Marlé Worm Growers is reaping the benefits of a growing movement toward organic and sustainable agricultural practices, coupled with renewed marketing efforts and community support, says Amy Wood, co-owner of the Otis Orchards-based worm farm.

The family farm raises red worms, popularly known as red wigglers, and harvests the waste by-product of the worms, known as castings, at a 3,600-square-foot worm barn, located at 24411 E. Joseph.

The red worms and their by-products are sold to a variety of consumers, ranging from home gardeners to small farms to large enterprise operations, all of which are contributing to the high demand in the Inland Northwest, says Wood. 

"We have waiting lists every season. We are currently sold out of worms," Wood says. Her daughter, Kelsi Wood, says the farm's current waitlist holds about 15 people.

Vermiculture, or worm composting, is the process of using worms to compost organic waste into a nutrient-rich soil amendment for plants. Gardeners and farmers who use worm compost have reported thriving plants and crops, Amy adds.

"One of our clients gets 1,000-pound-plus pumpkins for the fair. Another guy grows onions the size of my head," she says. "Helping them get the best product they can keeps us going."

Operational costs are kept down by feeding the invertebrates a mixture of free, discarded food from local food banks and other organic materials. 

"I'd rather save that from going to the landfill and turn it into something useful," she says.

The result is, "an all-organic, highly water-soluble fertilizer. It's all pH balanced, it doesn't burn, and it won't hurt anything," Amy explains. 

Notably, while visiting the property, the worm barn didn't smell of old food or manure, although it does present a strong scent of soil. That's because of the diet fed to the worms, that includes green vegetable scraps and garden and yard waste, Amy says. Worm food doesn't include any oils or fats, meats, dairy, or pet waste.

"As long as you feed them right and feed them exactly what they need, and not too much, it won't smell at all," she says. "If there's a smell, it's a red flag."

The worm farm has a row of eight worm incubators where the invertebrates decompose organic materials that produce the castings, which is the worm's waste material. One incubator can produce a square yard of worm castings every 90 days, she says, which is about 32 square yards of castings produced annually. 

Amy declines to disclose the latest or projected annual revenue figures, but says Marlé Worm Growers is expected to meet or exceed last year's annual revenue.

Co-owner Jeff Wood adds that the business doesn't spend any money on marketing and has grown in each of the last eight years by word of mouth. This year, however, Marlé Worm Growers is ramping up the company's social media presence. 

The farm has been too busy working to meet the demand for worms and soil, to market the business on social media at all in the last four years, says Kelsi.

"I'm filming content way ahead of time now and have it saved so I can just post. ... Last week I (produced) four Facebook posts and two TikTok posts," she says. "A lot of people have found us on Facebook and Instagram, but quite a few still find us by word of mouth."

Cultivating relationships with customers has led to a fruitful partnership with a separate worm farm near Omak, Washington, that provides 20 to 30 yards of worm castings to Marlé Worm Growers, explains Amy, who declines to disclose the name of the farm.

"I purchase all the castings he produces. He doesn't sell worms and only produces castings for us, so we can add it to our supply," she says. 

Marlé Worm Growers uses the additional castings to supplement a variety of custom soil blends that are for sale by the yard or by cubic foot at the farm and at some retailers, such as Pilgrim Market LLC, in Coeur d'Alene.

Soils are available for pickup and delivery and include premium or organic compost blends, a vegan blend, and soil blends for specific uses in greenhouses, nurseries, and for seedlings.

The storefront also sells other soil amendments, such as bone meal and peat moss, in addition to compost tea, worm bins for personal use, and other gardening-related supplies.

The name Marlé is a combination of Jeff's parent's names: Les and his late wife Marilyn, who passed away in 2003, explains Kelsi.

Amy and her immediate family operate the worm farm that was established in 2011 when her husband Jeff acquired a family friend's live feed operation after leaving a career as a real estate appraiser 13 years ago. 

The family saw an opportunity to create long-term employment for their son, she says.

Zac Wood, Amy and Jeff's adult son, takes care of the red wigglers and helps with deliveries and other tasks. Kelsi operates the retail storefront at the property and handles the farm's marketing activity.

Another full-time employee, Stephen Klusak, is the soil master at the farm, Amy says. 

"Zac is mildly autistic and we wanted a place that he could always work and have something to do," Amy says.

Five employees in all help run the operation including Amy, who handles a bit of everything as the manager, including retail duties, soil building, and deliveries. Her husband, Jeff, currently provides worm farming, compost, and soil expertise. 

Since August, Amy has taken on more responsibility while Jeff receives treatment for an aggressive form of brain cancer, known as glioblastoma.

There are some challenges that come with operating a worm farm, however the benefits of the long-standing practice are worth the effort, explains Amy.

Regular feedings are needed to keep the red worms healthy. Additionally, worm farmers typically need to supervise the incubators to keep on eye on light exposure and the temperature and moisture levels of the containers. 

"This is a live feed operation, so for vacations, you have to have somebody come and take care of the worms," she says. "That's why we live onsite, so if something happens... it doesn't turn into a hot compost."

The process is a sustainable option for both personal and commercial use that helps reduce the amount of organic waste to be disposed of, Amy says. 

The Wood family is committed to sustaining the business and has received support from neighbors and customers throughout Jeff's medical treatment. He has had 15 surgeries in 18 months, including two brain surgeries and two operations for melanoma, Kelsi says.

A fundraising event was recently held in April, dubbed Wormstock, that was organized by friends of the family who wanted to help offset some of Jeff's medical expenses. Amy says she's interested in developing the occasion into an annual event that will split proceeds between her husband's medical costs and another organization or cause, such as a brain cancer-related nonprofit or for soil conservation.

Jeff says, "We don't have customers. We have friends and family come by. I take the time to sit down and explain to them about what they need, not what they want. ... That's how it is here, our customers become friends and family."