Subject: Worm Birthday Party

Hi Cathy,

Many, many thanks for the Earth Day birthday on 2008-03-29. My daughter and her friends thoroughly enjoyed learning about worms and getting dirty. The parents seemed to appreciate the information too, and we often hear about how people's worms are doing. Cameron's worms are also doing very well, and we appear to have a second batch of eggs on the go.

I hope that everyone took something green away with them, and that they pass on the information.

Again, thanks and best wishes to you. Hoping our paths will cross again.

Fiona

Subject: Congratulations on being a Finalist

You are a busy lady. Getting the world to change one person at a time is lots of work. You are doing it one school at a time as well. Like that you are influencing future generations.

Wow! Talk about service to humanity. That is SERVICE.

You are a whirlwind of energy, knowledge, enthusiasm, humour and green sense (over riding all the nonsense that we often are exposed to on the planet).

This is your mission and you are a worthy ambassador. To share, educate etc. Keep up the wonderful work. I am honored to know you and call you friend.

Warm regards,
Sharon - The Healing Path Centre

Subject: Dirty Girl Motor Racing

Hi Cathy,

Thanks again for the great worm composting kit ... I'm enjoying my worms so much I put together an article for my website ...

www.dirtygirlmotorracing.com/articles/worm-composting.html

Thanks Cathy,
Andrea Goodman

Subject: Thanks for the demo

Hi Cathy,

Enjoying our worms! Unbelievable how fast the waste disappears! I am getting a kick out of telling people about our worms ... I’m sure it will generate some future sales.

Thanks again for your personal demonstration ... you are a real delight!

Kelly and Brad

Subject: Thank you for delivering the worms

Hi Cathy,

I just wanted to thank you so much for delivering the worms to me in Toronto. I've already prepared their new home 2 days ago (I couldn't wait ...)

Thank you also for making it so easy to start our own vermicompost. I've talked about it to many of my friends and I have no takers yet but I'm sure in a couple of months, I will be able to convince a couple to start their own. I will make sure to mention your site and your products to make this experience a very pleasant one.

I wish you luck with the vermicomposting business and all your endeavours.

Thank you,
Joyce

Subject: Creepy Crawly Composts
60 Percent Campaign

It’s all Hollow’s Eve ... Scary stories are afoot.

In celebration of the creepy occasion, I point my gnarled scabby finger at the most squirm-some, the intrinsically dirty and unbearably wiggly. Yes. It’s time to take a closer look at ... the worm. Eekkk!!

Read further ...

Subject: Thanks from the Hemmers!

Hi Cathy,

Thanks again for our new vermicomposter! We really appreciated you taking the time to talk with us and let us know how it all works, and I think we were also equally inspired by your entrepreneurial spirit. Best of luck with your worm empire!

Take care,
Natalie & the rest of the Lululemon Hemming Staff

Subject: Worm interview ... great stuff!!!

I just finished listening to your interview ... great stuff!!!

You're an incredible individual ... your energy is so very positive; it's a joy to be with you and listen to you. I think that you are on a truly important mission to educate us all about the value of nature's role in cleaning up our garbage and other messes. I do experience pangs of sadness (and guilt?) when I witness or consider results of our entirely selfish and thoughtless actions... and the thought that the 'angels of the earth' would have to be sacrificed in order to detoxify contaminated soils is another example.

My life is enriched because you're in it!!
Thanks,
Helga

Worm Composting:
Converting Food Waste to Soil

By Kristi Mahy

What is worm composting and why would you want to do it?

Worm composting refers to the practice of keeping red wiggler worms in a container, feeding them food scraps and using their waste or 'castings' as a fertilizer for gardens, potted plants, etc. Worm composting is also called 'vermicomposting' or sometimes even 'vermiculture' and can range in scale from a unit suitable for one person to large enough to handle the food waste of an entire apartment building. For the purposes of this article, we'll stick to discussing the small scale type.
Read more ...

Subject: Photo of Worm eggs/cocoons

Subject: Two very happy worm farmers

Cathy:

I'm following up my visit with you on Saturday with this email to let you know how much I enjoyed speaking with you and appreciated your time in going up to your house and putting together a starter kit for my daughter Sasha. She is thoroughly enjoying her 'worm farm' and was eager to show it off to the rest of the family. You are very inspirational and I believe in the goodness of your efforts.

Katherine and Sasha

Subject: The joy of tuning kids into nature!

Hi Cathy

The bookmarks are great for the kids to learn more about your business. One little girl was so delighted that she scooped up a worm for her pot. She said," The worm will help my sunflower grow" ... That expresses the joy of tuning kids into nature!

See you at the ECOfest on the Sunday.

Suzanne
Star Gazer
Herb and Flower Farm.

Subject: ...more decomposed peelings rather than freshly peeled.

Hi Cathy

Thanks for such a great talk last night. Your energy so inspired me and I learned so much. I had never thought of the fact that I should have been giving them more decomposed peelings rather than freshly peeled. In fact, I am now going to go larger to accommodate all my waste.

