Company
Beginning, Growth, and Research
The first Vermitechnology Unlimited worm farm was constructed on a five acre parcel with very large oaks and some pines scattered in. It was built to utilize the natural shade rather than clear cut and then put up artificial shade or a green house operation. This farm has a total of 3,000 linear feet of worm beds which averaged 3100 lbs. of worms being produced each month. Some months better, some months worse, due to the heat.
Quality in – quality out that is what we are all about.
We believe we have the best Worm Castings in Today’s Market
A quick and simple way to check the quality of worm castings:
- Quality worm castings will look like black coffee grounds!
- Take a wide mouth 2 of the 20 oz. drink bottles and place 4 oz. of our worm castings in one bottle and the same amount of another producer of worm castings.
- Fill both bottles ¾ full with tap water and shake well and let stand for 5 minutes.
Observations:
- Check for weed seeds and other materials (compost) not consumed by the worms. This is typical of vermicompost.
- Check for sand will settle out first. It is common for manure based fertilizers to contain a lot of fine sand or sand added for weight.
- Then pour off the liquid and dump the sediment out and examine. It if feels and looks like mud, then that is probably what it is. If it retains much of the original characteristics then it is a quality worm casting. Each worm cast is coated with calcium and takes time to dissolve.
History (as stated by him) of the founder, Mr. Larry Martin
1987 – Introduced the first classroom vermicomposting bin in Solano County, California.
1990 – Worked with the University of California, Davis farm extension on the use of bio-humus produced by the worms as a complete fertilizer for tomatoes. Plots with worms and bio-humus out produced compost by 27%.
1992 – Introduced vermicomposting in Florida. A commercial vermicomposting bin 3ft wide by 40ft long by 20in high, constructed at the East Marion Middle School, Ocala, FL. Stocked with 50 lbs. of hungry worm consuming 30 lbs. of kitchen waste every day.
1992 – Installed the first commercial vermicomposting system in Brockville, Ontario, Canada on the grounds of a Physiciatric Hospital. Worms consumed between 400 to 600 lbs. of cafeteria waste per day. The bio-humus used for in potting mixes for the greenhouse operation.
1993 – Speaker at the Vermicomposting Symposium in Toronto, Ont. Canada. Member of the panel of experts with Mr. Al Eggan & Mary Applehof.
1994 – 1997 has been increasingly busy years for me – speaking at the National Composting Council, National Recycling Council, and many other organizations. Worked with the State Department of Environmental Education on the vermicomposting K-12 curriculum and introduced vermicomposting into the horticulture program at UF. The highlight of 1997, was a call from the White House, a presidential advisor on the domestic economic affairs responding to a bold statement that I made about worm castings in an interview with the US News and World Report magazine.
1998 – In January I traveled to Baku, Azerbaijan to establish that country’s first vermicomposting operation. This was very successful and has become the foundation establishing this industry in the most ecologically devastated country in the world.
1998 – In August I traveled to the Republic of Belarus to do a feasibility study on the commercial applications of vermicomposting and the marketing of the bio-humus and worms. I provide the with the latest technology, marketing techniques, and a business plan. This was a real challenge in country with a president that is a communist hardliner that does not want nor believe in free enterprise.