The Bin- update

As far as today goes, the worm bin is successful.
I wrote last month about worm farming. Today I searched through the bin to see the success and was surprised to find that it was progressing much faster than I anticipated.
I have in the past 5 weeks read an enormous variety of article, blog, study, and sales pitch of what Vermiculture can do for you in your life. So I made a choice and have been carefully observing it.
I started with twice the suggested amount of red worms, Eisenia Foetida, that are typically suggested. Why? Because I am a boy and that's what boys do, we always go overboard when we want something to be awesome.
Two days ago I added some paper strips to absorb what I assumed was a build up of moisture, broke the soil loose and mixed it all in a bit. Today I checked up again and found to my delight, a multitude of cocoons. I don't have to tell you that I was pretty excited about it because I am writing this article in response. I scrapped through the top inch of material to see what I can find, and with a casual search I removed some 160 cocoons.
it is said that the Red worms will only reproduce when conditions are favorable for the species to survive. I removed and separated these pods to experiment with how many worms will hatch and how long it takes to produce them. I have come across disagreeing numbers in my reading so I will see what comes of it.
Aside from the excitement of seeing the worms thriving, I am happy to say that I have reduced the food wastes that go outdoors to 1/2 gal per week from 2-3 gals per week. The foods that these worms require are limited to non dairy, non meat and non citrus wastes. They can handle a bit of citrus and whatever trace oils may make it in to their habitat but no intentional additions are said to be tolerated for an indoor bin. The smell would be unfavorable.

If you have any questions or comments please leave them for me. I am excited about this venture and would love to share. I am acting the test subject for this so that I can attest to the manageability of the system for friends and family.
Let's talk about these worms people!

I Got Worms

Once again, Back again, after a long hiatus. Who knows for how long.

Today's subject is worms.
I have thought for a few years that it might be a good idea to farm my own worms. The idea for me started nearly 12 years ago after an episode of ER. The brief synopsis; an elderly woman who was a patient became so overwhelmingly concerned with her worms which were in trash bins in the back of the van she lived in, that when she was admitted to the hospital she kept trying to leave at great risk to herself to get to her worms that were in below freezing temperatures. In the end everything worked out, the worms moved to the center of the bin and created a giant worm ball of warmth to survive. Worms behave a lot like 12-16 year old people, they love the dark, they eat nothing but junk, and they will use any excuse they can to crawl all over each other.
Aside from a few brief thoughts through the year of having a worm farm for one reason or another, (feed turtles, bait, boredom) I haven't really spent to much time think about worms, specifically earth worms.
A few months ago, Julianne and I purchased our own home. We were given a tiller and have tilled up a large section of sun soaked lawn, the only part where grass grows properly, to plant a garden. At the end of a long row is a large enough compost area for just about everything we need. Near by is a stable that is happy to let us load up all the horse manure we could ask for at no charge, and we have started the seedlings in our basement now still in February.
We have been intentionally doing things to reduce our waste, reduce our living costs and increase our health in any area that we can. so the other day while researching ideas for heating the seedling table, I came across Vermicomposting. I had never heard the term, but after just a few short days I can share lots and lots of info about it.

Now currently we take our food waste and drop it into a previously used 1 gallon Zip-Lock bag and place it in the freezer untill it's time to dump it. Admittedly the waste sometimes fills up 3 bags in the freezer before it gets dumped. No big deal , in the freezer it doesn't stick or rot and the process helps to aid decomposition once it hits the compost pile outside.

The new endeavor is to see just how well Vermicomposting will work. I have invested a decent amount of money into this venture that I have been saving from birthday/Christmas gifts for sometime.

Now I have 2000 earth worms in a bin in my basement. No they can't get out, yes they are slimy. Really really slimy. But so far now during this first week there are no stinky smells, but I can't say I have seen any major progress in decomposing the materials. I have to be patient, it'll take a week for the worms to get used to their new environment, and another week before they really start eating anything other than the dirt in the bin.

The benefit as it is sold is that worm castings are fantastic for your garden and or house plants. The Organic community is growing stronger and stronger. Although I am far to poor to participate fully in organic eating and or gardening, I am a friend to the movement and an overall supporter of the local farmer/ garden for food with the exception of having feathers in my beard and chanting while I dance naked around a campfire.

Confession: I purchased worms from Pennsylvania.

As we walked through the hardware store this afternoon, I said within the course of conversation that we were not hippies. She responded...
" I don't know Joses, we are pretty granola."

Hmm.

