WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• Recycled food barrel (try checking with large restaurants or food distributors)
• 2 to 4 concrete blocks (to allow room for a bucket to fit under the spigot)
• 3/4-inch hose spigot
• Drill
• Saber saw
• 3/4 x 1-1/4-inch threaded pipe nipple (used as overflow connector)
• Window screen
• PVC cement

WHAT YOU’LL DO

1. Wash out the barrel with a solution of 1/8-cup bleach and 5 gallons of water.

2. Drill a 15/16-inch hole a few inches from the bottom of the barrel. Thread the spigot halfway into the barrel, apply PVC cement onto the threads and continue screwing it in until snug.

3. Using the same procedure as the spigot, install the 3/4-inch overflow connector a few inches from the top of the barrel.

4. Choose a good spot for the rain barrel. It needs to be close to a rain downspout and a short distance from your plants and gardens.

5. Raise the barrel off the ground by placing it on concrete blocks. Reconfigure the downspout so it empties directly into the barrel. Use the screen to cover the open hole in the barrel to prevent insects or debris from getting in.

6. If you’ve installed an overflow, you can attach a hose and direct the water to another part of your yard.

Here’s how to tumble your way to rich compost for your garden and plants.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• Sturdy plastic 55-gallon (or so) food barrel
• Drill
• Saw
• Hammer
• Adjustable wrench
• 8 3⁄8-by-3 1⁄2-inch carriage bolts
• 8 3⁄8-inch nuts
• 8 3⁄8-inch washers
• 16d galvanized nails
• 2 bungee cords (If barrel has a locking lid, you won’t need the bungees.)
• 5 2-by-6-inch boards (Lengths will be determined by the size of the container.)
• 3⁄4-inch galvanized pipe, threaded both ends (You can get a standard-size pre-cut threaded pipe. The length will be determined by diameter of the barrel.)
• 2 3⁄4-inch galvanized pipe caps

WHAT YOU’LL DO

Prepare the Barrel

1. Wash out the barrel and drill two 7⁄8-inch holes halfway between the top and bottom. These holes are for the 3⁄4-inch galvanized pipe.

2. Drill 1⁄2-inch holes evenly spaced around the barrel.

Build a Sturdy Frame

3. Cut the 2-by-6-inch boards and assemble the frame as shown, using the hardware listed. The feet should be almost as long as the legs are high.

4. Drill 7⁄8-inch holes at the top of the legs and pass the 3⁄4-inch steel pipe through the hole in one leg, into the barrel and out through the leg on the other side. Screw on the pipe caps.

5. If the lid needs to be held in place, drill small holes around the lid to hook bungee cords.

COMPOSTING BASICS

Layer yard waste into the tumbler. Alternate green materials like grass clippings with brown ones like hay or fallen leaves. Put in some garden soil and kitchen waste such as veggie scraps, fruit peels, cereal, bread, crushed egg shells, tea bags, and coffee grounds and filters. Never use meat, poultry, fish, dairy or pet waste. That stuff can attract unwanted critters.

Bacteria breaks down the materials in your tumbler and turns it into rich organic compost. The decomposing material will become hot as the bacteria does its work. The material in your tumbler should be about as moist as a damp sponge. Spin your tumbler one or two times a week to mix the contents and keep it aerated.

HOW TO FIND A BARREL

Food barrels are used for things like juice or pickles. Try checking with large restaurants or food distributors. Also, there are companies that sell used food barrels.

YOU’LL NEED

• pruning clippers
• drill and 3⁄32-inch bit
• clamp
• scratch awl or nail
• white glue
• 2mm-diameter drafting lead, 2B grade (at art or office supply stores)
• utility knife or pocketknife
• adult permission or supervision

STEP 1: Find a twig. Look for one with interesting color, texture or with a forked shape. (The length of the twig, though, must be straight.) Hold the twig as you would a pencil to find the right size. Use pruning clippers to trim away unwanted parts. Check the twig for bugs (you don’t want any).

