Project Worm Farm: Vermicomposting

We're moving out of the kitchen (yes, I actually leave the kitchen!) and into the realm of one of many projects I am currently working on. I can hear you now, "This I have to see." Your wish is my command, oh faithful follower!

I am planning my garden plot for summer 2013 (it's so weird to write that number), and I wanted to include composting. Knowing nothing to very little about the process, I went on a hunt to find really inexpensive methods to compost. The interwebs is chock full of information from sales of crazy expensive boxes, instructions on how to make your own compost box, and everything in between. All of that seemed fine, except the cost was out of my budget.

Then, I found the answer: worm farm. Turns out, vermicomposting can be started for less than 20 bucks.

The adventure to turning my garbage into garden gold begins!

 I found two five gallon buckets at the local hardware store for around 2 dollars each, the lid cost extra because that's how they roll. One worm farmer shared that he can get these buckets from his local bakery for free, so I may call the downtown shop and see if they'd work out a free deal with me for future buckets.  But at 2ish dollars, seemed like a lot of costly extra steps.

It's raining outside, so this project is being completed indoors with a black lawn garbage bag used as a tarp. Genius! The beauty of being Queen of your castle is that no one says, "You're doing that in here?!" It's good to be the queen.

I'll be using a power tool! And, I own it! The hardware store carries the five gallon buckets in a variety of colors, and although I could have selected two of the same color, I liked this combination. The gray bucket is flipped over because I'm going to use it to sit on while I drill. Genius again!

I started out with a 3/16 drill bit (roar!), but I found that 1/8 seemed a more appropriate size because I don't want the worms falling through.

The idea is to make multiple holes in the bottom for drainage. Worms do not swim and this will ensure I don't drown them.

The other purpose for making so many holes is to collect the water waste, also known as worm tea, which is excellent for a super source of fertilized water.

Bottom holes drilled, a peek inside, and it looks like we've got good drainage here.

Next, drill some air holes in the upper part of the bucket. I'm going to create a pattern of upper and lower holes. Although the picture appears that the bucket is right side up, I am laying it down and working downward with the drill. Tilt your head to the right for the proper view.
HA! I can't believe you did it!

Yes, I'm legit. Nuff said. Oh look, the bucket stool!

Reaching the end of the air hole pattern and it was very quick.

Next, make long strips of newspaper. Do not use glossy print, it doesn't taste good to the worms. I get free paper delivered twice a week, how convenient is that?

Loosely add to the bucket, this is the start of a nest. With the loose fill, I filled half the bucket.

Add about a liter of dirt. I have a half bag of garden soil stored in my garage, but you could use any dirt. I'm giving my worms the royal treatment.

Add enough water to moisten. Note: the white bucket is resting inside the gray bucket so the water doesn't drain everywhere.

Wearing garden gloves, it's time to mix it up to ensure the strips of paper become damp.

To one side of the bucket, I am now adding food scraps that I have been collecting in a used freezer bag. This mix includes my used coffee grounds, the coffee filter, some wilted carrot, onion skins, celery ends, pretty much anything food related can be used for composting. There are few exceptions: no meat products, no bones, no dairy, no fatty items, and no citrus. Some people say that citrus in moderation is fine, but if in doubt, rule it out. I'm not chancing the loss of my precious worms. My precious.

In addition to food scraps (referred to as greens), I'm including some "browns". Browns are cardboard scraps such a shredded cereal boxes, the cardboard type of egg cartons, toilet paper rolls, paper towel rolls, etc.

Say hello to my little friends. I ran around town looking for bait and tackle shops, finally ending up at a really small mom and pop produce place not too far from me. They have several big signs on the outside of the shop: PRODUCE, DEER CORN, LIVE BAIT. They have nightcrawlers, minnows, crickets, and red worms. I am using red worms. Their containers are supposed to have 36 worms and bet your bottom dollar that I am counting every single one of them! You can buy a pound of "compost grade red worms" from the internet for about 35 bucks. Insanity? Yes. My compost worms only cost a couple of dollars and the purchase exchange was well worth the price of admission.

Owner: Someone's gonna do a helluva lot a fishin'.

Me: Actually, they're starters for my worm farm.

Owner: ....

It doesn't get any better than that!

Forty-one... forty-two... forty-three... I still have another container to count.

In case you were wondering. I was short 8 worms, but I think it'll work out.

Meet Mr. Wiggler. He's happy we aren't fishing today.

Tucked in with another layer of shredded news paper, a bit more water is add to moisten the new layer blanketing the worms.

