Do Worms Like Grain?

[sinkas]

That's a bloody funny post Trent
I dont think I would put a whole brew's worth of grain into my worm farm, its too much and will rot and stick, but maybe a inch think or so,for the rest, dig a hole in the garden, and bury.

 

[sah]

My compost worms haven't had any trouble taking care of small amounts of grain (from steeping). I'm taking it slowly with giving them bigger doses and I'm not covering the whole surface of their bin so that they've room to escape if they need to.

I agree the last thing you want are a couple of thousand dead worms. I've had this happen a couple of times. Yuk

Scott

 

[wessmith]

Guys, the trick maybe that we dont actually have a worm farm. Rather we tossed some Kangaloon Reds (local verms) into our compost bins and proceeded from there. Any compost bin needs to be turned over regularly and that is what we do. Excess cat food, meal leftovers with meat, all citris peels (a lot) no problem. We simply take a "starter" from the current bin and put it in the new bin along with some new "gloop". This may be kitchen waste or brewing trub.

Wes

 

[Screwtop]

Commercial breweries truck it off for cow fodder, Bovines love it. Mine goes into the compost bin with other scraps and add a little lime and blood and bone occasionally, The compost bin is a hive of activity with worms, maggots of the vinegar fly, slaters etc. Pretty healthy way to decompose almost any previously living material into food for the next generation. Go for it!

 

[JasonY]

I add it to mine although only a few kgs (wet and cooled) at a time. I also tend to mix it in a bit as it can get a bit smelly.

 

[sah]

Don't let the vinegar flies get near your wort, I understand they carry of lacto bacillus.

I have a slops jar that I sometimes forget to put the lid on or empty a couple of days after the vinegar flies and cockroaches have had their fun it smells very sour and rancid. If I pop the lid on though it seems to last for quite a while without developing the said "boquet". I do try and keep it empty though

Scott

 

[Tony]

someone mentioned adding the spent grain to compost.

I was digging my grain into the roas garden and the dloody things stopped growing and flowering!!!

i do know most plants like neutral soil and with the ph of a mash being around the 5 mark would this be making the soil acidic?

would adding it to the compost do the same thing and burn the vegies roots when i dig it in to the garden?

i dont have a soil pH tester....... i spent all my money on one for the beer

just food for thought. any comments, im interested on this one.

cheers

 

[Gerard_M]

BTW, have you ever noticed how the worms know when rain is coming? They congregate around the top of the bin lids in their hundreds. Beats the BOM forecast!

Wes

[post="125148"][/post]​

Wes
You really need to get Foxtel. Not that their weather channel is that great, it may just offer an alternative to watching the worms in the compost bin!
Cheers
Gerard
No affiliation with Foxtel or Rupert Murdoch unfortunately

 

[JasonY]

would adding it to the compost do the same thing and burn the vegies roots when i dig it in to the garden?
cheers

[post="125213"][/post]​

I guess there is potential but the mash ph should rise as you sparge although I guess it is likely still acidic. I always chuck a bit of dolamite lime in when I give them a good bunch of stuff to eat. I was told they (worms) aren't that keen on acid stuff.

 

[wessmith]

Gerard, whats Foxtel? We have possumcam out here in the sticks but Foxtel? something to do with Foxes??

Wes

 

[wessmith]

JasonY,

The spent grist very quickly forms a lactobacillus factory and the pH will drop quite low. Lime is a good thing but we have never seen the worms die off here. As I said we have been doing it for the past 8 years. Could be a balance with all the other food scraps we put in. And maybe the strain of worm is a factor - I will have to go and another look this evening instead of watching the BOM forecast (just to Gerard happy!)

Wes

 

[Chilled]

I've added two lots of grain to my worm farm. At first, like Trent, I thought I had killed the little buggers. But a second look a week later, and they appeared to be fine. Added a second lot of grain and I reckon the worm numbers have doubled. I think they are waiting for the remaining wort to ferment so they can get drunk . I do let the grain cool overnight befor adding to the farm.

C

 

[Gerard_M]

When I was at Paddy's we had a farmer coming up from Goulburn to take away the spent grain. Her cows loved it warm straight out the trailer. It shows how bad the drought is that someone will tow a trailer that far to get some feed. She now gets the spent grain from Richard at the Wig & Pen as it is a shorter trip & they brew more often than Paddy's.
The guys at James Ruse Ag college take the grain from Paddy's now, and what doesn't get used as feed goes into the compost heap.
Two summers ago we used about 600kgs of spent grain to topdress the backyard at my Dad's house. It really works great, and his lawn has never looked so good.

Gerard, whats Foxtel? We have possumcam out here in the sticks but Foxtel? something to do with Foxes??
Wes

[post="125249"][/post]​

Now the thing is that Wes isn't joking as he has told me before about Possums checking out his sercurity cameras. While Foxtel may help Wes, it is a bit of a worry when you have 64 channels & Hogan's Heros is the best show on!

This thread has created enough interest from the worm farmers & compost heapers to start a new forum.
www.aussiecompost.com.au
"We really know our sh!t!"

Cheers
Gerard

 

[Batz]

I had a couple of goats here till I found out what it's like to have a couple of goats :angry:

Anyway they loved the spent grain,they loved most things in fact.

Batz

 

[jayse]

I had a couple of goats here till I found out what it's like to have a couple of goats :angry:

Anyway they loved the spent grain,they loved most things in fact.

Batz

[post="125307"][/post]​

This sounds like a major drama batz, if they ate the 'hops' h34r: i would have roasted them.

About time we had a batty visit in chat by the way.
Jayse

 

[warrenlw63]

they loved most things in fact.

Batz

[post="125307"][/post]​

Keep it clean. h34r:

Warren -