Cobwebs

This house is a good house. Aside from the plumbing issues in the first couple of weeks I have very few complaints. We don't know what the gas bills are going to look like yet, but I am sure they will be bigger than we want them. We were able to pay the first months mortgage as well as the second months principal altogether. What a good feeling it is to know that we are starting out ahead, if nothing else we have eliminated a single payment off of our term. We now officially stand at 358 monthly payments to go. The focus has been on our cars most recently, not on remodeling our house. That will come soon. We have been enjoying the ability to wash clothes without paying $3.50 per load. We have learned that having trash and water paid for is a luxury that should never be taken for granted. Not sure where we stand financially just right this moment. I have fallen behind on our budget and am feigning interest in taking care of that just yet. Wednesday may be the day, but more likely Friday and Saturday. It feels like there is so much catching up to do, but really I don't think that there is. We have a good handle on the responsibilities that we are facing it's just a matter of the details getting worked out. Most of which are indeterminable. Whatever is to come we will seek to be at peace with our lot.
Actually... we have two lots : )

Corrigated Moments

It's 10:30 pm. We have packed 5 or 6 boxes tonight. The moving crew is coming tomorrow at 9.
I think that we have moved from putting it off beyond being unmotivated and are nearing anti-motivation. It's not that we don't want to move, we do! We are happy to have a house and that particular house in fact. We just don't like our stuff enough to be able to find it when we are in that house. So things are going to begin to be tossed into box in a disorganized fashion and the labeling system is almost a joke.
What silly people we can be sometimes. We have had a closing date set for nearly 7 weeks, we have owned the house for nearly 2 and we have moved the eat-ware and cutlery into the house along with a vacuum and broom. Maybe it's because things have become so cluttered with the boxes and empty boxes and stacks of boxes and broken boxes.
I have realized through the past several weeks that I lack a certain ambition that makes people extremely successful. I believe I am capable, and able. I think I am just content in mediocrity. I guess I just don't feel like it's all that bad. Maybe I should build a fort with the bo...
Got to go!

For that car?

I stopped to have my car inspected today. The mechanic after 5 minutes of having the car on the lift came to me with a bill for $736.76 for parts and labor. I went to auto zone got all of the parts for less than $100 and will have everything installed by my hands or a professional for a grand total of less than $200. I have only had one mechanic try to swindle me in the past, he was in Las Vegas and he tried to tell us that our car was on it's last leg, it wouldn't make it another 100 miles but he was willing to trade us another car that he had for an additional $1600. We left and continued driving another 1000 miles before learning that it was altitude changes affecting the fuel injectors.
Today was different, he explained that it wouldn't pass that there were to many things wrong, I asked for a written list. When I ventured to ask for details and clarification he cut me off and said "it's pretty complicated".
Now, this is a new experience for me. I am more often than not told that I tend to come off as intimidating and that people tend to be cautious of me at the onset of a meeting. So for an adult, not too much older than me, to be willing to come forth with such augmented prices and giving written costs with fractions of dollars to each part and item on the list while using incorrect abbreviations for the items and tell me that this was standard and the only way I could save a couple of dollars was to do it my self and it might cost more after I bought or rented tools (free from auto zone) I left.
Now I would not be surprised if this had happened to my wife. She is not familiar with auto parts or general pricing for labor/repairs. But she can understand when things are explained to her and she can make wise decisions that are not fueled by fear or unfamiliar information.
I am pissed because I had to pay for the inspection, which means I have to have the repairs completed and then return there or pay someone else $12 to re-inspect.
As my friend Ethan would accurately state... Dilemma.

This Older House

It has now been one week since completing the purchase of our first home. I guess I thought it would be a little bit more sobering, or maybe it would leave me feeling stressed out at the thought of all the new debt. Another thought was that maybe I would feel a sense of pride or accomplishment.
The truth of the matter (for the millions of desperately interested readers) is that aside from the day the purchase was made. I really haven't had much thought about tia at all. It hasn't been stressful or joyful really. Maybe it has to hit me later. It may happen when I am sitting in the living room watching the fire burn down, or maybe it will happen when we have our first flood from faulty or clogged plumbing.
Although I don't have the most experienced eye, I pay attention to tiny details, like the line within our loan agreement that stated I was required to maintain the property for the duration of the loan. I don't legally have the option of letting things go unnoticed and that seems strange to me. Maybe I don't feel like it is mine yet.
I have found that I don't really care to much if anyone else loves this house. My wife loves this house, and she loves me, and she wants to live with me in that house. That makes the house and whatever does or doesn't come with it...
just what I was looking for.

Wait, what?

Life is full of things that fill one's life. When I reminisce of the day's before moving to Kansas City area I remember having time to cruise the internet for things that didn't matter and videos that made me laugh. I don't feel like I have time to check e-mail anymore. I haven't opened most of my chat accounts in so long I have forgotten the passwords and I have to go through a process that sends me 3 e-mails just to get in and find out that nobody I used to talk to is "online" anymore.
I guess it's good to know it's not just me.
I wonder if other people suffer the same misplacement's that I do? As I have been forced to change my focus for some period of time, whether to work or school or spouse or friend. After some time has passed and I reclaim a certain amount of time in a day or week; I learn that I have simply forgotten the things I used to do. I can't remember what my hobbies were. I remember having plenty to do, but what was it I did? I'm not unhappy, and I am less bored than I remember being. I know I have changed but I still feel like I live a full life of enjoyment including responsibilities so I wouldn't say that I sincerely miss what I used to do
I guess it's good to know I'm still me.