Put a lid on it, Ethel! And, the project is complete. The benefit to this method is output of high quality castings (translated: worm poo), weather proof, as it can be moved when the weather is too hot or snow is on the ground, and it's fun.

If you try the project, remember to add new scraps of greens and browns at least once a week.

I've checked in on them a few times, they're smiling! So am I, little wormy buddies, so am I.

Nene Twoforks' Apple Pie

Good food requires a great dessert and what's better than good old fashioned apple pie? (Pauses) I can't think of anything!

Follow the (non)bouncing pictorial and let's make pie!

Must be crust.
I have been on a very long search for the perfect pie crust, I'm not sure this one is it, but it's pretty close. We'll call it Close to Perfect pie crust, sound fair enough?

Pop quiz time. What's the first step in our recipe?

Assemble Ingredients (read in operatic style)

Every recipe is easier to manage when you gather everything you need before the mixing, stirring, and incorporating starts. 3 cups All-Purpose flour has been measured into a mixing bowl.

Next, measure 1 1/2 cups Crisco. I never have this product in my pantry, so it was a special trip to the stop and shop to buy a small can. "They" promised this would make the crust SO very good, and we're managing a test run.

Nene Twoforks grabs her weapons of choice and begins mixing it up! The technical term is cutting in. The flour is dancing around in the bowl and the shortening says, "Excuse me, mind if I cut in?"

The object is to make sure all the flour is mixed up with the shortening. I hear they make these newfangled objects called a pastry cutter, but that's too high tech for me.

While we've got those forks flying, it's time to scramble an egg in a bowl.

Add 5 Tablespoons cold water, 1 Tablespoon white vinegar, and 1 teaspoon of salt.

And stir together gently.

Divide into three equal balls and place in freezer storage bags. I highly recommend disposable vinyl gloves for any recipe that calls for working with flour, it saves your manicure and keeps flour from hiding in your nail bed. You can find them inexpensively at places that have dollar in the title.

With a rolling pin, roll out to about 1 inch thick. Yes, right in the bag!

Repeat process for each of the three bags.

Stack em up and put em in the freezer. It is recommended they remain in the freezer for a minimum of 20 minutes, but the longer the better. Remove from freezer 15 minutes before ready to use to allow thawing.

Next up, the apple core. (Get it?)

Peel, core, and slice four apples.

Toss the sliced apples with 2 Tablespoons lemon juice.

Next add 3/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour,  and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. I use a whisk to blend dry ingredients, which helps to blend and break up any lumps.

Add apples and toss well to coat.

Time to roll some dough.

Remember: thaw 15 minutes before rolling. Remove from bag. Dust work surface with flour. Roll out to about 1/2 inch larger than pie dish. If you use wax paper, you can use it to guide the rolled out dough to fold in half, then into a quarter, which makes it easier to transfer to the dish.

I don't own an actual pie pan, so I use my glass cake pan. Scratch that whole thing about not having a pie pan and replace with: This is my premium deep dish pie pan. Nice, don't you think?

Add the apple mixture, then dot with melted butter.

Add the second rolled out dough and use fingers to flute edges. I brushed with remaining butter from the melting process, but it isn't necessary. I also cut a small leaf design in the center to prevent boil over. I also recommend baking this pie on a cookie sheet covered in foil to save messy spillovers on the oven floor. Bake at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes.
Then, reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake 40-45 minutes more or until crust is golden and filling is bubbly.

Yummy, that's some good pie. Alright, now go make one!

Pie crust

• 1-1/2 cup Crisco vegetable Shortening
• 3 cups All-purpose Flour
• 1 whole Egg
• 5 Tablespoons Cold Water
• 1 Tablespoon White Vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Salt

In a large bowl, with a pastry cutting fork, gradually work the Crisco into the flour for about 3 or 4 minutes until it resembles a coarse meal. In a small bowl, beat an egg with a fork and then pour it into the flour/shortening mixture. Add 5 tablespoons of cold water, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir together gently until all of the ingredients are incorporated.
Separate the dough into thirds. Form 3 evenly sized balls of dough and place each dough into a large Ziploc bag. Using a rolling pin, slightly flatten each ball of dough (about ½ inch thick) to make rolling easier later. Seal the bags and place them in the freezer until you need them. (If you will be using it immediately it’s still a good idea to put in the freezer for about 15 to 20 minutes to chill.)
When you are ready to use the dough to make a crust, remove from the freezer and allow to thaw for 15 minutes. On a floured surface roll the dough, starting at the center and working your way out. (Sprinkle some flour over top of the dough if it’s a bit too moist.) If the dough is sticking to the countertop use a metal spatula and carefully scrape it up and flip it over and continue rolling until it’s about ½ inch larger in diameter than your pie pan.


