Mary Appelhof, the Worm Woman of Kalamazoo, and an international authority and lecturer on small-scale vermicomposting (composting with worms), will make her first public appearance in California at San Francisco's Exploratorium on Saturday March 5. Appelhof is credited with helping to launch the worm box movement. From apartments in Manhattan highrises to Berkeley backyards, her research and development of techniques for using redworms to convert organic kitchen waste to humus to support plant growth is now widespread. This event is free with museum admission.
The unique aspect of Applehof's technique is to process organic waste on-site in the home in a worm box. For example, give a worm a corn cob and the worms dine in the dark, pithy center. The cob turns into soft brown tubes which readily crumble in your hand after just a few weeks. But throw an ear of corn into a landfill site and 25 years later the corn of cob still looks good enough to eat! That's why it's important to feed organic garbage to the worms. Appelhof will lecture at 1pm and 3pm. A booksigning takes place at 2pm.
For children, Wiggle E. Worm and the Detritivores will perform their musical comedy skit for Worm Day at 1:50pm. The human-sized Wiggle E. Worm will also be on hand at the children's coloring table, where each child will get a chance to color and take home a humorous and informative booklet about worm composting.
Mary Applehof is a biologist and educator. Her book Worms Eat My Garbage is now in its ninth printing after publication eleven years ago. It is considered the "bible" of vermicomposting. Recyclers, teachers and community composting programs use her book as a text for how to compost organic waste at home. Applehof directed worm composting projects for the National Center for Appropriate Technology and the National Science Foundation. So unplug your garbage disposals and learn how to feed organic garbage to the worms.
Additional events being offered by the Exploratorium on Worm Day, March 5 are:
For more information on the Teacher Workshop (only) with Mary Applehof call the Exploratorium at (415) 561-0372
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Black and white photos available
CONTACT: LINDA DACKMAN (415) 563-7337