STEP 2: Clamp the twig to the edge of a workbench or piece of plywood. Be careful! Too much pressure can crush the twig.

STEP 3: Use a scratch awl or the point of a nail to make a dent at the center of the twig’s end. The dent will become the starting point for the drill bit.

STEP 4: Drill to a depth of 1 to 1 1⁄4 inches. Make sure to keep both hands on the tool!

As you drill, you may need to back out the bit to clear wood chips from the drill’s flutes (its spiral grooves). To do this, stop the drill and scrub the bit with an old toothbrush.

STEP 5: Squirt a small puddle of glue on a scrap of wood or cardboard. Roll the end of the lead in the glue, then work it back and forth in the hole to spread the adhesive.

STEP 6: Trim the lead by breaking it sideways against the twig. Let the glue dry overnight.

STEP 7: Sharpen the pencil with a sharp utility knife or pocketknife. Whittle away from your body, removing thin shavings as you work around the pencil. Use your imagination to personalize your pencil, or simply enjoy the colors and textures that nature provides.

Recycle empty bottles and jugs into these fun and useful projects.

1. Ten-Minute Bird Feeder

Cut four holes two inches from the bottom on each side of a half-gallon milk jug. Below each hole, make a small hole and poke dowels or sticks through the feeder. Ask an adult to drill a small hole in the cap.

Attach a string or metal coat hanger, fill with birdseed and hang it up.

2. Self-Watering Planter

Cut the top third off a two-liter plastic bottle. Ask an adult to drill a small hole in the cap. Pass a string through the hole. Fill the bottom of the bottle about half way with water. Place the top upside-down in the bottom and put in your plant. The string will wick up the water into the soil.

3. Ball Toss Game

Cut the bottoms off two one-gallon milk jugs. Make a ball from rolled-up plastic grocery bags and tape. Enjoy a game of catch.

4. Quicker Berry Picker

Cut a hand-size hole opposite the handle on a one-gallon milk jug. Slide the handle onto your belt. You’re ready to pick and hold more berries.

5. Flying Saucers

Cut the bottom from a milk jug about three inches high. Cut three or four three-inch circles from the upper part of the jug. Try to sail the disks into the milk-jug bottom.

6. Garden Scoop or Boat Bailer

Cut a one-gallon milk jug at an angle as shown. This is great for spreading compost or removing water from a boat.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• Utility knife
• Tape
• Saw
• Drill
• Roofing nails
• Glue
• 2 sheets of corrugated cardboard, 7 1/2 inches by 30 inches
• 2 2-by-2-by-12-inch connector boards
• Piece of poster board large enough to cover the bottom of the cooker
• 12-inch-wide aluminum foil
• 2 1-by-1-by-13 1/2-inch wood uprights
• Small wooden dowl, sharpened at one end

WHAT YOU’LL DO

Step 1. Using the utility knife, cut a curve from the two pieces of cardboard.

Step 2. Connect the curves together using the 12-inch connecting boards, glue and roofing nails.

Step 3. Bend the poster board over the curves, mark with a pencil and cut to size. Glue and tape in place.

Step 4. Spread glue evenly onto the poster board. Carefully glue down the aluminum foil. Make it as smooth as possible.

Step 5. Drill a hole in one upright, cut a notch on the other and glue in place.

Step 6. Aim the cooker at the sun, skewer your hot dogs, and get the rolls and mustard.

HOW IT WORKS

The sun reflects heat off the parabolic curve and concentrates it at a single point.

Cave paintings have been around for thousands of years. Light up your own bedroom “cave” with this torn-paper lamp shade.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• Old lamp shade (light colored, preferably white)
• Junk mail (uncoated paper with no printing)
• Brown paper grocery bag
• Glue
• Sponge or cloth
• Used coffee grounds
• Scissors
• Paintbrush
• Pencil
• Shallow baking pans

WHAT YOU’LL DO

Step 1: Tear junk mail into different shapes.

