Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome back here in the garden with Ron Wilson again
that toll free number eight hundred eight two three eight
two five five. Worm castings, as I call them, worm poop.
You hear more and more about them all the time.
Been around forever, right, but you know it's becoming more
and more a staple on the shelvings shlving shelves of
your local garden centers and all highly recommended organic gardeners
(00:23):
and all. What's so important about worm castings are worm poop?
And did you ever wonder what it takes to gather
up all these worm castings and worm poop so you
have enough to bag it up. Well, we've got the
guy who knows more about worm poop than worms know
about wormpoop. The website is wormville dot com. His name
is Jeff Teeple. Jeff, good morning, Good morning, Ron. Thank
(00:45):
you for having me on your show today. I really
appreciate it. You like talking about worm poop? And is
it okay that I call it wormpoop? Do I have
to say worm castings?
Speaker 2 (00:52):
No?
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Worm poop is just fine? Here? I'll jokingly say that's
the reason I'm still a single guy, Okay, because I
tell people I'll sell worm poop.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
I love it. I love it all right. First of all,
so folks understand what we're talking about, because there are
some folks I'm sure that have not seen war castings
out there. But you know, this is something that's been
coming on for a long time and really gaining popularity now.
But Earth Learned Castings really is worthroom poop, right.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Yes, it is. Ron It's interesting. You know, ten fifteen
years ago, nobody knew what this stuff was. I mean,
there were some government studies out there and some collegiate
items that just talked about this being the gold standard
for organic fertilizer or soil amendments depend upon your state.
There and slowly but surely, every year people find this product.
(01:44):
They put it into their potting soils about a twenty
five percent mixture, and they come up with the best
harvest they've ever had in their life. Here, the best flowers,
the best succulents. It's really a cool product because it works.
And I've and doing this. I've never had anybody ever
come back and say, Wow, this didn't work.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
Interesting, you know, and I know you don't listen to
our show, but at the end of a show every
every week. I say, one of the things I encourage
folks to do is go out and pamper your worms.
And I have that written on my truck because I've
always said, if you pamper your worms and your worms
are happy through all the things that they do, your
plants are going to be happy as well. And I
think they go hand in hand. So you know, I'm
(02:27):
all behind the earthworm castings because I agree with you
one hundred percent. So all right, so we're sold. It
sounds great and I've used it myself obviously, but we
love it. So what does it take? How do you?
I mean you know, so now folks are sitting there
trying to visualize. All right, so how do you come
up with all of this earthworm poop? What is the
(02:47):
process to go through this? And you guys, are you
the largest facility in the United States doing this?
Speaker 3 (02:54):
We may be the largest in the world, in the
world mighty bigger than us. We do all tobacco a
little bit here. We do all the fishing worms for
Walmart bass pro Capelas I mean, when you go by
fishing worms, there's a sixty five to seventy chance you
bought our worms. At any given time, we have between
(03:15):
one hundred and ten one hundred and thirty million worms growing,
which is hard to believe, but that's our farm out there.
And the best thing about worm castings there's a lot
of little worm farms out there, and God bless them,
they're all great. But it's all about what you feed
the worms. And worms will eat anything you give worms,
(03:36):
you know, manure, food, waste, I mean, they'll eat your shirt,
give them a chance. Here. The reason that people like
our product is that the only thing we feed our
worms is non GMO corn solids grown on site, no
chemicals whatsoever. So the worms are fed the same diet
each and every day, three sixty five a year. And
(04:00):
that the blessing part is that when the product comes
out here, we have the exact same product eats and
every time, which is wonderful.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
And then obviously this is organically rated OMRI rated, Oh yes,
and again it's corn silage that you grow on the property,
so you know exactly what you're feeding them. They all
get exactly the same thing. So that's how you can
say that it is a certified organic worm castings.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Oh yes, we're or OMINRI certified here We've gone through
every test you could ever imagine. Here. We are one
of only two companies that up in Canada. We receive
the excellent rating for our castings and we're kind of
proud of the fact that they kind of took us
to a very tough test and we walked away and
(04:49):
they were very happy with our product here. And there's
a reason why so many major players out there are
buying our product in bulk and putting it into their
product and make their product better.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
Talking with Jeff Teeple, he is their website and check
it out. It's wormville dot com. It's pretty easy, wormville
dot com. The name of the product is Wormgannic worm
Castings and you will find it at your locally owned
independent garden centers and other areas that sell earthworm casting
as well. And of course you'll find their earthworms, like
you said, all over the place. Again, just go to
(05:22):
the website you learn more about them wormville dot com.
