Composting has long been considered an activity reserved for residents of houses with yards and gardens.
Not anymore.
Lynsey Dobbie, a horticulturist with urban agriculture group City Farmer, said residents of smaller homes, townhouses and apartment buildings are increasingly turning to composting as a way of disposing of their yard waste and food scraps.
She will lead a workshop in Port Moody this weekend teaching people how to cleanly process their organics with nothing but a handful of worms, a large bin and a bit of time and patience. It may be especially popular with residents of multi-family housing.
Worms are crucial to multi-family composting, she explained, with the slimy invertebrates capable of processing one pound of food waste every couple of days. A properly managed bin can produce enough nutrient-rich soil for any home garden while limiting smells emanating from the compost.
Dobbie has taught the one-hour workshop several times and said she is amazed at how quickly people start to appreciate digging in the dirt and playing with the worms.
"People who come along to the class really enjoy it," she said. "I think it is a bit of a novelty to think that your food is going to get eaten by worms. People think about them almost as pets."
Dobbie goes over the biology of the worms and people who participate in the workshop are sent home with a worm starter kit, giving them all the tools they need to launch their own compost.
Julie Pavey, Port Moody's manager of parks and environmental services, said worm workshop is part of the city's plans to help reduce the volume of waste heading to the region's landfill.
"They city looks at this as a tool we can use to help divert solid waste," she said. "It provides an opportunity to reuse organics at the home level."
The workshop takes place Saturday, April 21 from 11 a.m. to noon. The cost is $35 per person(plus tax), which includes the lesson and a worm starter kit valued at $50.
People can register at the Port Moody recreation complex by calling 604-469-4556 or by going to www.portmoody.ca/signmeup.
WORM COMPOSTING STEPS
Start with ready-made bin with lid, air and drain holes.
Make the bedding with shredded newspaper, straw or leaves and a handful of sand or soil.
Dampen the bedding with water and add the worms.
Collect kitchen scraps and add the waste in corner of the bin and work around the bin.
Cover the food each time.
When the bin is mostly compost it is time to harvest the soil.
Collect the compost from the top and put the worms back in the bin with fresh bedding.