Step 2: Wrinkle the paper, flatten it out in the pan and rub wet coffee grounds into it. With a sponge or damp cloth, rub away any leftover grounds.

Step 3: While the paper is still damp, brush white glue on the back and press the torn paper onto the lamp shade. Make sure there are no bubbles or loose edges. Apply more paper, overlapping pieces as you go. Allow more than 1/2 inch of paper to protrude beyond the top and bottom. Continue until you cover the entire shade.

Step 4: Cut away the excess paper from the top and bottom of the shade, leaving a clean 1/2-inch overlap. Create tabs by making vertical cuts every 1/2 inch around the top and bottom of the shade.

Brush extra glue on the inside of the tabs and fold them over the shade. Work around the shade, pressing the tabs down until they stay in place.

Option: You can punch holes and thread heavy string around the top and bottom.

Step 5: Draw your cave drawings on a brown grocery bag. Carefully tear out the drawings. Wrinkle them up, smooth them out and dampen them with a sponge or cloth. Brush glue on the back and paste onto your lamp shade.

Step 6: Brush a coat of glue over the entire lamp shade and let it dry. Turn on your lamp, and your room instantly looks like a fire-lit cave.

Living on Mars is still science fiction, but growing plants without soil is science fact. The technique is called hydroponics. It’s simply growing plants in water, something you can do today.

Researchers say hydroponics will someday be used not only for feeding space dwellers but also us earthlings.

Raising plants without soil allows farmers to grow more food in less space. That’s especially important in poorer countries, where many people go hungry.

The term hydroponics was coined in 1936 by a scientist in California who planted a tomato in a tub of water. The plant grew more than 25 feet tall!

Once word got around, people were growing plants in baskets, on patios and on rooftops using only water and a little plant food.

Disney Does Science

People who have eaten at EPCOT Center in Walt Disney World have experienced hydroponics. Researchers there produce fresh tomatoes, lettuce and cucumbers from hydroponic gardens.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is using hydroponics to provide fresh food for astronauts. On the frozen continent of Antarctica, scientists are testing hydroponic techniques that may be used on missions to Mars.

Many commercial growers around the world are turning to hydroponics as an alternative to traditional farming. More food can be produced, and weed problems are eliminated.

Strawberries are a popular hydroponics crop in Australia. Tomatoes, lettuce and a variety of herbs lead the way in Ontario, Canada. In the United States, cucumbers and tomatoes are grown in water.

A Year-Round Garden

Hydroponics is not only useful. It can be fun. Clear a place on your window sill, and you too can grow vegetables, flowers and fruits–and dream about feeding fresh veggies to colonists on Mars.

START A HYDROPONIC GARDEN

Plants don’t need soil as long as they have five things: food, water, light, air and support. You can provide all five in a hydroponic garden.

What You Need:

• A small, single-stemmed houseplant. Most common houseplants will work well. Or try a vegetable plant.
• A clear glass jar or bottle.
• A cork stopper with a large hole in the middle.
• Cotton waddling.
• Plant food.

What You Do:

This will get messy, so go outside or spread newspapers over your work area. Carefully remove the small houseplant from its pot. Place one hand over the soil surface, with the stem between two fingers, and turn the pot upside-down. Tap the bottom of the pot while gently easing the plant out.

Gently brush all the soil from the roots.

Carefully thread the plant stem through the cork stopper and place the roots into the glass container filled with lukewarm tap water.

Use the cotton wadding to fill any gaps between the plant stem and cork stopper. Be careful not to squeeze the stem.

Move your plant to a sunny location and watch it grow!

After about a week, pour out the water and refill.

Your plant will be hungry by now, so add a general-purpose plant food according to label directions. Look for a food labeled “water soluble.” You can find it at garden centers, hardware stores or grocery stores.

Change the water and the plant food solution about once a month.

