Shallow Creek Ranch

Shallow Creek Ranch, is a small, family-owned and operated business located in the foothills of Northern California between the north and middle fork of the American River. Since 1978, Steve and Carol Smith—owners of Shallow Creek Ranch—have been raising red wiggler and European Nightcrawler worms.

The Smiths tell us that they get food sources for the worms from ranchers and businesses located throughout the area. From ranchers they get grass, leaves, old hay and weeds, and manures from local dairy farms and horse stables. Barley waste, recycled from breweries, and coffee grounds from local coffee shops and restaurants, are also used as food for the worms. The process results in composting and handling 20 to 25 tons of material a month. The worms produce castings, which are used as rich soil amendments by landscapers, nurseries, organic farmers, and homeowners.

VERMICULTURE PRODUCTS
Shallow Creek Ranch has a variety of vermiculture products such as the following:

Worm Castings
Worm castings, the richest type of organic topsoil, containing nitrogen, phosphate, potash, and other trace minerals. Worm castings are used as potting soil for greenhouses and house plants as well as for gardening or farming. Castings will not burn even delicate plants. The PH is neutral (7) and is therefore suitable for most plants from azaleas to orchids.

Gourmet Mix
Worms fatten quickly and have a high reproduction rate when fed animal manure, grain, compost, waste products, or almost any decaying organic matter. Some feeds are better than others because they contain more vitamins, minerals, proteins, and other elements that worms can easily convert into food.

Supreme Worm Bedding
A blend of organic materials approximates the natural habitat of the worms, giving them a good environment to thrive. The mixture is kept porous and moist.

Steve and Carol are big advocates for reuse and recycling and their ranch was a winner of the California Integrated Waste Management Board's Waste Reduction Awards Program (WRAP) in 2001.

Vermiculture Education and Training
Vermiculture and composting lectures and consultation are available; groups are welcome for ranch tours. Call (530) 367-3174 for scheduling, fax (530) 367-5728, scrworms@foothill.net.

CalMAX Connections Home

Last updated: August 01, 2008