Has it really been 3 weeks since we talked about BIM? I soil drenched w/ modified bug juice a few days before planting, about 3 weeks ago I made a tea for the plants that went in the ground 2 weeks ago (or so). Yesterdays Tea included: 5 gal rain water in 6 gal garbage can aerated brewer. *BIM Brown rice cooked in rain water, not rinsed; after cooking I added oat bran, corn meal and molasses. Mixed it all up, it stunk! Put all that in a nylon stocking and buried it in my worm bin for about 10 days. *1/4 cup ea of BIM's made previously by fermenting w/ molasses and rain water and straining: **cucurbit - Cuke and watermelon blended **Banana blended **Tomato 3 or 4 varieties w/ a few stems and a few tom plants that died, and a few strawberries w/ tops smushed **Apple smushed **Potato smushed **Aloe leaves from plant,head of garlic, ginger, peppers, red wine, apple cider vinegar blended. *1/2 cup ea LB, Fish Emulsion/Kelp Meal, Rich Earth 12% Humic Acid Liquid Plant Booster, molasses, and a handful of raw sugar added the second day. I started the brew Monday 6AM and it instantly had froth. Diluted it 3:1 w/ rain water and applied w/ my 2 gal sprayer. Second day and nothings died off, I'll post again in a week. Maybe I should take a pic tomorrow and again in a week or two. No control, I doused the whole garden and lawn. I put the last gal mixed w/ 8 gallons rain water on my two compost piles.

The mites will likely not go deep in the bin, nor will much else but the worms. One thing I read was that if you are really upset about non-worm visible lifeforms in the bin you can do one of several things... One (which I prefer) is to put your bins outside where they belong if you don't like living with extra lifeforms and micromanaging a bin that is taking up the most expensive area of your property. Another time proven technique is to ignore your boxed dirtfarm so that less hours of your week are dedicated to worrying about something that is taking care of its self. If plan A and B there don't work... You can take advantage of the fact that worms will dive for cover if you dump extra water in the bin, and all these mites, ants, pillbugs, and whatever else, will surface... Where you will be waiting with a grin and a blowtorch. I've found the blowtorch method to be highly effective at reducing the populations of insects that gravitate to one location. A reduced population of insects will quickly breed back up to swarming strength in the protected shelter of a house though, and since I understand that my ancestors differentiated indoors from outdoors by what one expects to encounter there, I keep my bin in the chicken coop (unheated, Zone 5). Beyond that, the larger your bin, the less things that can possibly go wrong with it. If it's deep, it can't overheat or freeze. If it has high volume, it can hold more worms than can be preyed upon and excess can be taken for whatever you want. If it has much room, the worms can separate into their personal favorite locations and run away or toward hot composting locations. If your bin is large enough, you can't over or underfeed it simply because the worms can express their natural survivability, which they can't do when you keep them in a little test-tube bin indoors.

Help on Posting Pics: I was a newbie to another forum and a woman was kind enough to email me instructions on how to post pics using "Photobucket" - type that in your web browser line and proceed with the instructions on how to put pics in "your album" and then follow the below instructions, it's easy once you get the hang of it: OK, here we go. If your pictures are all ready in your album in photobucket, you'll see below the pics 3 different lines. URL, Tag, and Img. If you want the picture to appear on the page you will copy the Tag info then paste it in the message box. Then press Preview message and your image should show up. To do a link... you will need to copy the URL info then paste it in the optional link URL. Then type in the title of your link. You will also need to write something in the message box. Then hit preview message. Your link should be there. I always hit it to make sure it works. It should take you to your picture. Then hit submit. To do the slideshows... at the top of your pictures in your album there's a button that says "bucket features" click on it. You can do a Bucket Strip, Bucket Stamp, or a Bucket Show. I've been doing the bucket show. Click on it, then click on create a bucket show. Check the pictures that you want (mine only allows me to do 10 at a time) then hit create bucket show. Make sure you put a title in the name box at the top. Then copy the URL and then paste it in the optional link Url and then put the title in the link box. Also remember to type a message in the message box.

Great thread!!!!! I'm just outside of Albany, NY and have owned this 1871 Victorian farmhouse for 9 years (my husband's grandfather's house which we bought back from a subsequent owner). She's pretty big--3200sf on the two main levels and a full basement and full attic as well. If we weren't both on teacher's salaries with three young kids, I would be an 11. Or a 12. Or just off the charts! Unfortunately, my "purist" sensibilities have to be knocked back a bit mainly due to cost and practicality. I would say I'm a 6-7 with our current budget and lifestyle. EXTERIOR: Still has 46 ORIGINAL windows (and one new wood bay window in kitchen) but 1950's aluminum siding over top of original wood siding with scalloping on the eaves. No original shutters left, which were on every window from an 1940's photo we have. 1950's aluminum exterior storms over original windows. One section of original front porch railing remains and will be replicated when we redo front porch. KITCHEN: I designed and gutted the 1930's kitchen that was in place but "updated" in the 50's and some in the early 80's--so I felt no sorrow at tearing out the robin's egg blue flecked Formica counters, drop ceiling, peel & stick tile, etc. Drooled at people's 100K kitchen renos over on the kitchens board, but settled for a complete, modern reno with stainless appliances (an Aga would be nice, but $$), full-overlay white doors (wanted inset, painted), Brazilian Cherry floors (wanted reclaimed southern yellow heartpine), and soapstone counters and a giant farmhouse sink (both exactly what I wanted). The kitchen looks like it fits and works well for our busy family. WOODWORK: Have not TOUCHED the floor to ceiling built-ins in the dining room. And no other owner ever has either--other than to gently refinish. Crown jewel of our big, old house. Original wainscoting is still perfect--will put in new wallpaper (in this room ONLY--otherwise, wallpaper is my arch-enemy!) Still has 100% original trim, 6-panel solid doors, and flooring (except kitchen). Downstairs trim/doors have never been painted. Upstairs was white when we bought it. (secretly, I wish it was ALL painted when we bought it--hubby would never consider painting trim downstairs, but the white upstairs looks so fresh/clean with bright room colors!) floors are all original (southern yellow heartpine and quartersawn oak). --Put in central A/C upstairs only--installed in attic with minimal distruption to house--just 1-2 grilles in each room. Oh well. I LOVE it! Best update we've done :) --No major changes to the blueprint of the house since it was built--open concept would have been nice, but now that my kids are 4, 7, 9, it's not as necessary as when they were little babies. Only changes were when the house got indoor plumbing! --Gutted one horrible 1950's bathroom and tried to make some aspects look "period" while on a budget--saved on fiberglass tub but got basketweave tile. Relatively cheap vanity/mirror from Lowe's but refinished original cast iron radiator. --90% of the house still has the original plaster walls. --Have all of the original Italian marble fireplaces, but have not broken through to make them workable again (simply due to $$$). --Took the 6th bedroom (which is the smallest and has no closet) and made it into a 2nd floor laundry room with front-load washer/dryer. No regrets here either!! I like to remember that this house was never built as a museum and it's not in a super-trendy historic district--it was clearly just a big, comfy home for one of the first families in this area. I try to imagine what "improvements" the people that lived here 140 years ago would be ok with--don't want to anger the ghosts, but I have to make it "liveable" for our family and this generation. Am I still a 6 or 7??? -Sarah