FWIW, I can vouch for the "Can-O-Worms" vermicompost bins, I bought 3 of them a few years ago and they work well for indoor bins in small spaces. They are very well designed, but I wish the holes from one level to the next were a bit larger in size.
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FWIW, I can vouch for the "Can-O-Worms" vermicompost bins, I bought 3 of them a few years ago and they work well for indoor bins in small spaces. They are very well designed, but I wish the holes from one level to the next were a bit larger in size.
C
CT Guy
Ugh....just wrote a long response and then Safari closed on me and I lost it!!!!
Quick version:
1. Marwest is a good compost in my opinion if you're in that area for a local source.
2. Also looked at Diestel Turkey Farm's "Root Force" if you're near San Fran. It had excellent fungal hyphae, it was quite shocking to me the amount of microbial life it supported. Well worth the price if you're in that area.
3. Yelm's EWC is okay, but they have been known to cut corners or do what it takes to make a quick buck from my experience. I don't fully trust them based on my own interactions with them. That's not to say their EWC is bad, I know MM has tested it. It's more my own opinion of the owners. Not sure if they're selling Acadian or some local bull kelp that may not be as good as the N. Atlantic Sea Kelp. They do feed their worms manures.
Another WA option is Kitsap EZ Earth.
http://kitsapezearth.com/wp/
I looked at their EWC and it came back fine. They don't feed their worms any manures (which is nice for the vegans or those who don't want to risk any pathogens in their teas). Would be carrying their product ourselves if we could have agreed on a suitable quantity and bulk price (they weren't setup to sell wholesale by the yard is all).
Hope that helps,
CT
S
schwagg
CT, thanks for that link. did you look at the sifted or unsifted?
C
CT Guy
Can't remember....90% sure it was sifted, but I had been trying to get the unsifted for our purposes. From their website, it looks like they do good work by hiring people with disabilities. Holly James was the person I talked to.
C
CT Guy
Been slowly working my way through Spurr's links....lot of info! Thanks for sharing!
Marwest is the best local compost $$$ can buy IMO. I use it,I love it,my plants love it....and I'm no Matt Rize.....just a farmer.
I'm over Yelm's EWC...JUNK!
The kelp product I purchased looks good....looks like it'll go a long way if I ever need it.
Thanks all for the plethora of valuable info. here in this thread.
One thing I checked is that the mushroom compost had been steamed rather than treated. This area is terrible for finding quality compost. One other choice was steaming away, another has fresh sawdust mixed in. Once I get set up, I'll provide a good alternative.
Capt: What's the problem with Yelm's castings? I did look at their mix several years ago and it seemed okay.
Capt: What's the problem with Yelm's castings? I did look at their mix several years ago and it seemed okay.
They are using a lot of "filler" now....like CT said,they seem to be geared towards profit rather than quality.......Not so good now...I could grab a bag and save it. Mostly inert material not so many EWC's....hardly any actually. And that's not the worst of the local area...there is much worse. If they slapped a pic of a naked chick on the bag....that's how bad it is.
Capt
Hmmmm.... Did you see it different previously? Are you comparing it to pure castings? I believe that pure castings which present as granular looking, are usually from African or European worms. The Red Wrigglers (which Yelm has) produce either a gooey mass of castings which is pretty much humus or a mix of this and some partially digested material (which is referred to as vermicompost). I do not know if Yelm was selling straight castings but the stuff I looked at was a blend of vermicompost and thermophilic compost. They call this Barefoot Soil or something like that.
If someone is selling pure castings from Red Wrigglers with that granular appearance, they are either bullshitting or drying out the matter too much or it is a new one on me.
Hmmmm.... Did you see it different previously? Are you comparing it to pure castings? I believe that pure castings which present as granular looking, are usually from African or European worms. The Red Wrigglers (which Yelm has) produce either a gooey mass of castings which is pretty much humus or a mix of this and some partially digested material (which is referred to as vermicompost). I do not know if Yelm was selling straight castings but the stuff I looked at was a blend of vermicompost and thermophilic compost. They call this Barefoot Soil or something like that.
If someone is selling pure castings from Red Wrigglers with that granular appearance, they are either bullshitting or drying out the matter too much or it is a new one on me.
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I'm wondering if there is some difference of opinion regarding what good castings are. If amount of filler is the standard rather than the microbial activity, then we are comparing apples and oranges, in a way. Marwest's castings and Mega Worm are really pure castings - Marwest actually lists an n-p-k on theirs
With that in mind, there is the other local brand that is obviously cut, but a much better deal for cut castings, the 4 Corners out of Castle Rock WA.
MM, have you tested the activity of this brand?
With that in mind, there is the other local brand that is obviously cut, but a much better deal for cut castings, the 4 Corners out of Castle Rock WA.
MM, have you tested the activity of this brand?
I've not looked at these. What bearing does NPK have?
4-Corners
4-Corners
RE: 4-Corners
Back in the 1980's when Fox Farms was just a hope and dream at the folks at the parent company, United Fertilizer, there was a local soil in Oregon called 'Black Gold' and later that brand was sold to Sun Gro Horticulture (Sunshine Mix company). The father and son that owned Black Gold kept their packing equipment and went on to other projects.