• Make a compost tumbler
• Build a rain barrel
• Six projects to do with plastic bottles and jugs

What makes this compact garden so productive is that you will be placing plants close together in squares instead of traditional rows. You can continue to plant as you harvest.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• Hammer
• Saw
• Shovel
• Wire cutters
• Tape measure
• 4 4-foot 2-by-10′s
• 16d galvanized nails
• 2 6-foot 2-by-4′s
• 4-foot 2-by-4
• 49 feet of 12-gauge galvanized wire, cut into 7 7-foot lengths
• 8d galvanized nails
• About 1/2 cubic yard or 14 cubic feet of good garden soil
• A sunny spot for your garden

WHAT YOU’LL DO

Frame

1. Using the 2-by-10′s and 16d nails, hammer together a 4-foot square.

Trellis

2. Nail the 6-foot 2-by-4′s to the back of the frame.

3. Nail the 4-foot 2-by-4 across the back of the uprights.

4. Attach the 7 wires on the back of the trellis by wrapping wires around nails.

Planting

Fill the frame with good garden soil. Divide it into 16 squares. The smaller the mature plant, the more you can plant in each square.

A Helpful Garden

Nail 5/8-inch or heavier exterior plywood to the bottom of the frame and lift the frame to table height by placing it on sturdy saw horses or legs. Once filled with soil, it will be easily accessible to a person in a wheelchair or someone who is more comfortable sitting than kneeling.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• 1⁄2-inch-thick plywood
• Saw
• Drill
• Screwdriver
• Wood screws
• 4 small hinges
• 2 gate-hook sets
• Some screen
• Stapler
• All-purpose caulk
• Primer
• White outdoor oil-based paint
• Paintbrush

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

Cut the following from 1/2-inch-thick plywood:

• One piece, 29 1 ⁄2 inches long and 15 1 ⁄2 inches wide, for the base
• Two pieces, 18 1 ⁄2 by 7 inches, for the sides
• Two pieces, 15 1 ⁄2 by 7 inches, for the front and back
• One piece, 14 1 ⁄2 by 7 inches, for the main interior divider
• Two pieces, 9 by 7 inches, for interior dividers
• Two pieces, 7 by 5 inches, for the porch dividers
• One piece, 19 1 ⁄2 by 15 1 ⁄2 inches, for the ceiling
• One piece, 11 by 11 inches, for the roof peaks
• One piece, 29 1 ⁄2 by 11 1 ⁄2 inches, for the roof
• One piece, 29 1 ⁄2 by 12 inches, for the roof

STEP 1: Attach the sides to the base, leaving 5 1⁄2 inches on each end.

STEP 2: Drill four 5⁄16-inch holes,

2 1⁄4 inches and 4 1⁄2 inches from each end and 1 inch from the top of the main interior divider.

STEP 3: Attach the interior dividers to the base with screws.

STEP 4: Drill six 5⁄16-inch holes through the floor of each of the four compartments, one in each corner and one midway along each side.

STEP 5: Drill four 5⁄16-inch holes in each of the front and back panels, 1 inch from the top and 2 3⁄4 inches and 5 inches from both ends. Cut two 2 1⁄16-inch-diameter holes in each panel, each hole 3 inches from the side and 1 inch from the bottom.

STEP 6: Hinge the front and back pieces to the sides. Secure an eye catch to the free end of the front and back panels, and screw the hook into the sides.

STEP 7: Attach the porch dividers to the front and back between the entrance holes.

STEP 8: Cut the 11-inch square of wood along the diagonal to create roof peaks. Drill a 2 1⁄8-inch hole 3 inches from the top of each peak. Cut a piece of screen and staple over each hole. Attach the peaks to the front and back of the ceiling.

STEP 9: Attach the ceiling to the sides. Drill a 2 1⁄8-inch hole centered over each compartment and cover with screen.