So a million, one, one hundred and thirty million earthworms, uh,
and I'm assuming you have different types of earthworms that
do the verma composting here. What how big is the
facility that houses one hundred and thirty million earthworms.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
Thanks veryman. It's beyond kind of anybody's imagination. One that
come up there, they'll go look at it. We're about
fourteen acres undercover. We grow worms on oh concrete, there's
a lot of earth to really take care of what
we do. Our basic product is we have our own
(06:06):
peat bogs from down to Florida. We harvest our peat moss.
That's where we grow our worms on. And it takes
about a nine month process to go from being an
infant juvenile all the way up to the time where
it can they can become fishing. They go fishing, which
is the best way to say it. And we do
everything on site there. We package it, we label it.
(06:28):
It's a fascinating operation and once can take a look
at it, everybody have taken their walks away going wow,
somebody actually came up with this idea. The gentleman that
owns a farm same was Bruno. He came here from
France about forty years ago and he went and looked
around all the little worm farms and he saw there
(06:49):
was not a major player and he proceeded to develop
this own company himself here and it's just an amazing operation.
So when you go on line and look at you'll
see this big farm here and again it's like fourteen
acres undercover that we grow our worms in.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
And you're in Tennessee, correct.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
Yes, sir, we are in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains.
We're about two thousand feet above Nashville and Chattanooga up
on Monteagle Mountain and ye, I mean we have about
eight hundred acres up there and we process all the worms.
And the cool part is that after the worms have
lived in this peat malls for roughly nine months, we
(07:33):
separate the worms and they go to packaging and go fishing,
and we take the castings in the separate area. Then
we back them up in both one cubic foot bags
and eight court bags, and then of course we have
our big toads. Also we sell to corporations, but that's
how we kind of sell it.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
There you go talking with Jeff teebel Is from worm
Gannis a worm ganic earthworm casting. Go to the website
wormville dot com to learn more about them, or take
a break. We come back. We'll find out which earthworms
produce the most earthworm castings, what are they really good for?
And a lot, whole lot more Here in the garden
with Ron Wilson.
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Speaker 1 (09:37):
Welcome back here in the Garden with Ron Wilson. We're
talking wormpoop, earthwormcastings, and we've got the earthworm casting expert
with us this morning, Jeff Teeople from Wormganix. Go to
their website wormvil dot com. Wormville dot com. Great story there,
you can read all about it, learn more about it. So, Jeff,
you know when you're talking about you're raising these worms?
(09:58):
U you got what redworm? Nightcrawlers?
Speaker 3 (10:01):
All right?
Speaker 1 (10:01):
What different types of worms do you use?
Speaker 3 (10:04):
Uh, there're majority are red wigglers. They are the main
ones over there. We have been approached by the largest
retailer in the world as far as like doing their
night crawlers as well, and we're in the process of
kind of developing that, but most of their red wigglers
at the moment. And uh, it's it's kind of fun
because you go in there and if you see our process,
(10:29):
it's each row is about the size of a car
car lane and uh, if you put them all back
to back, they will go over two miles long.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
Jeez, that's a lot of worms.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
There's a lot of worms. And when you take your
hand and put it down in there and pull them
up here, you'll pull up about a thousand worms and
depend upon your gestation. If that creeps you out, some people.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
It does, but uh, don't tell me. Don't tell me
you taste one to make sure they're doing really well.
Speaker 3 (11:02):
Well. People have asked me that before, and I decided,
I said, no, I haven't tasted him quite yet. Okay,
maybe one day down the road here.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
All right, so well, let me ask you this. Then,
How in the world did Jeff Teble get involved in
earthworm castings?
Speaker 3 (11:18):
That's a very interesting question. Here. I had a person
that I knew that said, you need to come meet
Bruno who owns a farm. He has the biggest worm farm.
