I've got worms!

New Bins, New Location, New Worms!

2010-08-15T12:45:00.000-07:00

I have invented a new bin called the Flo-Thru Bin. How it works, is you put bedding and worms in one side (the bin is separated in half by a mesh screen), and let them go to work. When the bedding is finished (meaning the worms have turned the cardboard/newspaper/food scraps into Black Gold!) on the first side, I just have to put new bedding on the new side. Then I just feed and water the new side so the worms are naturally attracted to the new bedding. They all come over through the mesh and leave the finished bedding for easy harvesting. This is much better than my old system where I just had to dump out the bin when it was finished and sort out all the worms. I like finding ways to let my worms do most of the work in this business! It's also easier to sort them for sales now because most of the worms are concentrated on just one side of the bin. Now that we've been using this system for a few months, we've been able to test the idea and can say that it works great! We are selling residential-sized Flo-Thru Bins on my website! Now that we've made vermicomposting even easier and you never even really have to touch the worms if you don't want to, everyone should be doing this!!! No more excuses!

Speaking of selling things, we've moved since my last post. We are now doing business down in Sierra Vista, Arizona (not far from Tuscon). I've made lots of friends already and I really like it. So do the worms! They are multiplying like crazy and people here are really excited about vermicomposting. I've had so much fun going to the Bisbee Farmer's Market! It's on Saturdays in Bisbee, Arizona. I set up a booth and sell worm tea, worm tea bags (my #1 seller), and worms and worm bin systems. I love talking to everyone about my business and how they can start vermicomposting. I think it surprises everyone to see such a young kid running a booth at the show. Mom comes too, but she just sits in the shade and plays on her phone or reads while I do all the work! She says it's good experience and doesn't want to steal any of it from me. One day I made a world-record amount of money by getting $113 in one day! I re-invested some of it in supplies to make my new worm bins. Then of course I put 1/2 in savings for my mission and college and 10% to tithing (charity). But I still had enough left over to get a really cool nerf gun and a few fish for my fish tank. I met a lot of cool people too and had fun trading worm tea at the end of the day if I had any left. I wish I could go more often, but Mom gets busy (and I'm having fun this summer too), so I haven't gone very many times.

I also have some new worms that a fellow-worm-guy gave me at the Bisbee Farmer's Market. He gave me European wrigglers and local black wrigglers. They're not ready to sell yet though, because I'm just letting them multiply until we get a self-sustaining population.

One time this summer, I almost sold out completely of my redworms! But luckily, there were about a million worm babies in the bedding, so I took a little break on advertising and am just letting them grow big and strong. I'm just about ready to sell them again. I also have been saving up to invest in another big worm shipment, but I'm waiting to see where we'll be (and if I'll get to keep my business open) before I order them. It's kind of hard not knowing, and I'll be really sad if I have to put my business on hold for a couple of years if we move overseas, but I think it will probably be worth it.

OK, that's enough for now! Talk to you soon!

Ryan, President of I've Got Worms!

Worms, Worms, Worms!!

2010-02-26T18:46:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wondered what thousands of red wrigglers look like? They are a squirmy, jumbled mess. I wouldn't want to be that close tangled up with a stranger, and I think they're pretty happy when I let them out in the bin so they can have some room again!
It must be worm season because everyone wants worms right now! They must know the secret about how awesome vermicompost is for their gardens and want to get started right away. Not a bad idea! Worms are hard workers but making vermicompost still takes some time. I had so many worm sales in January that I completely sold out of worms, even though they've been busy multiplying all winter. I finally got my new batch of worms today, just in time to fill three more orders. I LOVE sorting worms like this (when someone else already did the sorting!). Normally it would take me about 15 hours to sort 5 pounds of worms but today my mom and I got it all done in about half an hour. If only it were that easy all the time!The good news is that with the money from my last sale (the one that used up the last of my worms) plus these sales today, I have already paid off my order and have more than 5 pounds of worms left. Hopefully they'll get really happy and start making more worms right away or I'll have to order more again soon. But if I do, I don't mind because even though I don't make any money on those sorts, they're easy!

Just remember, if you want to get started with vermicomposting, check out my website at www.gotworms.info. I've got worm tea ready and as you can see, I've got worms!

Organic Miracle Grow: Worm Tea

2009-11-07T19:20:00.001-08:00

I forgot to mention, I've got vermicompost and worm tea ready to sell so let me know if you want any! This is great for revitalizing your indoor plants to keep them happy and green all year round. And remember, one gallon of worm tea makes up to 10 gallons of fertilizer because it's super concentrated! Want to find out more about the benefits of worm tea (and I'm not talking about something you drink!)? Check out this information sheet (along with comparison pictures).

Fall Leaves!!

2009-11-07T18:54:00.000-08:00

Did you know that all those leaves going into your garbage could actually be turned into gold?! Black gold, that is. Dry leaves are a perfect addition to your vermicomposting system. The worms love them and you get to recycle amazing nutrients into your garden next spring. That's what I'm doing (as you can see in my most recent pictures). I also really really love dead leaves because they are the easiest bedding around (no ripping cardboard or shredding newspaper, at least not as much!). So if you're ready to start recycling those leaves (and want to make all your neighbors jealous of your garden next year, and have the best organic, nutrient-rich fertilizer on the planet for free, then check out my website and see if you're ready to get a vermicomposting starter kit! Happy recycling!

~Ryan, http://www.gotworms.info/

I'm famous!

2009-08-06T10:52:00.000-07:00

Another vermicomposter that has a big worm business and a great blog contacted me to write an article about my business! Check it out:

www.redwormcomposting.com

It's great timing for some more advertising because right now I've got a ton of worms and vermicompost and worm tea all ready for sale. So if you need anything, check out my website: www.gotworms.info!