Thank you for being such an inspiration. Hope I did not ask too many questions.

Diane

Subject: The Green Toddler: Oh yes I did!

"Dear Readers: What on Earth did you get from Cathy's Crawly Composters?"

Find out what Andrea received ... Follow this link.

Subject: Great web site

Hi Cathy,

Great web site ... I always have been fascinated by worms and the castings they produce. 30 years ago I looked into starting a worm farm but never followed through.

Congratulations to you on a job worth doing.

Proud of you !!!!
Peter

Subject: A blog of worms?

Hi Cathy,

Thanks for bringing my composter to Oakville tonight. I am very excited about getting started with this and was very glad to meet you. See below for my blog address -- your little beauties are the subject of my latest post!

Lynda

www.chiotti.com/lyndasez/2006/05/

Subject: A little bag of castings.

Hi Cathy,

I put the little bag of casting I got from you last month into my rather sad window plants and they are all very happy and thriving now!

Have a good weekend,
Kirsten "No Green Thumb" Eastwood

Subject: An ever cool Christmas gift.

Hi Cathy,

Just wanted to let you know how much my son is enjoying his indoor composter. Even my daughter and niece (17 and 15) thought it was pretty neat and they all worked to put it together.

Frankie said to me "wow Mom is that ever cool". So I thought I would share that with you.

Merry Christmas,
Irene Byrne

Subject: Towne & Country TV

Hi Cathy!
I turned my TV on at 6 this morning and what do I see on Town and Country, worms lots of worms and you.

I enjoyed the show, but it was too short, only 10 or 15 minutes.

I can see an improvement in my violets, the leaves are more shiny and the blossoms are bigger and more colorful. I don't use my other fertilizers anymore

Cathy, whenever you or your husband coming to Toronto, I would like an other 5 pound of wormcasting, just so I know I have it always available.

Take care, Inge Peters

Subject: A Horrible Catastrophe

So I went away for a weekend; off to meet my gal! I had baked her some chocolate brownies and they were a hit! Little did I know how much these brownies would actually cost. On my return to my apartment I witnessed the massacre of my entire worm population save one! I had left the oven on for the whole 3 day weekend and my worms were roasted.

I thought that there maybe eggs and other worms that I just couldn't see and that the population would come back but to my dismay I'm still wormless (save one that is a lot bigger now - it's a real trooper!) Can you save our Sudbury landfill? The oncoming winter leaves me with no compost pile and my apartment will be needing more than one red wiggler (however big its appetite is!).

What do I need to do to get a fresh batch of worms??

Peter - www.wesa.ca

Subject: Winter composting

My indoor compost is doing really well. We have harvested our first black gold first week of August and put them to use in our veggie garden. My"pets" are doing great as well. My, do they multiply! My question is...summer is almost over and the cold weather will soon be upon us, do my "pets" hibernate in the winter? (must be a silly question). Where do I put them in winter (they are out in my balcony right now. I live in an apartment)?

Best Regards,
Susan Fisher

Response:

If left outside, the worm bin will freeze. There is no guarantee that the worms will survive.

However, in a regular backyard composter (eg. black composters subsidized by municipalities), the worms "hibernate" in the compost. If the thaw is gradual enough, the worms will survive. In the Fall, the worms breed more than usual so there should be lots of cocoons. The cocoons or worm eggs will definitely over-winter.

What will become of the winter scraps if the worm bin is left on the balcony?

Ideally, the worm bin is brought inside during winter. It can be placed almost anywhere (under kitchen table, closet, in a corner - great conversation piece).

Another option is to insulate the worm bin somehow so it can stay outside. A box with styrofoam should be sufficient.

"As a gardener, I don't understand why every gardener isn't a passionate composter."
Christine March, Toronto - July 2005

Submission by: EM, DR & CJM - Nov. 2004

The worms are sorta cool. Our school has a worm habitat. We are lucky because it is in our classroom. We fed it it's first worm gourmet breakfast with coffee grounds and eggshells.

Your Earth - Buy nothing day - November 2004

By Suzanne Elston

Last year, Canadians spent a whopping $16 billion on Christmas gifts alone. That doesn't include all that holly to deck the halls, Christmas trees, decorations and food, glorious food! Before we get sucked into buying stuff for the sake of buying stuff, surely there's a better way, a saner way, a less costly way to let those we love, know that we love them.  Read more ...

Waste Reduction Week - October 2004

By Larraine Roulston

WRW is celebrated nationwide from October 18-24. During this week, the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) should be at the forefront in classrooms, offices and homes. The Recycling Council of Ontario (RCO) provides information on how we can reduce waste along with this year's poster 'Too Good to Waste'.  Read more ...

What is it really worth? - July 2004

By Sylvia Bevan

Have you ever looked around your house and said, how come it doesn't look like a magazine? It's probably because it's too cluttered. Once we add up the knick knacks, doodads, extra pieces of crappy furniture that might be new-ish, but not well made, we might be able to better see things that should "move on out" of our Canadian fortresses.  Read more ...