Newbee Introduction-Crawler lover

[wormlady]

Hi. I am an Upstate New Yorker. I have been raising Canadian Night Crawlers for about 15 years. It all started when a friend told me it could not be done. I have learned it is not for the faint of heart, or the impatient soul. It is labor intensive and keep in mind it takes about 5 to 7 years for the Crawler to become "hook worthy". Although the waiting time was not very profitable, my garden production made up for it 10 fold.

[The Worm Expert]

wormlady

Welcome aboard!

I began my worm raising days in NY also with Canadian nightcrawlers. I was able to grow them out faster and am still doing so without realizing to this past week here in SC.

I began raising some here in an uncontrolled environment in the spring fall of 2009. By the time summer hit I had a number of little fellas however they began dieing off from the heat down here. I released them in one of my exterior Alabama Jumper beds and found a few the other day while digging in the bed. They are 3-4 inches in length now

Bruce

[Brian M]

Hi. I am an Upstate New Yorker. I have been raising Canadian Night Crawlers for about 15 years. It all started when a friend told me it could not be done. I have learned it is not for the faint of heart, or the impatient soul. It is labor intensive and keep in mind it takes about 5 to 7 years for the Crawler to become "hook worthy". Although the waiting time was not very profitable, my garden production made up for it 10 fold.

Wow 5 to 7 years is a long time. I would have given up or went to something that grows faster. I am assuming it gets very cold in your area hence the slow growth.

[wormlady]

Yes it does get cold here, we only have 3 official months of summer here. It was the challange that I could not resist. It did not start out as a business idea. After a couple years I bought a "Bait Machine" to peddle them out of. Its been interesting. Back when I started there was nothing in print on crawlers, just red wigglers and composting worms, so it was all trial and error, and let me tell ya emphasis on error. I kept diary of what worked and what did not, and put it together in a hand written book for my own reference. It has been long enough that I really do not know where it is now.

Wormlady

[Brian M]

I don't think I will come and visit, too cold for this Aussie. My Africans are breeding very nicrly at the moment. We have just come into Spring and the storms are starting to build up. I am hoping to sell my Africans to fisherman in worm farms and small tubs as bait. I also want to sell them as live food for reptiles.

I currently sell Red Wrigglers to a local pet shop and will soon add Africans to my list of offerings. They are better suited to the larger turtles and reptiles, also the bigger aquarium fish. Can't see me getting as big as Bruce but am enjoying the journey wherever it takes me. Just a hobby is all I want.