Finally made some real money!

2009-07-30T20:08:00.000-07:00

I found an even better supplier so I could afford to buy 10lbs. of worms! I have two bins now one for letting the worms naturally multiply so I don't have to order as many and another for immediate sale. I actually paid my investors back completely and opened a checking account joint with my parents. I can't wait to get my debit card! I've already been looking on ebay for some cool lego action figures. Since my dad is joining the Army we can use the greatest bank ever. We found out about it early because my uncle Brandon works there. We just picked our first tomato that was grown with vermicompost and it was the best on the planet! You need to get some vermicompost from me so your plants can be as good :-)

Losing My Worms . . .

2009-06-28T11:36:00.000-07:00

My business is going great! I've had enough sales to save up $100 to get another shipment of 5 lbs. of worms so that I can always have enough worms. That's the good news. The bad news is my shipment got lost in the mail!! All of my hard work down the drain. I was so sad I wanted to cry, but there is a happy ending! The people who sold us the worms felt bad about it and said they would reship the worms, for free!!! They said next time I really need to pay extra to get insurance so I won't have this problem next time. I'm so happy that I didn't just lose all my money! And another good thing is I got to keep almost all the money from one sale before I had to start saving again to pay for these worms. And as soon as they come, I already have 2 pounds sold! I love my worms.

I still have some worm tea available for anyone that wants the best tomatoes ever! =) It's liquid fertilizer made from vermicompost and plants love to gobble it up. It is so good for plants so let me know if you want any! I only have a little left (about 10 gallons worth) but my worms have been busy so I'll have a new batch of vermicompost done soon.

Now that it's summer, mom is so happy that we have a bunch of worms to gobble up all the extra food scraps (watermelon peels, apple cores, strawberry tops, banana peels, and all the weeds she pulls from the garden). We've had so much to feed them that we brought the worm bin upstairs and put it in our hall closet so it's easier to feed the worms. It's amazing that it doesn't stink at all, but it never does. That's why worm composting is so great. Our flowers and vegetables are happy too, cuz mom bought most of my first batch of vermicompost for them. They love it!

I'm gonna be a millionaire!

2009-05-08T21:04:00.000-07:00

Today I realized that if I keep doing this business until I'm a lot older, I could become a millionaire! Mom says that will take a lot more work and means I should keep reinvesting into my business. So, maybe I won't be a millionaire, but I think I am the richest 7 year old I know! I had two sales this week and that means I got $4 ($2 each, that's what I get to keep from each sale right now until my investors are all paid off--and one more sale will do that!). After 10% to tithing and 50% to mission, I get $0.80 a sale. Dad helped me set up an account for my mission fund at EmigrantDirect.com so I get free money added on to everything I save (Dad says they pay me interest so they can use my money when I'm not using it and since I won't need it until I'm 19, hopefully that will be a bunch of free money!). I like that idea.

Tonight I had to spend about an hour sorting worms for one of my orders (2 pounds, so that's about 2,000 worms. Luckily I got a scale to weigh them so I don't have to count them all or I'd be up ALLLLLLL night!). Then I had to sweep and mop up the mess I made. I didn't know my business would have so much cleaning involved. But the exciting news is that tonight I also finished the bedding for my new worm bin so the worms can start working on new bedding and I'll have vermicompost to sell! Mom says she wants to buy some for her tomatoes this year but I'll still have a bunch more if anyone's interested. If you don't want the vermicompost, you should think about getting worm tea or worm tea bags to make liquid fertilizer. It's way better for your plants than the chemicals you get at the store and it will make your plants and garden really happy.

I have to deliver my worm order at 5 in the morning tomorrow, so I better get to bed since it's already way past my bedtime.

Good night (maybe I'll dream about being a millionaire)!

Cardboard Crazy!

2009-04-26T16:14:00.000-07:00

To just get one bin ready for my first sale, I have to cut cardboard, lots of cardboard! Today is Sunday and I'm still cutting cardboard even though I started cutting cardboard on Thursday! I cut while I'm watching movies, while I'm listening to books on tape, and whenever I have a spare second. I have to cut it to make bedding for the bin of worms I'm selling. The worms love to eat (recycle) cardboard and it makes a great home for them to crawl around in too.

I ordered 5000 more worms for myself so that I can take care of all my sales and keep growing too. If I didn't order that 5000, my business could die. That means waiting a bit longer before I get any money out of all this work. But it will be worth it. I can't wait to see 5000 worms all at once!

I've added two new products that I'll be selling: worm tea bags and vermicompost starter kits. The tea bags will be easier to send in the mail and easier for people to store. My first big sale that I've been working on is for the vermicompost starter kit.

This business is a lot of work but it's a lot of fun too!

Baby worms!

2009-04-16T17:54:00.001-07:00

Today I checked my worms and there are a million billion little baby worms!

First Sale!

2009-04-16T17:19:00.000-07:00

You would think my first sale would be from family or friends or one of the million people I handed a business card to, but today a lady called from northern Utah from my website!! She wants a thousand worms . . . that will take a while to count :-) It's worth the counting because I will get $20 . . . but my investors are antsy, so I won't see any of that :-(

I've got worms!

2009-04-16T16:59:00.000-07:00

I started I've Got Worms! because the street I live on is too dangerous for lemonade stands. My investors (mom and dad) helped me out with the start-up costs except for my hard earned $1. I got my worm bin finished march 5th, the same day my worms came. I've never seen that many worms before! Holding them is weird. Go check out my website at http://www.gotworms.info