Creepy Crawlies
Composting 101: Let Worms Eat Your Garbage!
April 13, 2009
Do your kids love dirt and worms? Are you looking for an eco-friendly family project to celebrate Earth Day? I have the perfect idea for you. Try vermicomposting with your kids.
Vermicomposting is the process of using worms to eat your kitchen garbage and turn it into nutrient-right compost material for your garden. The traditional composting process can be a bit intimidating, but vermicomposting is an inexpensive, straightforward process that any family can do (no matter how much space you have).
In order to get started vermicomposting, you need three things: red wiggler worms, a home for your new "pets," and the right kind of kitchen scraps. Red wiggler worms are available from a variety of suppliers. Check out the Urban Worm Girl for worms and other supplies. You can buy a "wormerie" or make your own. We use plastic bins with holes drilled in the lid. We added slightly damp, shredded paper and the worms along with some of the dirt they came with. We feed them kitchen waste including coffee grinds, fruit and vegetable scraps and eggshells. In a few months, we will have compost ready to sprinkle on our garden!
If you are looking for help getting your vermicomposting bin started, check out the upcoming "Fabulous Fertilizers" workshop at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum on April 18th.
For more details and additional local resources, check out my article in the April issue of Chicago Parent Magazine .
Read more...
Guest Post: Spring Into Green!
February 27, 2009
I am excited to welcome Lindsay Maldonado, Programs Director at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum as a guest author today. Lindsay grew up in Chicago’s Lakeview Neighborhood and as a kid in the city was lucky enough to find her own nature sanctuary in her grandparent’s backyard. Her family was the first to teach her to appreciate nature and now, with a Masters in child development and a growing career in Environmental Education, she can share her love and appreciation for all things green. As the Coordinator of Family and Children’s Programs at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum Lindsay has the opportunity to connect some of the youngest minds to nature. She prides herself in being an educator, a lover of nature, and most of all is proud to be a life long learner.
Guest Post: Spring Into Green!
February 27, 2009
I am excited to welcome Lindsay Maldonado, Programs Director at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum as a guest author today. Lindsay grew up in Chicago’s Lakeview Neighborhood and as a kid in the city was lucky enough to find her own nature sanctuary in her grandparent’s backyard. Her family was the first to teach her to appreciate nature and now, with a Masters in child development and a growing career in Environmental Education, she can share her love and appreciation for all things green. As the Coordinator of Family and Children’s Programs at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum Lindsay has the opportunity to connect some of the youngest minds to nature. She prides herself in being an educator, a lover of nature, and most of all is proud to be a life long learner.
A Few Fun Ideas for Halloween Dinner
October 31, 2008
Do you have something special planned for dinner tonight after all of the trick-or-treating fun has been had? Your little ghosts and goblins will surely be hungry and I think that Halloween night is the perfect time to share some "fun food" for dinner. Here are a few clever ideas that I have come across while trying to plan our Halloween Read more...
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