Updates

The camera is out of commission, but I have two updates.

Worm Update:
They have been really busy for the last month or so. We stopped adding waste in mid-April. The can was about 3/4 full at the time. When I checked it this week, it was down to about 1/2 and pretty dry. I added a couple of quarts of water, and we've started filling it again. Next month, we'll be separating out the castings to use on the herbs. We'll also be able to see if they've been multiplying. If so, we may have to give some away or start another bin.

Gas Challenge:
Well, it ends tomorrow. Barring some sort of unforeseeable emergency requiring us to drive 60 or 70 miles between now and then, we made it with loads to spare. In fact, I only rode in the car once during the entire month--and it was to get bike supplies for the challenge. It has really forced us to ride every day, and we won't be going back to driving just because it's over. We are taking a trip back to OK (app. 450 miles total), but it will be one of maybe five for the entire year. We should more than make up for that by our reduction in mileage here. All in all, I would say that this challenge has been extremely beneficial for both of us. Gas is over $3 a gallon here (and it's not getting any cheaper). I'm glad that we no longer rely on it for our daily transportation needs. We are both already in much better shape. I can ride much farther/for much longer than I could a month ago, and I really enjoy it. Actually, I think we are both just much happier in general. After our trip, we intend to start a new challenge, our Gas Free Month. An official date has not been set as of yet, but it will begin sometime between the 5th and the 10th. I'll also be keeping a log of any miles that we drive between now and then, if there are any to log...

Tiny Update

I really like this scout that one of our neighbors drives.
Yes, I know, it's completely impractical.

Mini Update: The worms are doing great! They've consumed tons of our veggie waste. After the worms and our recycling bin, we're down to about one paper sack of trash per week and falling. When I look back at the huge amounts of trash we've generated in the past, I get a sense of overwhelming guilt. But, it's healthy guilt--it makes me think twice about buying convenience foods and other things that we don't really need.

Mason's Valentine To Me

Our worms came this afternoon! We spent the morning setting up our new bin. I hate buying plastic, and we thought that wood would have been too heavy, so we settled on a galvanized metal trashcan. We went to Elliot's and bought a spigot assembly (meant for ice chest repairs), which Mason installed near the bottom of the can for draining out the "worm tea". Then, he drilled holes around the top for ventilation. It was a little more difficult than he expected, hence the blurry shaking can in the photo. I cut up an old plastic seedling flat to make a barrier for drainage to the bottom. we used peat moss as filler for the bottom half of the can. on top of that went wet, shredded newspaper and a couple of handfuls of soil.
And the worms, of course!

Worms

I've wanted to try vermicomposting for years. Before we moved to Dallas, we had plenty of room for a huge outdoor compost bin. Now that we're in a much smaller space (with no yard at all), it seems like the perfect time to give it a try. So, i checked out Mary Appelhof's Worms Eat My Garbage from the library last week. Even if you're squeamish about the whole worm thing or have no need for another bin, it's a fascinating book that I highly recommend. I've just finished it--and I must have worms! I'm planning to order a pound of red worms from Grand Prairie's Worm Farm this week. They deliver on Saturdays, so i should have them by next weekend. We just need to decide which type of bin will be the best fit in our little kitchen.