Published August 24, 2021 at 10:00 a.m.
Some grandmas do arts and crafts or bake cookies with their grandkids. Kim Ray of Londonderry raises worms. For several years, Ray has been learning about the little wigglers alongside her 9-year-old granddaughter, Lyric, and 6-year-old grandson, Luca. She chronicles their adventures on a website, littlediggerswormfarm.com. A few months ago, Lyric and Luca started hosting informal workshops to teach other kids how to make their own worm farms.
Ray, who has a background in art education, said she and her grandchildren first became interested in worms in 2019. Lyric and Luca, who live in East Dorset, were visiting her house and got excited when they found a few worms in the backyard. They ran around looking for more, and Ray helped them do online research to learn about the creatures.
"I always follow their lead on whatever they want to do," Ray said. "Whatever their curiosity is, I try to nurture that."
It wasn't until an outdoor visit in February, following a period of separation because of the pandemic, that the trio took the fascination to the next level.
"I was thinking, Gosh, you know what we should do? We should start a worm farm, a real one," Ray remembered. "I thought it would be such a fun learning thing for the kids — a total diversion into something that was not pandemic-related or wearing a mask, just something back-to-nature and fun for them."
In June, Lyric and Luca ran a workshop in Danby Village, selling kits that included all the materials for kids to make their own mini worm farms, plus 10 pet worms. In August, they held several additional events — at the Vermont State Fair in Rutland and in the town of Londonderry.
"[We're] teaching little kids respect for nature and how to care for things and hold them gently, rather than saying, 'Here's this yucky worm,'" said Ray.
She and her grandkids' most recent project is making batches of vermicompost — worm castings, or poop, that contain nutrients and soil-friendly bacteria. Gardeners refer to it as "black gold."
Worms, said Ray, are "the ultimate recyclers."
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