Now they're a small packer for many products. For example the pumice that is mined in Klamath River basin area and the other big mine over near Redmond, Oregon take their crushed pumice (sized) and he packs this product in 1 c.f. bags.
Same with the Alaska Humus deal - it's brought in to the 'lower 48' in 1 c.y. totes and he packs this product for EarthFort, et al.
The 4-Corners EWC product is not produced by these fellows - they buy on the spot-market in Oregon & Washington and price is the overriding consideration = really, piss-poor castings. You would be better off using the organic Alaska Peat product from Concentrates vs. using 4-Corners EWC.
I'll stay out of the Yelm's discussion. I've used them. I promoted them. I do not use or promote them for several reasons any longer.
HTH
CC
4-Corners
RE: 4-Corners
Back in the 1980's when Fox Farms was just a hope and dream at the folks at the parent company, United Fertilizer, there was a local soil in Oregon called 'Black Gold' and later that brand was sold to Sun Gro Horticulture (Sunshine Mix company). The father and son that owned Black Gold kept their packing equipment and went on to other projects.
Now they're a small packer for many products. For example the pumice that is mined in Klamath River basin area and the other big mine over near Redmond, Oregon take their crushed pumice (sized) and he packs this product in 1 c.f. bags.
Same with the Alaska Humus deal - it's brought in to the 'lower 48' in 1 c.y. totes and he packs this product for EarthFort, et al.
The 4-Corners EWC product is not produced by these fellows - they buy on the spot-market in Oregon & Washington and price is the overriding consideration = really, piss-poor castings. You would be better off using the organic Alaska Peat product from Concentrates vs. using 4-Corners EWC.
I'll stay out of the Yelm's discussion. I've used them. I promoted them. I do not use or promote them for several reasons any longer.
HTH
CC
They call this Barefoot Soil or something like that.
Yes....but that's what we get. $12 a bag that's not even a cubic foot. Just doesn't cut the mustard as far as what I expect from a product that should be much more than that.....I utilize things in the purest forms. I have switched up to a product of what you describe as "granular" ...which are pure castings....they work WAY better!! And yes I have noticed a difference in the overall material of Yelms as it has changed throughout my experience with that "bag"......just didn't cut it...too much inert "filler" to bulk up the bag..Lame.
Yes....but that's what we get. $12 a bag that's not even a cubic foot. Just doesn't cut the mustard as far as what I expect from a product that should be much more than that.....I utilize things in the purest forms. I have switched up to a product of what you describe as "granular" ...which are pure castings....they work WAY better!! And yes I have noticed a difference in the overall material of Yelms as it has changed throughout my experience with that "bag"......just didn't cut it...too much inert "filler" to bulk up the bag..Lame.
Yelm's EWC
Yelm's EWC
Up until about 15 months ago, Yelm's EWC cost around $11.00 per c.f. at Concentrates. That had been the price for 2 or 3 years prior.
One day I went into Concentrates to buy some products and the owner told me that Yelm's had changed their packaging - instead of a 1 c.f. pack it was now in a 12 quart pack - with a price of $12.00 - i.e. $1.00 per quart meaning that 1 c.f. was now going to cost $30.00 for 1 c.f.
A few weeks later I had an opportunity to talk with the owner of Yelm's and I asked about the price increase and he explained it away with some talk about using a bio-degradable plastic that allows the EWC product breathe or something like that.
The price increase absolutely blew me away.
CC
Yelm's EWC
Up until about 15 months ago, Yelm's EWC cost around $11.00 per c.f. at Concentrates. That had been the price for 2 or 3 years prior.
One day I went into Concentrates to buy some products and the owner told me that Yelm's had changed their packaging - instead of a 1 c.f. pack it was now in a 12 quart pack - with a price of $12.00 - i.e. $1.00 per quart meaning that 1 c.f. was now going to cost $30.00 for 1 c.f.
A few weeks later I had an opportunity to talk with the owner of Yelm's and I asked about the price increase and he explained it away with some talk about using a bio-degradable plastic that allows the EWC product breathe or something like that.
The price increase absolutely blew me away.
CC
I'm confused, is Marwest compost of vermicompost?
FWIW, the most common EWC on the east coast at hydro stores is Wiggle Worm, from Florida, and has a lot of sand in it. I'm pretty sure it's added afterward to increase the weight of the bag as filler I assume, ripping people off...that stuff is a lamest EWC I have ever purchased.
I can't add anymore "filler" to my soil......
CC1
Immediately before you cross the Columbia River on 1-205 if you were to take a specific exit and travel less than 7 miles east and then north about 2 miles, would that be too far 'out of route' for you to take to get EWC from a 'worm genius' for about $2.00 per gallon?
Let me know and I'll send you the info. I do not want to have this vendor run out of product - heh.
CC
Immediately before you cross the Columbia River on 1-205 if you were to take a specific exit and travel less than 7 miles east and then north about 2 miles, would that be too far 'out of route' for you to take to get EWC from a 'worm genius' for about $2.00 per gallon?
Let me know and I'll send you the info. I do not want to have this vendor run out of product - heh.
CC
You told me this once before....PM me to send specific directions...very interested as I have been for ...well...a while.
Done. Did. Finis. Ovah.