STEP 10: Attach the narrow roof panel to the peaks. Position the wide panel so it overlaps the top edge of the shorter panel and secure to the roof peak. Seal the roof edge with caulk and finish the exterior with primer and white outdoor oilbased paint. Mount your house on a wooden post using angle irons or on a telescoping pole with a floor flange of the appropriate diameter.

The Purple Martin Conservation Association offers tips for choosing your martin house location and the best dates to open the house in your region at www.purplemartin.org

YOU’LL NEED:

• Adult permission and/or help
• One 30-inch 1-inch-by-12-inch board (You can also cut a similar-size piece from a ¾ -inch-thick piece of plywood; treated wood weathers better.)
• 7 feet of 1-inch-by-1-inch pine (Or use 1-inch pine quarter round trim, or cut 1-inch by 1-inch strips from the 3/4 –inch-thick plywood).
• 10 galvanized 6-penny box or finishing nails
• One 1-inch pipe flange with four ¾-inch screws
• One 6 to 8 foot length of 1-inch galvanized pipe with one end threaded. (You can also screw the feeder onto a deck railing or hang it from eyehooks.)

Note: A roof is not necessary, but one can be added to keep the seed drier.

STEP 1: Cut platform base.

STEP 2: Measure and cut trim pieces so that they fit around the edge of the top of the platform. This will serve to contain the seed.

STEP 3: Nail or screw the trim pieces to the platform.

STEP 4: Fasten the pipe flange in the center of the bottom side of the platform with ¾-inch screws. (Or fasten screw eyes to each end of the platform.)

STEP 5 : Screw pipe into the pipe flange and erect your feeder in your yard within viewing distance of your window.

Place the feeder in your best viewing position — but also consider nearby shrubs and trees for shelter and protection for the feeding birds. In open areas, place your feeder on the side of the house that is most protected from winter winds.

Each bird species has its special habits and needs. The best high-energy foods include sunflower seeds, peanut kernel, white proso millet and suet (beef fat).

Lastly, because birds will come to depend on your feeder, it is important that you keep it full of food. Neglect it, and birds could suffer.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• A pizza box
• Black construction paper
• Aluminum foil
• Plastic window covering
• Permanent marker
• Glue
• Tape
• Scissors
• Ruler
• String

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

STEP 1: Line the inside bottom of the box with foil.

STEP 2: Cover foil with black paper and tape in place.

STEP 3: Set the plastic under the box and trace the outline of the box.

STEP 4: Remove the box and draw another outline 1⁄4-inch inside the first outline and cut along inside line.

STEP 5: Close the box cover, and draw another line 1 inch from each side.

STEP 6: Cut along the lines on the front and sides—not the back.
STEP 7: Open the cover and line the inside with foil.

STEP 8: Glue foil in place.

STEP 9: Cover foil with the cut plastic and tape in place.

STEP 10: All layers should be airtight and wrinkle-free.

STEP 11: On the outside of the box cover, attach a string long enough to keep the flap open and let the sun shine in.

STEP 12: Once you have the oven, all you need is the sun. Choose a spot that will get at least several hours of direct sun away from any strong wind.

TRY IT OUT

Solar cooking takes a little practice. Try this recipe first:

Solar Oven S’mores:

Ingredients:

• Graham crackers
• Milk chocolate bars
• Marshmallows

Place graham crackers next to each other on the bottom of a black cast-iron pot. Black pots are best because they absorb and retain the sun’s heat better than light-colored pans. Top each cracker with a piece of chocolate and a marshmallow. Put a glass lid over the pot and place the pot in the center of your solar oven. When the marshmallow is gooey, take out the crackers and add the second layer of graham crackers on top to complete it.

Click here for a PDF version of these instructions.

YOU’LL NEED:

• A two-liter plastic bottle
• scissors
• push-pin
• rocks or gravel
• potting soil
• seeds of your choice
• small amount of tape
• adult supervision

Step 1: Remove the label from the bottle. If the label doesn’t come off easily, fill the bottle with warm tap water until thewater rises above the label. Let stand for 10 or 15 minutes. The label should peel off easily.

