Lowliest creature is highly important
To call someone a worm tends to suggest that they are a person lacking moral fibre, a low-life of no great value, which seems pretty unfair to this humble unsung hero of the soil.
Earthworms till, separate and fertilise the soil, breaking down organic waste into plant-available forms, improving the soil structure and the nutrient and water-holding qualities of soil.
Earthworms eat organic waste and provide healthy soil and organic fertiliser in return. As worms move through soil and decaying organic matter they ingest and aerate, depositing castings as they go. These castings are rich in nutrients and beneficial soil organisms.
A worm’s gut contains enzymes and masses of bacteria and microbes And everything that passes through the gut of an earthworm is coated with these beneficial microbes and bacteria. It’s these microbes which play a major role in determining soil fertility. Researchers have identified and named thousands of distinct species of earthworm, but only about six have been identified as useful in what is known as vermiculture systems. Luckily this obliging super six can tolerate a wide range of environmental conditions, unaffected by handling or the disruption of their habitat. These creatures have great names like red wrigglers, tiger worms, manure worms and the athletic-sounding Alabama jumper — not native to these parts.
Now, one group of West Cork farmers has recognised the potential in harvesting the benefits these creatures can provide. They have formed the Celtic Worm Company Ltd as a way of diversifying at a time when the farming and rural communities are under considerable strain. The group has introduced a range of Celtic Gold wormcast products for farms and gardens, produced by the specially bred West Cork Tiger worm. Tara Duggan, who is studying the benefits of wormcast for her PhD at UCC, says: “These days people want to grow food for the table that is free from chemicals, but they don’t want to pay the earth to do it. This wormcast range can provide a great way to do it, while supporting rural Irish families and farm diversification. It really is worth its weight in gold.”
“Families are all involved in the business, ” says Richard Harrington, a farmer from Coomhola who was involved in setting up the Celtic Worm Company. “We see it as a way to keep young people in the area instead of them having to leave to find work in cities or abroad.
“All of the farmers who are involved in the collective are very supportive.
“Even with the most difficult few years in farming on record, local families here have dug deep to find the finances needed to take the worm farming to an industrial level.”
CEO, farmer and founder Dan Grubert, adds: “We already have commitments from over 20 garden centres in the Cork area. They have all been very supportive of a local company, a success story in the hard times.”
Television and radio gardening personality Peter Dowdall trialled the products at his gardens at Dunsland, Carrigaline, and has become an enthusiastic spokesperson for the company and its Celtic Gold products. Peter believes using these wormcast products can produce dramatic results. He told me about his findings.
*I believe that you had great results at Dunsland, Peter?
>>“Yes definitely. Plants, shrubs hedges, trees and lawns all benefited. The result of these products in your garden is like putting a spoon of yoghurt into the soil. It stimulates the beneficial microbes already in the soil and because the worm castings are high in microbial life they convert nutrients already present in the soil into plant available forms.”
*What did you think of their set-up when you visited?
>>“I did and they have a fantastic set-up. That’s what made me interested in becoming more involved. And the fact that we are supporting the local farming community by using their products is a hugely important factor for me of course. But first and foremost, as a gardener, what convinced me is that these products improve the garden in a very natural way. Worm castings provide the best possible atmosphere for optimum growth.”
*So how does the system work?
>>“The members collect the farmyard waste in special containers — it could be cow, horse or pig which is compacted and fed to the worms who eventually recycle it and produce worm castings. Of course, this is done on an industrial scale and this year, the company are expanding with a whole new range of products. This is the first time I have endorsed something by the way. Worms were sacred in ancient Egypt and now I can see why.”
* Are there other uses for wormcast-based products other than farm and garden? >>“Lots! Commercial vegetable production, top dressing for houseplants, custom potting mixes, golf courses. Another advantage is that worm castings are an effective way to repel white flies, aphids and spider mites, in fact, any pest that feeds on plant juices. Studies have shown that applying earthworm castings to the soil around your plants increases the production of a certain enzyme that repels them. The worms are definitely our unsung heroes.”
