HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED WORM FARMING?

Worm farming is not a particularly new business idea - it's been around for years but it certainly seems to be gaining in popularity as a home business all the time.


You might have come across it without really knowing what you would do with any worms you managed to farm. So to what purpose are farmed worms put?

Well, that depends on the breed of the worms. Bet you hadn't thought too much about the different breeds of worms and the specialist purposes that those different breeds can be put to had you?

Typically, someone who breeds worms commercially will probably specialize in a specific breed, or at least keep individual breeds in their own separate containers.

 Worms bred for profit are largely sold for composting. Some large scale worm farmers sell their worms to landfill sites to provide an environmentally-friendly way of breaking down waste.

Soil fertilization is another use for commercially-bred worms. This is an excellent way of rejuvenating soil that has been over-farmed allowing it to produce better growing, healthier crops.

The farming of worms is, in itself, a pretty environmentally-friendly activity. Why? Because, typically, farmed worms are fed on household waste such as leftover fruit and vegetables, eggshells etc.

Fishing tackle shops also provide a market for worm farmers because worms are a popular bait with fishermen.

If you want to be a worm farmer you first have to decide what specific market or markets you're going to breed your worms for. This is because different breeds of worm serve different purposes. Or, to put it another way, not every individual worm breed is suitable for every purpose to which worms can be put.



Red worms are a breed that is very suitable for use in composting. Belgian worms can also be used for composting and also make very good fishing bait.

Very good worms for use as soil rejuvenators are Night Crawlers and Wigglers.

Worms can be farmed on just about any scale you like. You can even get small bins that are suitable for breeding worms indoors. So, even if you live in an apartment you could still farm worms on a small scale.

Farming of worms is certainly not a get-rich-quick scheme. After taking into account the initial investment and ongoing costs, it will usually take from three to five years to break even from your venture.

If you're environmentally conscious and want a business that is in line with your beliefs, worm farming is certainly an activity worth considering.