Step 2: Measure four inches down from the plastic bottle cap. Draw a line and cut off the bottle top at this point. Place a thin layer of small rocks or gravel in the bottom of the bottle for drainage. Fill halfway with potting soil. Following the instructions on he seed package, plant the seeds. Water just a sprinkle—too much and you’ll drown your plants.

Step 3: With a push-pin, make several holes in the top of the bottle cap. (It’s easier than it sounds.) Screw cap onto cutoff top of bottle. This is now the lid of your greenhouse bottle. Carefully place on top of the bottle, securing it with a small piece of tape on one side.

Step 4: Set the bottle in a sunny place and wait for your seeds to sprout. When they get about an inch high, remove the bottle top and let the plants grow until you are ready to transplant outdoors or into another pot.

Note: Single-serving-size plastic bottles work equally well, only you can’t get as many plants in them. For these smaller greenhouses, measure down 31⁄2 inches from the top instead of 4 inches.

For more information on bats, go to www.batcon.org.

Materials Needed (makes 1)

• 1/4 sheet ( 2′ x 4′ ) 1/2″ cdx (outdoor grade) plywood
• One piece 1″ x 2″ (3/4″ x 1 3/4″ finished) x 8′ pine (furring strip)
• 20-30 1 1/4″ coated deck or exterior-grade Phillips screws
• One pint black, water-based stain, exterior-grade
• One pint water-based primer, exterior-grade
• One quart flat water-based paint or stain, exterior-grade
• One tube paintable latex caulk
• 1″ x 3″ x 28″ board for roof (optional, but highly recommended)
• Black asphalt shingles or galvanized metal (optional)
• 6-10 7/8″ roofing nails (optional)

Recommended Tools

• table saw or handsaw
• caulking gun
• variable speed reversing drill
• paintbrushes
• Phillips bit for drill
• tape measure or yardstick
• scissors (optional)
• staple gun (optional)

Construction Procedure

1. Measure and cut plywood into three pieces:
   • 26 1/2″ x 24″
   • 16 1/2″ x 24″
   • 5″ x 24″
2. Roughen inside of backboard and landing area by cutting horizontal grooves with sharp object or saw. Space grooves about 1/2″ apart, cutting 1/16″ to 1/32″ deep.
3. Apply two coats of black, water-based stain to interior surfaces. Do not use paint, as it will fill grooves, making them unusable.
4. Measure and cut furring into one 24″ and two 20 1/4″ pieces.
5. Attach furring strips to back, caulking first. Start with 24″ piece at top. Roosting chamber will be 3/4″ wide (front to back).
6. Attach front to furring strips, top piece first (don’t forget to caulk). Leave 1/2″ vent space between top and bottom front pieces.
7. Caulk around all outside joints to further seal roosting chamber.
8. Attach a 1″ x 3″ x 28″ board to the top as a roof, if desired (optional, but highly recommended).
9. Paint or stain exterior three times (use primer for first coat).
10. Cover roof with shingles or galvanized metal (optional).

Optional Modifications to the Small Economy Bat House

1. Wider bat houses can be built for larger colonies. Be sure to adjust dimensions for back and front pieces and ceiling strip. A 3/4″ support spacer may be required in the center of the roosting chamber for bat houses over 24″ wide to prevent warping.
2. Two bat houses can be placed back to back, mounted on poles. Before assembly, a horizontal 3/4″ slot should be cut in the back of each house about 9″ from the bottom edge of the back piece to permit movement of bats between houses. Two pieces of wood, 1″ x 4″ x 4 1/4″, screwed horizontally to each side, will join the two boxes. To provide additional roosting space, leave a 3/4″ space between the two houses, and roughen the wood surfaces or cover the back of each with plastic mesh. (Do not cover the rear exit slots; see item 4 below). One 1″ x 4″ x 34″ vertical piece attached to each side over the horizontal pieces blocks light, but allows bats and air to enter. A galvanized metal roof, covering both houses, protects the center roosting area from rain. Eaves should be about 3″ in southern areas and about 1 1/2″ in the north.
3. Ventilation may not be necessary in cold climates. In this case, the front should be a single piece 23″ long. Smaller bat houses like this one will be less successful in cool climates. However, those mounted on buildings gain heat faster, maintain thermal stability better and are more likely to attract bats.
4. Durable plastic mesh can be substituted for roughening to provide footholds for bats. Attach one 20″ x 22 1/2″ piece to backboard after staining interior, but prior to assembly.

