We have a brilliant before-and-after photo of a giant wormery with clear sides, taken to Groundswell by Jade Prince from Farmacy.
Even better, the worms inside it were Wiggly worms.
In the first photo, you can clearly see separate layers of soil and compost.
In the second, the layers have been mixed together.
That is the worms at work.
As worms move through the soil, they pull organic matter down, mix it with mineral soil and create channels for air, water and plant roots.
They eat decaying material, soil particles and microbes, then produce worm casts.
Worm casts are finely processed organic matter containing readily available nutrients and beneficial microbes. They also help bind soil particles together, improving soil structure.
In simple terms, worms take organic matter, digest it and return it to the soil in a form that plants and soil life can use.
Their tunnels also help water soak into the ground rather than running off the surface.
No diesel. No machinery. No invoice.
Just worms quietly improving the soil.
The clear sides make the whole process visible. You can see the compost being pulled into the soil, the layers disappearing and the worm channels forming.
The scientific name for this mixing is bioturbation, although “worms getting on with the job” is easier to remember.
Jade Prince is doing excellent work through Farmacy, helping farmers understand the biological side of soil.
Soil testing has traditionally focused on chemistry, such as pH and nutrients. That matters, but healthy soil also needs good structure, organic matter and a working community of bacteria, fungi, worms and other organisms.
These photos show exactly why worms matter.
They mix organic matter into the soil.
They create channels for air, water and roots.
They cycle nutrients.
They produce valuable worm casts.
And they help turn soil and compost into one living system.
Not bad for something with no legs.
