VERMICULTURE FACILITY GROWS IN THE SOUTHEAST

摘要

A steady diet of composted cow manure, cornl soybean feed, cotton gin residuals and brewery mash over 12 years generates thousands of tons of worm castings. LOCATED in the small community of Douglas, Georgia, Bear Creek Worm Farm is rated by many as the largest vermiculture and vermicom-posting operation in the southeastern United States. Owned and operated by Jack and Lucy Brantley since 1992, the farm has been mainly producing red wiggler worms for the region's fishing bait market as well as thousands of tons of castings for the nursery industry.The concept began when Jack discovered worms feeding in an aged stack of peanut hay on his farm where the Brantleys raised hogs. His idea was to start raising worms to supplement their retirement income. After many hours of library research, 100 pounds of Little Reds and Blue Wigglers were bought and set up in an unused hog barn.