About Us
Introduction
Welcome to Iowa Worm Farm LLC—where we dig deep (literally) to turn food waste into nature’s gold: worm castings. Founded on November 7, 2024 (my dad’s 72nd birthday, and no, we’re not worming around about that), we’re on a mission to improve soil health while reducing the mountains of food waste headed for landfills.
Our roots run deep—starting with Schechinger Seed Company, a family farming business founded in 1955. Growing up on a farm raising crops and beef cattle, I inherited a love for the land and a passion for sustainable agriculture. Sure, life took me off the farm into the world of insurance, but my heart always stayed in the soil. Fast forward a few decades, some dad wisdom about worms, and a 5-gallon bucket experiment, and voilà—Iowa Worm Farm was born.
Our Story
I’ll be honest: when my dad first handed me a bucket of worms for my garden, I wasn’t thrilled. I already had kids to take care of—did I need a worm farm too? Turns out, I did. That humble bucket, filled with scraps from our kitchen, blossomed into a thriving worm community that worked tirelessly to improve the soil in our garden.
Soon, I expanded my “herd” (yes, that’s what we worm farmers call it) to my office, then to 12 buckets producing 700+ pounds of worm castings annually while keeping food waste out of the landfill. Today, the Iowa Worm Farm is about more than worms—it’s about creating a balance between consumption and giving back to the earth.
My dad’s larger-scale worm farm—producing over 1,000 pounds of castings monthly—serves as both inspiration and future collaboration. Together, we dream of scaling these efforts to work with restaurants, coffee shops, grocery stores, and households to revolutionize waste management.
Mission and Values
Mission Statement:
We transform waste into natural soil amendments, enriching lawns, gardens, farm fields, and communities while reducing the need and expense of chemical fertilizers and fostering a greener, sustainable future.
Core Values:
- Authenticity: We value honesty and transparency in all we do.
- Service: We put others first by making intentional decisions that benefit people, the environment, and the worms.
- Wholehearted Living: We live with courage, compassion, and connection, knowing we’re enough no matter what challenges arise.
What Makes Us Unique
At Iowa Worm Farm, we’re not just about selling worm castings—we’re about cultivating life, from the microorganisms in the soil to the relationships with our customers. While other companies may offer similar products, ours are made with love at every step—from feeding our worms to packaging the final product.
Our direct-to-consumer approach ensures that you get the highest-quality castings at the best price, with no middlemen. Whether you’re a home gardener, urban farmer, or plant enthusiast, we’ve got your soil covered (literally).
We invite you to join our mission! Whether it’s purchasing our premium worm castings, gifting a bag to your favorite plant lover, or simply following us on social media (coming soon to Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube), you’re helping to grow something bigger. Together, we can reduce waste, enrich the earth, and create a greener future.