About Us

A family farming story, one bucket of worms at a time

I’m Adam Schechinger, founder of Iowa Worm Farm. Our family’s agricultural roots reach back to Schechinger Seed Company, founded in 1955. I grew up around crops and beef cattle, and even when my career took me into insurance, gardening kept me connected to the land.

Iowa Worm Farm began with a bucket of worms from my dad, John. What started as an experiment with kitchen scraps grew into a deeper interest in worm castings, soil biology, and the ways we can put organic materials back to work.

I founded Iowa Worm Farm on November 7, 2024—my dad’s 72nd birthday.

How we work today

John produces the worm castings we use for Elmer’s Gold at his larger-scale operation. I handle product development, blending, and helping customers choose and use our products. Our work brings together his production experience and my focus on testing, practical growing trials, and customer education.

We offer Elmer’s Gold worm castings, S Brand Sprout Mix enriched castings, and BioBoost unamended biochar. Each has a different role in a gardener’s soil-building routine, and we aim to make those differences clear.

Testing is part of the work

I use independent laboratory testing and microscope observations to better understand our castings and guide product decisions. Testing has included nutrients, soil-health measurements, humic and fulvic acids, and microbial DNA.

I also test products by growing plants. In a red cherry tomato comparison, I grew trays using store-bought starting mix with tap water, starting mix with 25% Elmer’s Gold and reverse-osmosis water, and starting mix with 25% S Brand Sprout Mix and reverse-osmosis water. This practical comparison showed the results of those growing approaches; it did not isolate the effects of the amendments from the water source. Sharing what we observe helps customers make informed choices.

Our reports describe the samples tested, and natural batches vary. We share that context alongside the results because understanding the product matters as much as selling it.

Practical help from a real person

Our goal is to help you build healthier soil and put organic materials to useful work. Whether you’re repotting houseplants, starting seeds, or tending a garden, we want you to know what you’re buying and how to use it.

Explore our worm castings, read Field Notes, or contact me with a question.