Making Money Raising Earthworms, Part 3

European Night Crawlers - How To Grow Worms - Red Worms

Markets For Your Worms

Our discussion on worm farm markets so far:

1. Raise earthworms for sport fishing bait.
2. Raise earthworms for organic gardening (home vermicomposting).
3. Raise earthworms for organic waste conversion (municipal and large scale vermicomposting).
4. Raise earthworms for worm castings and potting soil/garden soil amendment.
5. Raise earthworms for farm soil improvement.
6. Raise earthworms for reforestation and land reclamation.
7. Raise earthworms for breeding stock.
8. Raise earthworms for feed.

We've discussed worm farm markets points 1-6, now on to 7-8.

Raise Earthworms for Breeding Stock

One of your biggest, easiest-to-service, and most lucrative market for your worm farm is stocking new worm farmers like yourself with breeding stock worms.  Established worm farmers also need re-stocking from time to time.  These breeding stock sales are for "bed-run" worms: i.e. small, immature worms mixed with larger breeding worms.  Also included in the mix are any egg capsules that happen to be in the bedding.

Why "bed-run" worms for breeding stock orders?

• Smaller, younger worms are more adaptable to new environments than mature worms.
• There are more worms per pound.  The worm farmer can build his worm inventory faster as these breeding stock worms mature and start laying eggs.

Markets for breeding stock, bed-run worms:

• As mentioned, new worm farmers stocking new beds,
• Established worm farmers who have depleted their worm inventory during peak season,
• Fishermen looking to save money by growing their own fish bait,
• Organic gardeners needing large amounts of vermicompost wanting to stock worm beds
• Composters requiring large numbers of worms to process organic matter
• Setting up new growers to supply YOU when the demand exceeds your worm supply.

Processing breeding stock and bed-run  worm sales is usually simpler and easier than typical worm orders.  Usually, bed-run orders are filled by scooping out a shovel full of worm bedding from your growing beds, after you have turned it to evenly distribute the worms.  Weight this scoop of bedding containing large worms, medium worms, small worms, tiny hatch-ling worms, and egg capsules in various stages of development.  Be fair and sell from beds that are full, not from depleted beds.

You can sell bed-run orders for the same amount as your bait-sized worms, or you can give a discount.  Generally discount any of your worm orders that are for larger bulk poundage.

One caveat:  Don't start selling breeding stock and bed-run worms until you have several worm beds and plenty of stock to fill your orders.  Initially, you want to have as many worms as possible breeding and maturing.  Wait on this aspect of the worm farm market until you have a fully established worm farm business.

Worm Farm Resources:

Start your worm farm today.  Get how-to's and troubleshooting tips in my Worm Farm Manual: A Step-By-Step Guide To Raising Earthworms.

Other Worm Resources:

European Nightcrawlers:  One tough fishing worm. You could be the exclusive source in your area.

Worm Farm Manual: Order today and get started growing earthworms.