Interview with Gary Turner

Gary Turner

Gary Turner and his wife, Kathy, live in Anderson, Texas.  They manage their many responsibilities including taking care of their place.  The Turners raise rabbits, ducks, and big, beautiful vegetables in an organic garden.   I cannot say enough good things about this family.  They work tirelessly to spread God’s word in Vacation Bible School, adult and children’s Sunday school classes, and mission trips.  The Turners recently returned from Belize.

While conversing with Gary, one thing becomes apparent which makes him unique from most people.  This man has a passion for worms.  I know this might sound weird, but hang in there.  Worm composting is fun and interesting.  Learn to reduce the amount of household waste taken to landfills and increase your soil quality all at the same time.  Below is part one of the interview I had with Gary Turner about his passion: worm composting.

First of all, Gary, I want to thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to have this interview.  Let’s begin.  What is vermicomposting?
This is a fancy word for using earthworms to convert waste into nutrient-rich humus. Basically, it’s a process of creating a bed that worms can live in, of feeding the worms, and of harvesting their black castings for gardening purposes.

How long have you been composting with worms?
My dad did when I was a kid.  He used 5 gallon buckets.  I began in 1994 in Pennsylvania when my wife, Kathy, and I had so many leaves we didn’t know what to do with all of them.  After moving back to Texas in 2001, I started my bins here.

How did you get started in vermicomposting?
A big help was attending a seminar at Texas A&M in 2002.  Several people there, including Dr. Joe Novak, are leaders in natural gardening.  I learned more about what can be done to protect worms down in this long, hot Texas summer.  I’d like to help other people get started and they can email me at turnertrainer@aol.com with questions or requests.

What advice can you give to people just starting out with their worm farms?
Jump into information with both feet.  See your County Extension Agent or local Master Gardener club for information.  Find someone who raises worms and see how they do it in your area.  Buy a book on it.  My son Jason gave me Worms Eat My Garbage by Mary Appelhof many years ago for Christmas.  I’ve eagerly read it three times and refer to it often.

What  is an absolute no-no?
I’ve put ground citrus peels in the bins and poison bait to drive away fire ants.  These have not killed the worms, yet eliminated the ants.  However, do NOT put plastics, rubber, glass, or non-biodegradable material in the bin.  It will make your bin a mess.  Also, do not put dog or cat feces in the bin.  The worms cannot eliminate the toxins in the feces and they can later contaminate humans.

What kind of worms are best to use and why?
I’ve had the best results with the red wigglers (Eisenia fetida).  They eat a large amount of decaying leaves (even our tough oak leaves) and multiply quickly.  With good care I think they can double in population every month.

Can anyone raise worms regardless of where they live?
I think so.  I’m amazed, despite the heat in Cuba, about the amount of worm composting done on such a big scale there.  Also, many Canadians are very active, despite the cold of winter, in raising worms on a huge scale.  I also know people in small apartments who find the space, under beds, on window sills, or elsewhere to compose their scraps.

Today Americans are trying to live more green.  How does worm composting fit into this desire?
Recycling helps us live more green.  A part of recycling is composting.  I feel that worm composting is much more effective than traditional composting.  In nature there is no waste, but a continuous process of using the energy that is created in another form.  As human beings, we need to use that which is available to create another form.

How does vermicomposting impact the environment?
Approximately 60% of what goes to garbage dumps is bio-degradable.  This includes kitchen scraps, lawn clippings, leaves, paper, and cardboard.  Worms can effectively change these to nitrogen-rich castings, although the paper and cardboard needs to be shredded.

I think this is a good place to stop for today.  Tomorrow I will post part two of my interview with Gary Turner and allow time for this information to sink in.  Look in your kitchen trash can today and see all the items you are throwing away that could be enriching your yard and garden instead.  Look at all the trash that could be eaten and turned into rich soil instead of sitting in a landfill.  I don’t know about you, but the amount amazed me before I started composting with worms.

To continue to “Worm Composting Interview, Part Two,” click here.

Tags: castings, Green Living, interview, organic gardening, red wiggler worms, vermicomposting, worm farms

This entry was posted on Monday, April 20th, 2009 at 7:42 am and is filed under Gardening, Green Living, Homesteading. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.