And I kind of hate to admit it. I kind
of blew him off for a while, but finally I
went up to the farm and I looked around and
it's research on castings, and it, like I said earlier,
(11:38):
it was the gold standard of fertilizers. And I saw
that he had mountains of this stuff here, and I said,
let's start bagging this. And he was like, well, okay,
give me a proposal, and long story short, we put
together proposal and he went out and bought a bagging machine.
And it was the funny little story was I said,
you know, let's start selling the stuff here. He goes,
(11:59):
I want and bought a bagging machine. Now you're gonna
start selling it. And I'm like, oh crap, I have
to start selling this stuff, for nobody has anything about so.
But uh, he was so he's such a great gentleman
and he just gave us time to grow. And as
I talked to him yesterday, fifteen years down the road,
people are falling in love with the product here, and
he just keeps growing every year. We grow about fifteen
(12:22):
twenty percent every year.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
I love it and it is great stuff. There's no
doubt about it. And it's uh, you know, and again
I'm assuming you know, I've never planned anything straight in
earthworm castings, but I'm assuming you could do that. But
he is a soil amendment, as a potting soil amendment,
absolutely outstanding.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
Well, you what you really want to do, Ron is uh,
I only use about a twenty five mixture because it's so
full of nights and when you pull it out, it
has a coffee type texture to it. There's no smell
at all, and you look at it and go, wow,
this is the rich stuff here. But a twenty twenty
mixture is all you really need. Over that is overkill
for the plant. So it's kind of weird to promote
(13:04):
a product says, don't use too much of it, but
just use enough and you will have the best harvest
you've ever had in your entire life.
Speaker 1 (13:10):
Talking about Jeff Tiepol, the website is wormville dot com.
He is It's worm gannigs, and he is our earthworm
castings or earthworm poop expert. Learn more about how to
do this. Hey, So you know it's probably a dumb question,
but so you're harvesting all of these worms, and obviously
you're harvesting the worms to sell for for fishing, and
(13:32):
then you're harvesting the earthworm castings. Do you also do
you collect eggs? I mean, how does that process work?
Speaker 3 (13:40):
It's a very interesting process. That's a great question. It's
a very interesting process because we bring we pull the
worms up with our big front end loaders lack of
better terms. We put them into a car wash with
no water. It tumbles everything. The worms come down one
area the castings on another that we sift the castings
out and we get the eggs slash cocoons, and we
(14:03):
have nine different levels of growing worms there from juveniles,
infants all the way with teenagers all the way up
to the time to go harvest. And uh, well I
just we jumped and they say, you know, we have
nine different levels. Okay, I love it. But then we
uh we separate them all. Then we just start the
process all over again, and nine months down the road
we harvest them. Then we do it all over again.
Speaker 1 (14:25):
So you're collecting your own eggs and the cocoons as
you're doing that that whole processing. Are there are there
are there diseases and other issues that can happen to
earth worms?
Speaker 3 (14:35):
Not really, I mean yeah, to answer, well, that's a
good question. We we have we've done this for so
long here. We've had situations where we've had to quarantine
some things over there, but we've learned over the course
of twenty thirty years how to control everything. So we
haven't had any problems over there, well over twenty years.
Speaker 1 (14:57):
Okay, so so so, Jeff, I'm curious, you know, when
we talk about earthworm castings and there are other companies
out there that have earthworm castings that are available. Is
there like a how do you know? What? Is there
a standard? How do you judge your earthworm castings? Obviously
I'm familiar with your product. I think you guys are excellent.
I think your top of the line. How do you
(15:18):
how do you? How do you? Is there a standard
that you have to follow earthworm castings?
Speaker 3 (15:23):
Well, it depends upon which state you're dealing with. Okay,
and let's don't go down that area right now. Okay, okay,
but now it's what I'm joking say that the one
thing you want to find out is what are you
feeding your worms?
Speaker 1 (15:37):
Right?
Speaker 3 (15:37):
And that's the number one thing is you know, like
I said, people take extra food, waste, they take manure,
they take all kind of stuff. Ours obviously you know
with the work with the corn solids here, we know
what our consistency is that there are other farms out there,
and God bless them to some great farms out there
and some very intelligent people doing it. But the number
(15:58):
one question is what when you feed the worms you're
gonna get You're gonna get out what you feed them.
