Worm Farming USA

Worm farming, not just an American phenomenon, has a fairly recent history. As leisure time increased in the 1950s, a growing number of anglers stimulated a need for more bait worms. By the early 1970s, a revolution was taking place as hundreds of worm farms sprouted up across the U.S., only to fall prey to accusations of Ponzi-scheme activity. Then in the early and mid 1990s, vermiculture (raising earthworms) exploded again, particularly in California, as state and local governments searched for ways to mitigate the growing problem of waste, particularly organic waste. This is the story of 15 worm farms and vermicomposting (using worms to transform organic residues into worm castings) facilities that led the way in putting worm farming on the map. You may never get an opportunity to visit a worm farm in person. But now, with this resource, you can take the tour—complete with photos—of some of the leading worm farms in the country.