wouldn't be able to grow organic foods!

Lots of people think worms are yucky. Or that worms are only good for fishing. But the farmer knows that the worms are his friends. They turn the soil, and make air holes so the roots of plants can breathe and get water. When you see worms in your in soil at home, you know you have a healthy garden!

The worms you see in your yard today originally came from Europe. They came over with the pilgrims and other colonists when they brought new plants to America. Before that time, there hadn't been any worms in North America since the last ice age!

You won't usually see worms unless you dig in the dirt, or after a spring rain, but they are there, happily doing their job beneath the surface. Why, there can be as many as a million worms in an acre of land! Each day, a worm eats his or her own weight in food, and leaves behind worm castings to enrich the soil.

You can encourage worms to live in your garden by making a worm bin or worm pile (also called a vermi-compost pile). Growing worms is called "vermiculture." In five easy steps you can build your very own worm farm with just a little work!