The Circle welcomes the Chief Worm Wrangler himself, Robbie Sterling of Missouri Worm Supply, to dive deep into the worm business, organic growing, and the secret sauce behind phenomenal fungal dominant castings!Robbie shares the fascinating origin story of his business, starting as a necessity during the pandemic when fertilizer prices exploded. He explains how he went from a beginner's worm tower to managing 3 to 5 million worms and shipping products nationwide in just two years.

This episode is packed with invaluable, high-level knowledge and practical tips for home growers and aspiring vermicomposters:

 The Secret to Superior Soil: Learn why Missouri Worm Supply’s castings are lab-tested for fungal dominance (hitting "stupid high" numbers around 750 nanograms per gram) and how this microbiology enhances flavor in food and terpenes in cannabis. Say goodbye to dead, dry castings you buy at big box stores 

Scaling Strategically: Robbie details his calculated risks, including investing in high-resale equipment like his 15-foot trommel machine for efficient casting and cocoon harvesting. He also shares tips on how to rapidly increase your worm population by reintroducing cocoons for up to 12 lbs of worms per bin. 

Home Worm Hacks: Get Robbie's recommendation for the best beginner worm bin (a cheap, forgiving stackable tower), what to feed your worms (mushroom compost, shredded oak leaves, and cardboard), and why his custom Worm Chow contains 11 grains, kelp, and green sand for critical grit and minerals. 

Temperature & Breeding: If your home bins are struggling, Robbie explains the ideal temperature range (75-80°F) needed for worms to thrive and breed rapidly, especially compared to the average 50-55°F basement floor. 

Advanced Worm Tea Recipe: Learn about Robbie’s advanced worm tea recipe—developed with soil biologists—that goes beyond just molasses, incorporating ingredients like fish hydraulic, kelp, and straw (to cultivate protozoa). He also shares a crucial tip about the time/temperature correlation for perfect brewing.

Plus, the hosts break down the pros and cons of European Nightcrawlers vs. Red Wigglers, share tips on dealing with high moisture/pot worms, and Robbie shares the hilarious story of the first illegal crop he ever grew as a kid (it involved his dad’s stash!).

Get your fungal funk on!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Find Robbie and shop their current discounted products (until end of December): Missouri Worm Supply: www.missouriwormsupply.com