Apple pie filling

8 cups sliced, peeled Granny Smith apples - about 4 apples
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 Tablespoons butter

In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with lemon juice. Combine sugars, flour, cinnamon; add apples and toss well to coat. Fill pastry lined 9 inch pie pan with apple mixture. Dot with butter. Place second crust on top of pie filling, cut slits in top of crust to vent. Seal the edges of the crust with a fork or by hand.
Bake at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake 40-45 minutes more or until crust is golden and filling is bubbly.

Nene Twoforks Locked and Loaded Baked Potato Soup

I've been making potato soup for upteen years (that's the number that proceeds a kabillion), and was thrilled to update it for the ever popular Loaded Baked Potato soup that appears in fine restaurants everywhere.

There are a variety of methods for preparing, but this is the easiest of my versions to recreate. Prepare to drool.

Assemble Ingredients (to be read in military fashion).

I tried to be LC about the gathering of the ingredients for this photo, since it could appear that I am running an advertisement for my local grocery store.
*LC - Labelly Correct. Yes, I know labelly isn't a word, but I like it!

Fry several slices of bacon in a nice pan. My nice pan is called a chicken fryer because of the depth. It's my go to pan almost every time because it reduces the cooking time and is exceptionally easy to clean. I am using precooked bacon because I happen to have some in stock, but I also use regular bacon.

Free tip: cook the entire package of bacon, storing what you don't need in a freezer bag and toss in the freezer for later use. The convenience is time saving, and you can pull a few pieces at a time without having to use the time to fry. At breakfast, I usually take two pieces, put in a warm pan, heat, remove, then make a couple of eggs. How simple is that?

Remove the bacon, discard the drippings, and add diced potatoes to the pan. Oh yes, the skins are on because that is where the vitamins hide!

 

Saute for a few minutes. The idea is to start the cooking process, not to brown the potatoes. Notice the size of the dice, which means soup is served earlier than later. I'm all about the quick to the table method.

Slice about four green onions (also called scallions), separating the white bottoms from the green tops. Set the green tops aside, add the white bottoms to the potatoes and give them a quick stir, releasing their flavor.

Add one box of chicken stock to the potato onion mix in the pan, enough to just cover the potatoes. You can use the entire contents, but I reserve a small amount for braised kale, as it doesn't take much and I don't like to open an entire box for such small use. (Like my thinking ahead?) Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer for 10 - 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Oh, and for the simmer: put a lid on it, Ethel!

In the meantime, get out your knuckle buster and grate about 3/4 to 1 Cup of sharp cheddar cheese. You can skip the grating part and buy the pre-grated cheese, but to me the taste isn't as good as freshly grated from a brick. Personal preference rules.

Next, combine 2 heaping tablespoons of corn starch to one cup of milk and stir into the soup. This step mimics the flavor of sour cream on a baked potato and serves as a thickener for a rich creamy soup. I only purchase 2% milk, but you can use whatever type of milk you prefer. I'm flexible that way.

Cover and simmer about five more minutes, allowing the broth to thicken.

Add the grated cheese, crumble in the bacon slices and gently stir. See how nice and creamy the broth has become?

Next, stir in the green tops from the onion. The soup is ready to serve! Was that quick or what? As a general rule of thumb, I don't add salt and pepper to the entire batch, but allow each consumer to use to taste in their own serving.

And now, with a sprig of parsley because it's tasty, a cup of the best tasting Locked and Loaded Baked Potato soup this side of the hemisphere. (I haven't been to the other side yet, so I'm not sure enough to cover the whole world with my claim.) One spoon of this and you can't help but exclaim, "I could just swim in this stuff, it's that good!"

Ingredients

4 medium red potatoes, diced
4 - 8 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
4 green onions, sliced and separating green tops from white ends
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup milk
2 heaping Tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 to 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Optional: sprig of parsley

Prepare bacon, remove to a plate covered with a paper towel to cool. Discard bacon drippings, but do not wipe the pan. Add diced red potatoes and saute for a few minutes. Add the white bottoms of the green onion to the potatoes and stir for one minute. Add chicken stock, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender. Add two heaping tablespoons cornstarch to the cup of milk and stir until dissolved, then stir into the simmering soup. Replace the lid, simmer five minutes until broth is thickened. Next, gently stir in the cheese and crumble in the bacon. Finally, add the reserved tops of the green onion. Serve with a sprig of parsley and/or a spoon.

Serves 2 really hungry bears or 6 picky campers.

Note: Two forks were used to tap out a tune while waiting for the simmering process to conclude. They were too shy to appear for the camera during this shoot.