Pubdate: Sun, 15 Jun 2014
Source: Denver Post (CO)
Copyright: 2014 The Denver Post Corp
Contact:  http://www.denverpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/122
Author: Kristen Leigh Painter
Page: 10K

WORM-POOP BUSINESS WARMS UP IN NEW WORLD OF LEGAL POT

A healthy organic garden takes the right mix of microbiological 
forces, and a successful business needs the right mix of market 
forces. Ken Williams and his son Jay unexpectedly found both at the 
intersection of worm poop and weed.

The Williamses began Rocky Mountain Worm Co. in 2010, after Ken, an 
avid gardener, grew disillusioned with the artificial plant food and 
soil amendments lining garden center shelves.

"Man-made fertilizers and look-alike composts are more damaging than 
helpful," said Williams. "The work of worms is how it has always 
been, since the beginning of time."

Worms help break organic materials into compost that, in turn, 
nourishes soil and helps plants grow strong. The more Williams 
studied natural gardening methods, the more passionate he became.

His son saw this excitement and offered to help his dad pursue it as 
a real business.

"I've always looked up to him. He is one of the hardest-working 
people I know," Jay said. "So getting into business with him seemed 
like an easy idea."

Rocky Mountain Worm's original business model revolved around selling 
small quantities of red wiggler worms at El Paso County farmers' markets.

But that plan took a dramatic turn after Colorado voted in 2012 to 
legalize recreational use of marijuana.

"Originally, our business was for the gardening angle," Jay said. 
"Since Amendment 64 passed, 85 percent of our business is for the 
marijuana industry."

The duo went from selling 1-pound bags of red wiggler worms to home 
composters to filling 2,000-pound orders of worm castings-or poop- 
for marijuana growers statewide.

While the company still sells small batches of actual worms, they 
have expanded their offerings to fit what the organic-minded customer needs.

"We consider ourselves worm farmers, but we are really micro-farmers 
because we are actually selling the microbiology that makes their 
growing successful," said Jay, who has a background as a nuclear 
medical technologist. "If you are getting into the all-organic 
growth, you need all the microbiology in the soil working in harmony 
to release nutrients."

To handle the influx in bulk orders, the Williamses beefed up their 
worm power, switching to the African nightcrawler breed - a larger, 
more aggressive composter. The company is starting to sell a host of 
related products, such as worm eggs.

Adaptability has been key for the Colorado Springs startup, both in 
terms of business model and the personal toll.

"As far as family dynamic, it has made us a lot closer because we 
work so intimately on the business whenever (Ken) isn't at his day 
job," said Jay.

Ken still works a full-time job as an excavator while Jay runs the 
day-to-day operations at the worm farm and storefront.

"The ultimate goal," Jay said, "is to employ both of us."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom