Extension Specialist Rhonda Sherman is the director of the Compost Learning Lab at North Carolina State University and one of the leading experts worldwide on vermicomposting. Rhonda travels extensively to present workshops and to consult with farmers, businesses, and institutions on the development and management of vermicomposting systems. She organizes the highly successful annual NC State Vermiculture Conference, which for nineteen years has drawn participants from across the United States and around the globe. She is a co-editor of Vermiculture Technology and has written extensively about composting and vermicomposting in her role with NC State University.
Choice Reviews— “The real value of this work is the applicability
of the national and international information brought together in
one resource for use by vermicompost operators.”
Library Journal— "Sherman offers an important addition to the
literature on vermiculture and vermicomposting with an
eyes-wide-open approach to planning, starting, and managing a
viable commercial-scale operation that steers clear of hype while
weighing both the risks and rewards of the venture."
Booklist— "Vermiculture, the process of using worms to turn organic
food waste into compost, has been around for decades but has been
growing in popularity. Vermicompost or vermicast, the product of
vermiculture, makes a rich, organic soil amendment or growth medium
which has been shown to increase yields, reduce the damage caused
by some diseases and pests, and help repair damage to degraded
soil. This book covers everything one would want to know about
vermiculture, from how it works to designing a harvesting system
and laying out postharvest practices. Sherman also profiles a range
of worm-farming examples from throughout the U.S. and around the
world, including details such as the size of the operation and its
setting, the cost of setup, the amount of food waste processed, and
the span of time the process takes. While written for use in a mid-
or large-scale setting, much of the information here about
earthworm biology and living conditions will also be beneficial for
smaller-scale use by home gardeners.”
“In my 24 years in the worm business, I have read and sold many
books about worms. The Worm Farmer’s Handbook is the most
comprehensive and detailed collection of information on
vermicomposting I have encountered. Rhonda Sherman provides clear
instructions and guidance on everything a beginner needs to know to
start up and successfully maintain a worm business, from type of
beds and feedstocks to how to feed, harvest, package, ship, and
much more. Experienced farmers will find plenty of excellent tips
and ideas to improve their businesses, too. Well done,
Rhonda!”—Mark Purser, co-owner, The Worm Farm, Durham,
California
“My very first business venture as a child was a worm farm, which
failed horribly. Had I had Rhonda Sherman’s mentorship, I can only
imagine the worm empire I’d have today. With The Worm Farmer’s
Handbook as a guide, anyone can learn the science and art of
raising worms.”—Tony Hsieh, CEO, Zappos; author of Delivering
Happiness
“Rhonda Sherman masters the art of communicating the technical and
biological minutia critical to successful worm farming in a
personable and easy-to-understand manner. The case studies in The
Worm Farmer’s Handbook bring vermicomposting alive! This book is
the next best thing to being on an actual worm farm tour.
Kudos!”—Nora Goldstein, editor, BioCycle magazine
“Rhonda Sherman’s book has arrived on the scene at just the right
time, as vermiculture technology is gaining momentum in
research and industry. The book combines Sherman’s hands-on
experience with detailed descriptions of current practices and
comprehensive documentation of research findings, making it a vital
reference for worm farming practitioners and enthusiasts.”—Norman
Q. Arancon, PhD, associate professor of horticulture, University of
Hawaii at Hilo
“The Worm Farmer’s Handbook is a must-read for anyone
interested in vermicomposting or vermiculture. With a candid voice,
Rhonda Sherman explains the pitfalls and opportunities of worm
farming based on her decades of experience. Chock full of tips for
replication and lessons learned from model enterprises, the book’s
chapters span not only the globe but a plethora of systems and
sizes.”—Brenda Platt, director, Composting for Community Project,
Institute for Local Self-Reliance
“With The Worm Farmer’s Handbook, Rhonda Sherman delivers the
first concise book of its kind: The A through Z of vermicomposting
for commercial and community-scale enterprises.”—Frank Franciosi,
executive director, US Composting Council
“Rhonda Sherman sheds light on the mysterious world of worms and
provides valuable insight into the worm composting industry. The
Worm Farmer’s Handbook is my new first stop for practical,
trustworthy vermicomposting information.”—James McSweeney, author
of Community-Scale Composting Systems
“Rhonda Sherman’s comprehensive new manual covers everything about
creating a vermiculture business, from writing a business plan,
marketing, and the care and feeding of worms to choosing a system
that works for you. I wish her book had been available when I
bought my worm farm 25 years ago! For over 20 years I have believed
that vermiculture has the potential to revolutionize
agriculture. The Worm Farmer’s Handbook can help that
revolution go forward, and I heartily recommend this book to anyone
interested in vermiculture.”—Jack Chambers, president,
TerraVesco
“Before reading this book, I made a mental note of topics that I
felt would be included, such as history, how-to, underlying
science, pitfalls and benefits, and economics. I was not
disappointed—these topics and so much more are fully covered and
written about in a very readable manner. This book will prove
useful to academics and students at every educational level,
practitioners of all types, and anyone with an enquiring mind. In
an ever-growing field, The Worm Farmer’s Handbook is set to be
the must-have guide and is a very welcome addition to earthworm
literature.”—Kevin R. Butt, PhD, director, Earthworm Research
Group, University of Central Lancashire
“With global topsoil depletion reaching alarming levels, this
thorough, informed, detailed, and concise manual could not be more
timely. Worm farming presents unprecedented hope and enterprising
opportunities that are being adopted in every corner of the world.
All food security activists, healthy soil advocates, farmers, and
educators should read The Worm Farmer’s Handbook. Thank you,
Rhonda—this book is a highly useful gift to us all. The world needs
more worm farmers!”—Anna de la Vega, director, The Urban Worm
Community Interest Company
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