So that's what makes our process, like I said, there's
a reason why all the major players out there. I'm
gonna throw out some names like Sungrow, Michigan, Peeks, Gosh,
(16:18):
a neutral Farm. Everybody buys from us because they have
seen the quality of our product, which is which gives
me a little bit of pride here. Absolutely, I appreciate
you let me share that with them, you know, because
they're great companies and were honored that they chose us
to be their supplier.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
So yeah, and again I've used your product. I'm very
familiar with it, and it's it's top of the liner's
no doubt about it. And again you can learn more
about it at wormville dot com. You can learn the
whole story and and what Jeff's talking about here. So
you know, benefit wise, again, you you've talked about all
the benefits. Did I read the other day? I was
trying to freshen up a little bit on on some
of the many benefits from earthworm castings that in some
(16:57):
respects they're also seeing that it could be a possible
well insect repellent when you use that in with your
mixes that. Have you learned more about that?
Speaker 3 (17:07):
Oh yeah, I've done some research on that as well.
We can't.
Speaker 1 (17:12):
Yes, I no, you don't label it that way.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
We can't label it legally, but you look at all
their research has been done by different universities and different places.
It does do that, but we cannot go out front
and actually put that on our claiming.
Speaker 1 (17:29):
Right.
Speaker 3 (17:29):
Yes, I mean I use worm casting because I do succulents.
I do all of that stuff around my guard here.
I'm never having insect problems whatsoever.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
See another one of the many better.
Speaker 3 (17:40):
I'll be careful not to get a federal employee on
me or something like that.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
So no, I get it, but I but again, I've
been reading and that came up in several conversations and
research that folks had done when they were using the
earthworm castings, that they were noticing that that was and
I know you can't put on the label, but that
that was happening as well. So just another many of
the many benefits that are out there for using earthworm castings.
And again, as Jeff has said, this is something when
(18:07):
you buy a bag of earthworm castings. It's not cheap,
there's no doubt about it, but it is something that
you add to your potting mixes. And I and again,
like you mentioned some of the companies there that are
potting soil manufacturers. They're adding that to their mixes. Now
you're seeing that a lot more as we see these
potting mixes come along, these top quality potting mixes having
earthworm castings added to them.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
Well, it's an honor that they will come over there
and they come to us. They take our product, they
test it right and left, and one hundred percent of
the time that come out and go, this is good
stuff here. And you know, we're honored that they would
take the time to inspect us and then they trials out.
Then all of a sudden, they're buying from us.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
Yep, no doubt. Talking with Jeff Teeple, wormville dot com
is their website. Do you have on the website? I
know you have a listing of where you can find
this all around the country for your worms. Did they
also have that for the worm castings?
Speaker 3 (19:05):
We have a little bit. It's interesting because we're in
every distributor in America buys from us, and they just
sometimes they don't want to give out their customer list.
Speaker 1 (19:14):
Got it, but just.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
Go to a lot of your mim and pop shops here.
We're not big into retailers yet they I'll we'll tell
you up front, they warn us, and at some point
we will actually start doing business with them. But we're
gonna do it when we can do it properly and
not just jump into it.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
Sure I get it. And if your local independent garden
center doesn't have it, check give them the website. Go
to wormville dot com and learn more about it real quick.
Got fifteen seconds green worms? How do you get green redworms?
Speaker 3 (19:49):
Green redworms grow until they turned red.
Speaker 1 (19:52):
I guess I just saw on your website. I think
they do that. Hey, Jeff, that was a great I
appreciate you and you spending time with us. Again. It's
wormville dot com. Thank you, sir, have a great day.
Speaker 3 (20:05):
It was an honor to be here.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
Thank you, ron H take it, take care. That's what
they have on your green redworms and they are green anyway.
Check it out. It's wormville dot com. And now you've
learned all about that. Now you know more about why
I say pamper your worms. They are very very important
as far as what's going on in your yard and garden.
(20:26):
Quick break, we come back. Phone lines are open for
you at eight hundred eight two three eight two, five, five,
Here in the garden with Ron Wilson.
Speaker 4 (20:40):
Landscaping made easier with your personal yard boy. He's hitting
the garden and he's Ron Wilson.
