Pasadena worms turn coffee to compost
Volunteer gardener Stephen McDonnell is happy to be the caretaker of the Pasadena Community Centre worm farm.
The Pasadena resident says he’s learnt a lot about looking after the farm since it was started by ‘Wormboy’, aka Josh Salisnew, as part of a workshop in 2023.
“I’m learning as I go – it’s pretty straightforward really, they do their own thing,” he says. “We add coffee grounds from the centre and shredded paper and they just love it.”
Stephen says it’s important not to overfeed or overwater worms – he feeds them food scraps once a fortnight. His other tip is to keep the farm in a shaded spot.
City of Mitcham residents can apply for a rebate on the cost of worm farms as part of the city’s Sustainable Living Program.
The rebate covers 50 per cent of the purchase price, up to a maximum of $50, of worm farms, bokashi kits and insect hotels.
Up to $200 is available to subsidise the cost of an e-bike, e-cargo or cargo bike. Rebates of 50 per cent, capped at $150, are available for rainwater tanks; $50 for nest boxes, compost bins and indigenous plants. Other products eligible for rebates include modern cloth nappies and reusable menstrual and incontinence products (50 per cent, capped at $50).