Vermicomposting

Spent the last 3 days with the Health team making a vermicomposting site for a local resident in Battanvattam outside Nimmiyamputtur. We have objectives to make 1 of these and 2 kitchen gardens while we are here. Vermicomposting uses earthworms to turn organic wastes into very high quality compost. This is probably the best way of composting kitchen wastes and as there are issues with rubbish building up and attracting pests it will combat this too. A local invited us to dig a hole near his cotton/fruit fields approx 4 and a half foot deep. This took about 2 days as the weather was very warm and we all took turns. We filled the bottom with broken bricks and sand, then a layer of dirt and once it settled overnight we collected worms and cow dung from nearby area. This will ferment for a few days and then the worms will break down waste food into compost to be used to grow fresh fruit/veg, promoting both good health and assisting with livelihoods.

Outline of the Hole.

Tools:- a metal stick for churning earth and smoothing sides, a bowl for transporting dirt and a weird hoe for removing churned earth.

Megan appreciating our efforts after day 1.

Finished product!

The Health Team - 12 o'clock Indu, Me, Farmer's kids, Megan, Guna, Rajiv, Danielle and Emma

Me and a chick! Showing off my new hair colour too as used an Indian burgundy sachet that I had to mix with cold water and smear the paste over my head. No ammonia so it smelt better than usual and my hair feels healthier so not all bad. What was bad was washing hair dye out with a bucket of cold water and my head under a low pressure tap.