Welcome back here in the garden with Ron Wilson again
that toll free number eight hundred eight two three eight
two five five. Worm castings, as I call them, worm poop.
You hear more and more about them all the time.
Been around forever, right, but you know it's becoming more
and more a staple on the shelvings shlving shelves of
your local garden centers and all highly recommended organic gardeners
(00:23):
and all. What's so important about worm castings are worm poop?
And did you ever wonder what it takes to gather
up all these worm castings and worm poop so you
have enough to bag it up. Well, we've got the
guy who knows more about worm poop than worms know
about wormpoop. The website is wormville dot com. His name
is Jeff Teeple. Jeff, good morning, Good morning, Ron. Thank
(00:45):
you for having me on your show today. I really
appreciate it. You like talking about worm poop? And is
it okay that I call it wormpoop? Do I have
to say worm castings?
Speaker 2 (00:52):
No?
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Worm poop is just fine? Here? I'll jokingly say that's
the reason I'm still a single guy, Okay, because I
tell people I'll sell worm poop.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
I love it. I love it all right. First of all,
so folks understand what we're talking about, because there are
some folks I'm sure that have not seen war castings
out there. But you know, this is something that's been
coming on for a long time and really gaining popularity now.
But Earth Learned Castings really is worthroom poop, right.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Yes, it is. Ron It's interesting. You know, ten fifteen
years ago, nobody knew what this stuff was. I mean,
there were some government studies out there and some collegiate
items that just talked about this being the gold standard
for organic fertilizer or soil amendments depend upon your state.
There and slowly but surely, every year people find this product.
(01:44):
They put it into their potting soils about a twenty
five percent mixture, and they come up with the best
harvest they've ever had in their life. Here, the best flowers,
the best succulents. It's really a cool product because it works.
And I've and doing this. I've never had anybody ever
come back and say, Wow, this didn't work.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
Interesting, you know, and I know you don't listen to
our show, but at the end of a show every
every week. I say, one of the things I encourage
folks to do is go out and pamper your worms.
And I have that written on my truck because I've
always said, if you pamper your worms and your worms
are happy through all the things that they do, your
plants are going to be happy as well. And I
think they go hand in hand. So you know, I'm
(02:27):
all behind the earthworm castings because I agree with you
one hundred percent. So all right, so we're sold. It
sounds great and I've used it myself obviously, but we
love it. So what does it take? How do you?
I mean you know, so now folks are sitting there
trying to visualize. All right, so how do you come
up with all of this earthworm poop? What is the
(02:47):
process to go through this? And you guys, are you
the largest facility in the United States doing this?
Speaker 3 (02:54):
We may be the largest in the world, in the
world mighty bigger than us. We do all tobacco a
little bit here. We do all the fishing worms for
Walmart bass pro Capelas I mean, when you go by
fishing worms, there's a sixty five to seventy chance you
bought our worms. At any given time, we have between
(03:15):
one hundred and ten one hundred and thirty million worms growing,
which is hard to believe, but that's our farm out there.
And the best thing about worm castings there's a lot
of little worm farms out there, and God bless them,
they're all great. But it's all about what you feed
the worms. And worms will eat anything you give worms,
(03:36):
you know, manure, food, waste, I mean, they'll eat your shirt,
give them a chance. Here. The reason that people like
our product is that the only thing we feed our
worms is non GMO corn solids grown on site, no
chemicals whatsoever. So the worms are fed the same diet
each and every day, three sixty five a year. And
(04:00):
that the blessing part is that when the product comes
out here, we have the exact same product eats and
every time, which is wonderful.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
And then obviously this is organically rated OMRI rated, Oh yes,
and again it's corn silage that you grow on the property,
so you know exactly what you're feeding them. They all
get exactly the same thing. So that's how you can
say that it is a certified organic worm castings.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Oh yes, we're or OMINRI certified here We've gone through
every test you could ever imagine. Here. We are one
of only two companies that up in Canada. We receive
the excellent rating for our castings and we're kind of
proud of the fact that they kind of took us
to a very tough test and we walked away and
(04:49):
they were very happy with our product here. And there's
a reason why so many major players out there are
buying our product in bulk and putting it into their
product and make their product better.
