Bed and breakfast

The worms have landed! One small squirm for worms, one giant leap for a barefoot garden.

Such great guests. They stay in bed all day under the covers. You don't actually even have to feed them. They eat all sorts of random shit on their own. They clean up their own room (bed). They don't play loud music. Don't complain. Don't poop in the toilet. And don't make a lot of noise when having sex. Don't drink (alcohol, that is). And don't use credit cards.

Could be worse!

Arrived in our mailbox yesterday. I thought it would be a good sized box for 250 live worms. No. Smallest USPS mailing box, and in a cute little Uncle Jim's worm bag. They are shipped in bone dry peat to absorb all the moisture during mailing. Keeps them from freezing in winter and getting too hot in summer. They loose 70% of their body weight in the few days of transit, but bounce back to full size in a couple of days.

The guy at Common Ground in Palo Alto was convinced they would all be dead on arrival. "Why are you getting Red Wrigglers from Pennsylvania?" Well, I kinda dig East Coast people. A bit caustic and opinionated from time to time, but solid folks. Here's a rule: Don't take too seriously anything "religious" organic folks say. If the worms were going to die in transit, how does Uncle Jim's Worm Farm stay in business?

For that matter, don't take ANYONE "religious" too seriously, in my book. Too dogmatic, not so fun, never have a REAL open discussion, and rarely speak from direct experience (just from book learning).

So, 250 worms. I thought I was going to have to poke holes, put some water in and place them all in one by one. Nope. Just dump a bunch on the top of a moist bed and within seconds these guys are coursing there way across the bed top looking for a place to dive in. Definitely not dead worms. By morning, all gone. Down deep in bed below. Do it at night so the birds don't grab em (or if during the day, put a burlap bag or piece of plywood over the bed for a time).

Think I got to get a bunch more, I put like 80 per bed. Hey, worms regulate how many kids they have depending on the local population. Voluntary, cooperative birth control. Both democratic AND republican worms. No birth control or abortion needed. They may be more evolved than we are!

Also, ran out this morning and got a bale of straw to mulch our newly planted seeds to keep them wet, warm and protected--corn, snap peas, red beets and orange beets so far (next bed--onions and leeks. Broccoli coming real soon now). I'm thinking of "broadcasting" the next bed (no impossibly small holes, just spread em out on top and then cover, thin later).

Barefoot is ALIVE!

michael, for a barefoot garden.