Have you ever wished you could dig money out of the ground? In a way you can. Raising worms in a small worm farm can make you extra money during the summer. Bait stores and fishermen are always in need of worms. Gardeners and farmers use them to help their plants, because worms burrow into the soil allowing air and moisture into it. This helps the roots grow deeper and stronger.

Building a Business

Getting started is easy. Everything you need can be found in your local home-improvement store. You can estimate spending about $50 on the supplies needed to build your worm bed.

YOU’LL NEED:

• 2 25-lb. bags of cement mix
• 6 7-inch by 1⁄4-inch by 6-foot boards
• 6 7-inch by 1⁄4-inch by 3-foot boards
• 6 2-inch by 1⁄4-inch by 2-foot boards
• a 3-by-6-foot screen mesh
• adult permission and/or help

The boards can be bought new or you can use old boards you have lying around. The boards may be different sizes as long as they are equal to the size of the bed.

STEP 1: Pick a spot that is shady most of the day.

STEP 2: Measure an area 6 feet long by 3 feet wide.

STEP 3: Dig a hole the size of that area to 36 inches deep. (Ask your parents permission first.) Keep some of the dirt for use later.

STEP 4: With your boards, make a box frame to fit inside the bed you’ve dug. The box will be set into the ground about a foot below the surface.

STEP 5: Place the frame inside the bed. There should be a 1/4-inch gap around the outside of the frame.

STEP 6: Mix the cement according to the directions on the bag.

STEP 7: Pour the concrete into the 1/4-inch gap around the box. Don’t overfill into the bed.

STEP 8: Let the concrete harden. Remove the frame one wall at a time.

STEP 9: Fill the bed with a mixture of peat moss, shredded newspaper and part of the dirt you removed.

STEP 10: Make the top from two of the 6-footlong boards and two of the 3-foot boards. Nail the screen mesh to the boards to make a rectangular door-like frame.

STEP 11: Place the top on the worm bed. This will keep animals out of the bed.

Ordering Your Worms

Now order your worms. The best way is from a worm supplier. You can find a list of these in any outdoor magazine, or you can go to the Internet. One example: www.wormman.com. Suppliers will have several different types of worms. Ken Chiarella of Monroe Township, N.J., the Worm Man behind the www.wormman.com Web site, recommends red worms for the beginning worm farmer because they’re cheap and easy to raise. You can get about 1,000 worms for $18. Mr. Chiarella warns that you should let your bed sit for several days before you add the worms. Otherwise decomposition will make the soil too hot and the worms will crawl away.

Easy to Please

Taking care of your worms is easy. They will eat anything from leaves to small stones. Table scraps such as banana peels, lettuce and even paper towels can also be added. Feed and water your worms every other day. Use a garden hose to lightly spray the bed until it becomes moist. Let your worms settle into their new home for two months before you start selling them. It is best to use a pitchfork when removing the worms from the bed. Worms are night creatures, so the best time to dig is early morning and late evening. Mr. Chiarella said that 1,000 red worms could turn into tens of thousands more in a year, depending on how much space they have in which to breed. The going rate for selling worms as bait is about $2 for 25 worms, he said. Mr. Chiarella, a wholesaler, said he did $150,000 in business in 1999.