Stanislaus families can learn to raise worms to enrich garden soil. When, where?
Free lessons on using worms to make garden compost are coming to Stanislaus County Library branches.
The organizers invite young families and other interested people to learn how to feed kitchen and yard waste to the creatures.
The first class was Tuesday, June 2, in Salida. It will be repeated at nine other branches from June 6-24.
The classes are put on by the master gardener program at the University of California Cooperative Extension. These volunteers have shared their knowledge of edible and ornamental plants since 2019.
Vermicomposting is the scientific name for the idea of putting worm poop to good use. Attendees will learn where to purchase the specific type, red wigglers, and the materials for making a bin.
The worms can consume fruit and vegetable waste, coffee grounds, grass clippings, paper and other organic matter. They convert it to an easy-to-handle compost, including their own droppings, over a few months.
“It’s a great fertilizer,” instructor Dennis Lee said at a 2019 demonstration at the county Agricultural Center. “It’s very inexpensive for you to produce. You can do it indoors. There’s very little odor — actually, no odor.”
Much of the county’s food and yard waste is already composted on a large scale via weekly pickup. The worm bins cut down on the truck hauling cost.
State law aims to reduce the waste going to landfills, which emit climate-harming methane. Some dairy farms do their part with digesters that turn cattle manure into fuel. A few use worms, such as a pilot project near Hilmar.
Details on the library classes:
Empire: 2 p.m. Saturday, June 6, 98 I St., 209-524-5505
Ceres: 1 p.m. Monday, June 8, 2250 Magnolia St., 209-537-8938
Oakdale: 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 9, 151 S. First Ave., 209-847-4204
Patterson: 1 p.m. Thursday, June 11, 46 N. Salado Ave., 209-892-6473
Riverbank: 2 p.m. Saturday, June 13, 3442 Santa Fe St., 209-869-7008
Denair: 2 p.m. Tuesday, June 16, 4801 Kersey Road, 209-634-1283
Hughson: 2 p.m. Saturday, June 20, 2412 Third St, 209-883-2293
Waterford: 2 p.m. Tuesday, June 23, 324 E St., 209-874-2191
Turlock: 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 24, 550 Minaret Ave., 209-664-8100.
Details on other library activities can be found under the Events and Classes tab at www.stanlibrary.org.
