How To Build a Worm Tower

We’ve gotten a lot of traffic for our worm towers so we thought we’d feature them on this page by themselves. Worm towers are one of many techniques that permaculturists might use but knowing when and where it is really appropriate requires a broader understanding that permaculture, it’s ethics, and principles provide.

If you’re looking for the picture summary for our  Permaculture training you can find it here.

Last year during our Hands-on Permaculture training we built worm towers with the class and installed one in Bill and  Becky’s front yard. Once it’s installed all you have to do is add composting (red wigglers) and then occasionally add some table scraps. The feed on the food waste and in turn, fertilize the garden bed.  No muss or fuss with kitchen scraps anymore, it is so incredibly easy to use.  The only maintenance that’s needed is to clean out worm castings once a year to make room for more .

View inside the installed Worm Tower before it’s filled with worms, food, and bedding.

 

If you’d like to make your own we’ve made an instruction sheet to help you out.

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6-Day Family Friendly Training

6-day “” Training - August 2011
Held at Midwest Permaculture in our Sustainably Oriented Community of , IL
We expect to be offering a ‘family friendly’ training every summer.  See Here for Details

 This Training is also Stage 2 or our 3-Stage PDC Certificate Course 
6 Students stayed on for the 5-day PDC Completion Training and earned their permaculture certificate.

This was our first training that fully welcomed families with children. Four families joined us along with 12 other individuals. Bottom-line... it worked out really well!

 

 “I so appreciated having families and their children in the course. 
It really added to the wonderful dynamic.” 
Kate – College Student 

 

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Pictures From May 2011 “Hands-on Training” Week

May 2011 Training Week
At Midwest Permaculture — , IL
For those interested, here are some pictures from our “Hands-on” work week.  It turned out to be a great time dispite the fact that it rained on most days.

The pictures are from student John Berton and myself, Bill Wilson. The narration is mine as well. You can learn more about our 6-Day course here.

6-Day (1)
Herb Drying – Lemon balm and spearment Continue reading

Pictures From May 2011 “Hands-on Training” Week

May 2011 Training Week
At Midwest Permaculture — , IL
For those interested, here are some pictures from our “Hands-on” work week.  It turned out to be a great time dispite the fact that it rained on most days.

The pictures are from student John Berton and myself, Bill Wilson. The narration is mine as well. You can learn more about our 6-Day course here.

6-Day (1)
Herb Drying – Lemon balm and spearment Continue reading

Heating His Home with Compost?


Meet Our Friend from the Milwaukee, WI Area
 

Back in the 1970s, a Frenchman by the name of of built a pile from woodchips about the size of a garage. Inside the pile he had coiled around a single, very long hose that he could run clean water through. In the very center of the pile was a very large-sealed-tank holding a slurry of cow manure.

Once the pile started to heat up he was able to run water through the hose at will and extract some of the heat. He had all the hot running water he needed for bathing, washing, and get this…for his home…for 18 months…!!! And from the manure tank in the center he extracted enought to provide gas to his stove and oven but more impressively, he compressed it into tanks and ran his automobiles from it. And when he was all done, he had a pile of fantastic compost for his gardens.

Our friend Rob Frost is attempting a mini version of this for his suburban home. Take a look at his blog.
Thanks for the inspiration Rob!

— Rob’s Blog – First Post—-
— Rob’s Blog – Second Post—

 


Rob’s Home Heating Experiment