Speaker 1 (05:01):
Talking with Jeff Teeple, he is their website and check
it out. It's wormville dot com. It's pretty easy, wormville
dot com. The name of the product is Wormgannic worm
Castings and you will find it at your locally owned
independent garden centers and other areas that sell earthworm casting
as well. And of course you'll find their earthworms, like
you said, all over the place. Again, just go to
(05:22):
the website you learn more about them wormville dot com.
So a million, one, one hundred and thirty million earthworms, uh,
and I'm assuming you have different types of earthworms that
do the verma composting here. What how big is the
facility that houses one hundred and thirty million earthworms.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
Thanks veryman. It's beyond kind of anybody's imagination. One that
come up there, they'll go look at it. We're about
fourteen acres undercover. We grow worms on oh concrete, there's
a lot of earth to really take care of what
we do. Our basic product is we have our own
(06:06):
peat bogs from down to Florida. We harvest our peat moss.
That's where we grow our worms on. And it takes
about a nine month process to go from being an
infant juvenile all the way up to the time where
it can they can become fishing. They go fishing, which
is the best way to say it. And we do
everything on site there. We package it, we label it.
(06:28):
It's a fascinating operation and once can take a look
at it, everybody have taken their walks away going wow,
somebody actually came up with this idea. The gentleman that
owns a farm same was Bruno. He came here from
France about forty years ago and he went and looked
around all the little worm farms and he saw there
(06:49):
was not a major player and he proceeded to develop
this own company himself here and it's just an amazing operation.
So when you go on line and look at you'll
see this big farm here and again it's like fourteen
acres undercover that we grow our worms in.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
And you're in Tennessee, correct.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
Yes, sir, we are in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains.
We're about two thousand feet above Nashville and Chattanooga up
on Monteagle Mountain and ye, I mean we have about
eight hundred acres up there and we process all the worms.
And the cool part is that after the worms have
lived in this peat malls for roughly nine months, we
(07:33):
separate the worms and they go to packaging and go fishing,
and we take the castings in the separate area. Then
we back them up in both one cubic foot bags
and eight court bags, and then of course we have
our big toads. Also we sell to corporations, but that's
how we kind of sell it.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
There you go talking with Jeff teebel Is from worm
Gannis a worm ganic earthworm casting. Go to the website
wormville dot com to learn more about them, or take
a break. We come back. We'll find out which earthworms
produce the most earthworm castings, what are they really good for?
And a lot, whole lot more Here in the garden
with Ron Wilson.
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Speaker 1 (09:37):
Welcome back here in the Garden with Ron Wilson. We're
talking wormpoop, earthwormcastings, and we've got the earthworm casting expert
with us this morning, Jeff Teeople from Wormganix. Go to
their website wormvil dot com. Wormville dot com. Great story there,
you can read all about it, learn more about it. So, Jeff,
you know when you're talking about you're raising these worms?
(09:58):
U you got what redworm? Nightcrawlers?
Speaker 3 (10:01):
All right?
Speaker 1 (10:01):
What different types of worms do you use?
Speaker 3 (10:04):
Uh, there're majority are red wigglers. They are the main
ones over there. We have been approached by the largest
retailer in the world as far as like doing their
night crawlers as well, and we're in the process of
kind of developing that, but most of their red wigglers
at the moment. And uh, it's it's kind of fun
because you go in there and if you see our process,
(10:29):
it's each row is about the size of a car
car lane and uh, if you put them all back
to back, they will go over two miles long.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
Jeez, that's a lot of worms.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
There's a lot of worms. And when you take your
hand and put it down in there and pull them
up here, you'll pull up about a thousand worms and
depend upon your gestation. If that creeps you out, some people.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
It does, but uh, don't tell me. Don't tell me
you taste one to make sure they're doing really well.
Speaker 3 (11:02):
Well. People have asked me that before, and I decided,
I said, no, I haven't tasted him quite yet. Okay,
maybe one day down the road here.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
All right, so well, let me ask you this. Then,
How in the world did Jeff Teble get involved in
earthworm castings?
Speaker 3 (11:18):
That's a very interesting question. Here. I had a person
that I knew that said, you need to come meet
Bruno who owns a farm. He has the biggest worm farm.
