Chattanoogan: Dr. Sofield And His Worms

  • Monday, October 11, 2004
  • Linda Miller
Dr. Sofield and his worms
Dr. Sofield and his worms

Roy Sofield and several hundred—maybe thousands—of his friends share a second-floor office in the science department at Chattanooga State Technical Community College. His friends, a colony of bait-shop red worms, occupy a bargain-priced blue plastic tub fitted with a matching lid and half filled with about four gallons of what once was peat moss.

Often, Dr. Sofield and his worms share snacks, such as bananas and apples, or coffee. Dr. Sofield likes his coffee as liquid from a cup; the worms prefer theirs as perked grounds in a paper filter.

The worm colony often makes a guest appearance in Dr. Sofield’s environmental science classroom. How do his students of “environmental problems at the global, national and local levels” react to the red wigglers?

“Well, it’s a mixed bag,” says Dr. Sofield, laughing. “Some think I’m crazy. Some are amazed, and a few say, ‘Tell me how I can do this.’”

Shifting to a scholarly tone, Dr. Sofield, who holds a Ph.D. in biology from Rutgers University, explains that the worm colony is serious business in the science of ecology. He established the colony in his office in 1996 to demonstrate that by eating “any kind of vegetable matter,” the worm colony efficiently transforms into soil banana peels, lettuce bits, paper napkins and the like destined for Tennessee land fills.

“Tennessee has mandated that all counties reduce the amount of solid waste going into landfills. A recent report from the state showed that the Chattanooga area has done very well, but, of course, for the health and well-being of everyone, we must continue reducing how much we send to the dump. Composting vegetable matter, from food to paper products, can contribute greatly to that reduction. . . .

“And if you’re looking for good gardening fertilizer, that’s it!” says Dr. Sofield, using a miniature garden rake to gently stir the dark, odorless mass of worms and their dirt. “Now and then, I put some of this in my garden and add new peat moss, but these are the descendents of the original 1996 worms,” he says proudly.

Of course, recycling by worm colony is not the only environmental issue Dr. Sofield’s students explore. One major project of the course is analyzing the amount of energy used in their own homes and ways to reduce it.

Student Vickie Brown says, “Our major project for the semester is tracking the amount of electricity, gas and water we use in our homes and how much gasoline we use in our cars. Every day, we have to record how much of these resources we use. Our goal is to make a plan to reduce our personal use of energy by 20 percent. Think of the energy—and money—we could save!”

Dr. Solfield’s Recipe for a Recycling Worm Colony

Worm composting can be done at home, either in an outdoor compost pile (“wild” worms will usually find the pile without help) or indoors just as Dr. Sofield does (great for apartment dwellers). Fill a 15-gallon plastic container just less than half full with peat moss, and then water lightly. Add one container of bait-shop red worms. Toss in vegetable matter—no meat products—and scoop a little of the composted matter on top of the new matter. Feed the worms when the fresh additions have disappeared. Water carefully so that the mixture remains slightly damp, and no water collects in the bottom of the container (Dr. Sofield says red worms can’t swim!).

For more information about worm composting and the two environmental science courses Dr. Sofield teaches at Chattanooga State, just email roysofield@chattanoogastate.edu.

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