The Worm Ladies' Philosophy
How can we, both as individuals and as the world, better manage our garbage, save space in landfills, and lessen the agricultural and fertilizer runoff into our streams? One solution is to use red wiggler worms (Eisenia fetida) to eat that garbage, turning it into worm castings (worm poop) that is the “perfect” food for our gardens, lawns, and houseplants.
Our mission is to encourage everyone to take care of their own garbage using worms. When you have too many worms we will buy them back. Too many castings? We will buy those as well!
Join us! It’s fun and very rewarding.
Meet the Worm Ladies...
Nancy Warner
- Co-owner, The Worm Ladies of Charlestown, Inc.
- M.Ed., Towson University, Towson, MD
- Executive Director: The Maryland Fiber Center, Inc., The Maryland Cultural Arts Center, Inc.
- Founder: A Child Care Center, The Maryland Fiber Center, Inc., and The Maryland Cultural Arts Center, Inc.
As an educator with a Masters in Education, Nancy started her career with a focus on art education and art therapy. Concentrating on Fiber Art, Nancy began raising angora rabbits. She shears, spins, weaves, and knits the angora into the final piece. In addition to exhibiting locally, Nancy's work has been shown in galleries in Maryland and Washington, DC.
The angora rabbits led her to worms! Rabbit manure was attracting flies; raising worms under the rabbit cages solved the fly problem as the worms consumed the manure. This along with a love of gardening has her surrounded by a sustainable environment.
Nancy has served on the Board of Directors of NADD, the National Association for Persons with Developmental Disabilities and mental health needs. She has also presented at numerous NADD sponsored conferences and has published media on dual diagnoses. She and her husband have raised an adopted child who has an intellectual disability as well as a mental illness. They also have three biological children.
Susie Fehrmann
- Co-owner, The Worm Ladies of Charlestown, Inc.
- Specializes in the development of educational programs based on the science of worms and soil
- Works with industry to find solutions for organic waste
- Presenter at Botany 2010
After 20 years in the business world Susie returned to her real love: the environment, and earned her MA in Biology and Environmental Science from Western Connecticut State University. Susie's course work included Genetics, Ecology, Botany, Herpetology, and Systematics, preparing her well for her work in vermiculture.Her thesis was titled: Intraspecific variation in Podostemum ceratophyllum (Michx): Evidence of refugia during the last glacial maximum.
In addition to her passion for worm farming and a deep love of the outdoors and nature, Susie enjoys reading, kayaking, gardening, walking, and learning new things every day. She also has served as a member of her Conservation Advisory Council. She has three children and one grandchild.
