Queen Cleopatra & Vermicompost
Black History Month, day 25
Leah Penniman, who profiled on day 22 of this series on Black history, taught me that some of the greatest sources of knowledge about agriculture and ancient practices come from Africa. In one lecture, I learned that Queen Cleopatra recognized the value of earthworms and worm composting (vermicompost) long before modern researchers. In about 50 B.C., the Egyptians used it, and Cleopatra passed a law that decreed anyone who removed worms from the soil was an offense punishable by death!
Yeah, she was that serious about it.
And for good reason, too. Soil forms the surface of the Earth, and is made up of various mixtures of minerals, water, air and organic material, including bacteria, fungi, earthworms, and other decomposers living within it. It takes at least 100 to 1,000 years to develop great soil. Any type of soil-based growing environment depends on soil health and the bacteria, fungi, microbes, and earthworms living within it. However, modern industrial agriculture and its cultivation practices has for centuries significantly degraded soil health through tilling, monocropping, and use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Today, farmers and researchers now hail the virtues of soil. Huge efforts to regenerate depleted soils and sequester carbon within to address climate change effects are happening nationwide.
Knowing all this, I’ve focused my gardening on creating healthy soil. My friend and neighbor, Debbie Stevens, is a vermicompost expert, and cultivates worms and great soil just as seriously and carefully as Cleopatra did. We often call her “the mayor” of our neighborhood in Napa, California, yet to me she’s a queen. If you’re local to my area, you can find her at the Napa Farmers Market (she owns Worm Endings, Unlimited) to give your soil a BIG boost with worm castings and compost tea — but don’t let her catch you hurting a worm! (Adapted from: Soul Fire Farm, Compost Magazine, Brandons Compost Project, FoodPrint)