And I kind of hate to admit it. I kind
of blew him off for a while, but finally I
went up to the farm and I looked around and
it's research on castings, and it, like I said earlier,
(11:38):
it was the gold standard of fertilizers. And I saw
that he had mountains of this stuff here, and I said,
let's start bagging this. And he was like, well, okay,
give me a proposal, and long story short, we put
together proposal and he went out and bought a bagging machine.
And it was the funny little story was I said,
you know, let's start selling the stuff here. He goes,
(11:59):
I want and bought a bagging machine. Now you're gonna
start selling it. And I'm like, oh crap, I have
to start selling this stuff, for nobody has anything about so.
But uh, he was so he's such a great gentleman
and he just gave us time to grow. And as
I talked to him yesterday, fifteen years down the road,
people are falling in love with the product here, and
he just keeps growing every year. We grow about fifteen
(12:22):
twenty percent every year.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
I love it and it is great stuff. There's no
doubt about it. And it's uh, you know, and again
I'm assuming you know, I've never planned anything straight in
earthworm castings, but I'm assuming you could do that. But
he is a soil amendment, as a potting soil amendment,
absolutely outstanding.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
Well, you what you really want to do, Ron is uh,
I only use about a twenty five mixture because it's so
full of nights and when you pull it out, it
has a coffee type texture to it. There's no smell
at all, and you look at it and go, wow,
this is the rich stuff here. But a twenty twenty
mixture is all you really need. Over that is overkill
for the plant. So it's kind of weird to promote
(13:04):
a product says, don't use too much of it, but
just use enough and you will have the best harvest
you've ever had in your entire life.
Speaker 1 (13:10):
Talking about Jeff Tiepol, the website is wormville dot com.
He is It's worm gannigs, and he is our earthworm
castings or earthworm poop expert. Learn more about how to
do this. Hey, So you know it's probably a dumb question,
but so you're harvesting all of these worms, and obviously
you're harvesting the worms to sell for for fishing, and
(13:32):
then you're harvesting the earthworm castings. Do you also do
you collect eggs? I mean, how does that process work?
Speaker 3 (13:40):
It's a very interesting process. That's a great question. It's
a very interesting process because we bring we pull the
worms up with our big front end loaders lack of
better terms. We put them into a car wash with
no water. It tumbles everything. The worms come down one
area the castings on another that we sift the castings
out and we get the eggs slash cocoons, and we
(14:03):
have nine different levels of growing worms there from juveniles,
infants all the way with teenagers all the way up
to the time to go harvest. And uh, well I
just we jumped and they say, you know, we have
nine different levels. Okay, I love it. But then we
uh we separate them all. Then we just start the
process all over again, and nine months down the road
we harvest them. Then we do it all over again.
Speaker 1 (14:25):
So you're collecting your own eggs and the cocoons as
you're doing that that whole processing. Are there are there
are there diseases and other issues that can happen to
earth worms?
Speaker 3 (14:35):
Not really, I mean yeah, to answer, well, that's a
good question. We we have we've done this for so
long here. We've had situations where we've had to quarantine
some things over there, but we've learned over the course
of twenty thirty years how to control everything. So we
haven't had any problems over there, well over twenty years.
Speaker 1 (14:57):
Okay, so so so, Jeff, I'm curious, you know, when
we talk about earthworm castings and there are other companies
out there that have earthworm castings that are available. Is
there like a how do you know? What? Is there
a standard? How do you judge your earthworm castings? Obviously
I'm familiar with your product. I think you guys are excellent.
I think your top of the line. How do you
(15:18):
how do you? How do you? Is there a standard
that you have to follow earthworm castings?
Speaker 3 (15:23):
Well, it depends upon which state you're dealing with. Okay,
and let's don't go down that area right now. Okay, okay,
but now it's what I'm joking say that the one
thing you want to find out is what are you
feeding your worms?
Speaker 1 (15:37):
Right?
Speaker 3 (15:37):
And that's the number one thing is you know, like
I said, people take extra food, waste, they take manure,
they take all kind of stuff. Ours obviously you know
with the work with the corn solids here, we know
what our consistency is that there are other farms out there,
and God bless them to some great farms out there
and some very intelligent people doing it. But the number
(15:58):
one question is what when you feed the worms you're
gonna get You're gonna get out what you feed them.
