Organic Farm in need of Coffee Chaff (central Texas)

January 31, 2008 · Filed Under Uncategorized 

I received an email from this gentleman requesting 1-ton (that’s no misprint) of coffee chaff for his… worms… to ’snack on’.

Naturally, I was a bit taken aback. I don’t believe I had ever seen a request for 1-ton of coffee chaff for use as worm fuel.

I offered to help by posting here, but I asked for a little more background.. something I can use to sell the idea of donating stuff we’d normally throw out or compost to someone who actually needs the coffee roasting byproduct.

He writes,

Dear Jason,
Thank you for the response!
Since you have asked, I will give you my vision.
I have 15 acres east of LaGrange, Tx. 5 acres are creek bottom land along side…Ross creek.
I have been organic and sustainable gardening with my wife and kids for several years. We make compost on site. This is a family garden that gives us very, very tasty vegetable and some strawberries. I am trying to produce the finest quality earthworm bedding which will result in the finest finished earthworm castings. (read up on the organic sustainability of earthworm castings in the Internet.)
I have developed a small worm farm that produces approximately 500 lbs of finished, screened earthworm castings per month. Originally, I was placing the earthworm castings in the family organic gardens but when other friends found out that I had surplus earthworm castings I started selling and produced $4000.00 in sales in 2007.
Now I am going to expand the gardens to be used to produce tasty vegetables and to promote the organic/sustainable lifestyle. This includes expanding the worm farm along with the bagging and sales of organic soil amendments for soil and garden improvements. I am using the earthworm castings as the base for specialized, blended organic fertilizers. (Rose food, tomato & pepper booster.)
I believe we need small organic farms in central Texas to raise public awareness of locally, sustainable food by example. Organically grown food is very tasty and more nutritious than what is found in the big box grocery stores. I am doing something I love and I might as well make a profit while leaving the earth a little better.
Now..coffee chaff is an excellent amendment to compost because it promotes beneficial fungus and microbiology. They love this stuff! . I also add peanut hulls, some molasses to feed the microbiology, fine leaf mulch, some humus and some colloidal clay for trace minerals.
I have found one company in Dallas that adds some vegetable oil and squirts the chaff out to make it more manageable to transport. I am looking for a source closer to LaGrange,central Texas and I am hoping to visit and see how coffee chaff is product in the process. I also have a manufacturing and process improvement background that I try to lend when ever I visit business.
Jason, I appreciate your offer to post a request for information on access to coffee chaff. This would help me immensely.
Post script: TOFGA or Texas Organic Farmers & Gardners Association is have a 3 day conference in College Station on February 1,2 and 3. There will be farm tours on Friday, training secessions by various experts in vegetable, soil improvement, beef and chicken, eggs and dairy products…all organic. There will be an exhibit hall with product vendors from throughout Texas. This will be the place to be if anyone is interested in the organic.sustainable movement in Texas. go to TOFGA.com for details.
Best regards,
Bruce Ford
Ross Creek Organic Farm
Ellinger, Texas 78938
rosscreekorganicfarm(AT)gmail(DOT)com

So, if you’re a roaster in Texas, and you’d like to help the sustainable movement a little, please do contact Mr. Ford and offer your Coffee chaff.

An odd request, I realize, but one man’s byproduct is another man’s organic worm food… or something like that.

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