About Me – Brian Donaldson – “The Worm Man”
Thanks for visiting my site !
I help people with their worm farms through Workshops, Presentations,
Facebook groups, YouTube and here on my website.
I also sell worms, worm farms & vermicompost.
Hi there !
If you don’t already know me, I’m REALLY into worms 🙂
I live in Australia – in the state of Queensland – halfway between Ipswich and Brisbane – at Collingwood Park.
In Short, I Am:
A Commercial Worm Farmer, Worm Farming & Composting Educator & Author of worm farming and composting E-books.
- Brisbane City Council (BCC) CERTIFIED Master Composter
- Trainer to the BCC Master Composter program & other Council programs
- Qualified, Horticulture – Cert.3 Horticulture; Cert.3 Rural Operations & Herbicides
- Qualified Trainer – Horticulture & Worm Farming (Cert.4 TAE40116)
- Author – of several E-books about Worm Farming & Composting
- Speaker At Events – about worm farming, composting or waste reduction.
- Workshop Facilitator – My own ticketed workshops; for other parties like Northey Street City Farm or Brisbane City Council; garden clubs; and Landcare etc.
Adult Education: Worm Farming & Composting Workshops & Presentations:
- Brisbane City Council programs – Master Composters Program; Libraries Workshops; & Kids-Collective (Activities Provider)
- Northey Street City Farm – Worm Farming & Composting Workshops (A community garden project in Brisbane)
- Speaking At Events – I speak at events, about worm farming, composting alternatives and waste reduction.
- Private Workshops – At Clients Locations
- My Own Ticketed Events (search Eventbrite)
- Garden Clubs, Horticultural Societies etc
- Commercial Consulting & Private Lessons/Mentor-ship available
Adult Workshops INFO Page - Also Check Out The Past Events/Testimonials There
Kid’s Education: Entertaining & Educational Activities & Incursions, For:
- Brisbane Eco Expo
- Brisbane Garden & Plant Expo
- Gatton Grow Expo
- Schools – Incursions & Activities, Science Fairs Etc.
- Child Care Centers & OSHC / Vacation Care Centers
- Brisbane City Council (BCC) Kid’s Collective Activity Facilitator
- Holding Blue Card As A Business
Kid's Activity INFO Page - Also Check Out The Past Events/Testimonials There
My Formal Qualifications:
♦ BCC CERTIFIED Master Composter (& trainer to the Master Composter program.)
♦ Cert. 4 Training & Assessment (TAE40116)
- This qualifies me as a workplace trainer.
- I am qualified to teach Horticulture and Rural Operations, including the “ACDC” chemicals (herbicides) units.
- I am able to design, develop and deliver worm farming training lessons and packages.
♦ Cert. 3 Horticulture – “Trade/Supervisor level”
♦ Cert. 3 Rural Operations – “Trade/Supervisor level” (Includes application of herbicides)
♦ Holder of “ACDC” – Unrestricted chemical distribution licence (for Herbicides)
♦ Blue Card holder (for “working with children”)
My Experience:
Worm Farming & Gardening:
♦ I have been farming worms at home for about 25 years.
♦ I started selling worms in about 2013, becoming “full time” in early 2020.
♦ I have had my own Mowing & Gardening contracting business from approx. 2008 – 2020.
♦ I began having a commercial involvement in worm farming in 2013.
♦ I am a Facebook group admin – of multiple worm farming & gardening groups, since approx. 2014. Over time, I have answered many thousands of questions about worms. Totaling about 100,000 members, as of 2022. My largest group is the second largest worm farming group in the world.
♦ International Worm Farming Alliance – I am a member and administrator of the WFA. This is a paid-subscription group for serious or commercial worm farmers, with members world wide; the WFA also welcomes professionals from associated disciplines, like soil science.
♦ I have a You tube Worm Farming channel – with 80+ videos, 1,500+ subscribers; 215,000+ video views.
♦ I have published worm farming e-books, guides and worm farm plans on my website, which is packed full of information.
♦ I also do commercial worm farming consulting.
A List Of The Worm Farms That I Currently Operate:
At the time of writing I have many worm farms.
I like to try my hand out at different systems. I like to try different ones out – and I like to do this to be able to help other people with different systems.
I have operating (as at 2021):
♦ About 100 bait worm trays, depending on the season and supply/demand (2 square feet each). I am trying to cut down on worm sales volume and convert more of my business to education.
♦ One bathtub worm farm.
♦ A 63 gallon wheelie bin CFT.
♦ I have two x 10 square foot “BEAST CFT’s.”
♦ I an outdoor “Wedge System,” like I descibe in my E-book.
♦ I’ve also made a basic aquaponics system that I help power with worms.
Youtube Channel:
I have a lot of YouTube videos about worms on my channel.
I have about 80 videos published; with about 3000 subscribers and 240,000 video views.
https://www.youtube.com/c/brianthewormman1
My Info PACKED Website:
I maintain this website about worms and I have lots of good info on here – over 1000 pages of info !
Facebook:
I’ve been involved with several Face Book worm groups as an administrator for a while now.
I have “my own” groups and also help others admin theirs.
Totaling about 100,000 members, as of 2022.
In my largest group, I am the lead admin/founder. It is the second largest worm farming group in the world, at about 37,000 members.
For a great worm farming facebook group, check out my own group:
Facebook Group – Worm Farming & Composting In Oz
I also have a Face Book business page:
https://www.facebook.com/BrianTheWormMan
How Did I Begin My Worm Farming Business? My “Origin Story”:
Well, that’s a funny story 🙂
Aldi were advertising worm farms for sale. For years I had owned worm farms – and I admit I had let them get into a terrible state (life takes over, you know?)
My wife, Janette, asked me in coversation “Where do people buy worms for these worm farms”
I said something like “I don’t know!”
Janette then said “You should advertise worms for sale on Gumtree” (Gumtree is Australia’s version of Craig’s List)
I said “What a SILLY idea!”
Well – luckily for me, she said it again – maybe 2 or more times, lol.
So, I said OK – and put an ad on Gumtree to see what would happen.
That weekend, I sold 3 little bags with a handful of worms in them from my sad, neglected, muddy worm farms – and being the business man that I am, I was hooked on this idea of selling worms.
I proceeded to do a lot of in-depth research into worm farming. I spent many hours revisiting the knowledge that I once had learned years before when I first started my first worm farm (before I got slack with my worms).
I bought some more worms (and got ripped off doing it 😛 ) – and I started to expand my worm farms by simple “splitting”.
A little while later, joined facebook, just to join a worm farming group – and the rest is history lol.
There I met Larry Shier, now my good friend and mentor – and proceeded to help others with their questions, learning more and more by helping others.
Larry invited me to become group admin with him in more and more worm farming groups, including the professional paid-for group, the Worm Farming Alliance.
I continue to expand my knowledge and experience to this day – helping others not only makes me feel like I am doing something worthwhile – but it also teaches me about things I may not have had to deal with, or knowledge that I wouldn’t otherwise have.
I went on to complete formal qualifications in Horticulture (& Rural Operations) – and from there was encouraged by my teachers to complete the formal qualification to teach Horticulture (as a workplace trainer).
I have expanded my worm farms SERIOUSLY (see the list above) – and continue to develop my knowledge where I can.
I now conduct worm farming lessons at schools and garden clubs – and also do commercial worm farming consulting work.
I teach adults and children about waste reduction, worm farming and composting.
I also self-publish e-books about worm farming – some of which you will find in the sidebar to the left (on a PC).
(Thanks for reading all of that !!)
Thanks very much for looking at my info.
Regards,
Brian Donaldson
0419 419 572 (Australia)