So that's what makes our process, like I said, there's
a reason why all the major players out there. I'm
gonna throw out some names like Sungrow, Michigan, Peeks, Gosh,
(16:18):
a neutral Farm. Everybody buys from us because they have
seen the quality of our product, which is which gives
me a little bit of pride here. Absolutely, I appreciate
you let me share that with them, you know, because
they're great companies and were honored that they chose us
to be their supplier.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
So yeah, and again I've used your product. I'm very
familiar with it, and it's it's top of the liner's
no doubt about it. And again you can learn more
about it at wormville dot com. You can learn the
whole story and and what Jeff's talking about here. So
you know, benefit wise, again, you you've talked about all
the benefits. Did I read the other day? I was
trying to freshen up a little bit on on some
of the many benefits from earthworm castings that in some
(16:57):
respects they're also seeing that it could be a possible
well insect repellent when you use that in with your
mixes that. Have you learned more about that?
Speaker 3 (17:07):
Oh yeah, I've done some research on that as well.
We can't.
Speaker 1 (17:12):
Yes, I no, you don't label it that way.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
We can't label it legally, but you look at all
their research has been done by different universities and different places.
It does do that, but we cannot go out front
and actually put that on our claiming.
Speaker 1 (17:29):
Right.
Speaker 3 (17:29):
Yes, I mean I use worm casting because I do succulents.
I do all of that stuff around my guard here.
I'm never having insect problems whatsoever.
Speaker 1 (17:38):
See another one of the many better.
Speaker 3 (17:40):
I'll be careful not to get a federal employee on
me or something like that.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
So no, I get it, but I but again, I've
been reading and that came up in several conversations and
research that folks had done when they were using the
earthworm castings, that they were noticing that that was and
I know you can't put on the label, but that
that was happening as well. So just another many of
the many benefits that are out there for using earthworm castings.
And again, as Jeff has said, this is something when
(18:07):
you buy a bag of earthworm castings. It's not cheap,
there's no doubt about it, but it is something that
you add to your potting mixes. And I and again,
like you mentioned some of the companies there that are
potting soil manufacturers. They're adding that to their mixes. Now
you're seeing that a lot more as we see these
potting mixes come along, these top quality potting mixes having
earthworm castings added to them.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
Well, it's an honor that they will come over there
and they come to us. They take our product, they
test it right and left, and one hundred percent of
the time that come out and go, this is good
stuff here. And you know, we're honored that they would
take the time to inspect us and then they trials out.
Then all of a sudden, they're buying from us.
Speaker 1 (18:49):
Yep, no doubt. Talking with Jeff Teeple, wormville dot com
is their website. Do you have on the website? I
know you have a listing of where you can find
this all around the country for your worms. Did they
also have that for the worm castings?
Speaker 3 (19:05):
We have a little bit. It's interesting because we're in
every distributor in America buys from us, and they just
sometimes they don't want to give out their customer list.
Speaker 1 (19:14):
Got it, but just.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
Go to a lot of your mim and pop shops here.
We're not big into retailers yet they I'll we'll tell
you up front, they warn us, and at some point
we will actually start doing business with them. But we're
gonna do it when we can do it properly and
not just jump into it.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
Sure I get it. And if your local independent garden
center doesn't have it, check give them the website. Go
to wormville dot com and learn more about it real quick.
Got fifteen seconds green worms? How do you get green redworms?
Speaker 3 (19:49):
Green redworms grow until they turned red.
Speaker 1 (19:52):
I guess I just saw on your website. I think
they do that. Hey, Jeff, that was a great I
appreciate you and you spending time with us. Again. It's
wormville dot com. Thank you, sir, have a great day.
Speaker 3 (20:05):
It was an honor to be here.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
Thank you, ron H take it, take care. That's what
they have on your green redworms and they are green anyway.
Check it out. It's wormville dot com. And now you've
learned all about that. Now you know more about why
I say pamper your worms. They are very very important
as far as what's going on in your yard and garden.
(20:26):
Quick break, we come back. Phone lines are open for
you at eight hundred eight two three eight two, five, five,
Here in the garden with Ron Wilson.
Speaker 4 (20:40):
Landscaping made easier with your personal yard boy. He's hitting
the garden and he's Ron Wilson.
In The Garden with Ron Wilson News
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