Today we’d like to introduce you to Maryann Little and Lisa Bone.
Hi Maryann and Lisa, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, you could tell our readers some of your backstory.
We are Maryann Little and Lisa Bone, co-owners of Dirty Chicks Worm Castings. We became instant friends after purchasing neighboring properties in Lexington, SC. Our wild ride into the world of organic worm castings began in July of 2021 when we were presented with the opportunity to provide high-quality 100% organic fertilizer (worm poop) to the public. Maryann, being a Master Gardener, was very familiar with this particular product and was well aware of its benefits and the amazing results it produced on all types of plants, including lawns. She firmly believed in this product, having used it for all of her plantings for years, and knew the worm casting (organic fertilizer) business was growing because the public was becoming more knowledgeable about the benefits of organic gardening. They dove in as soon as the opportunity to supply high-quality organic, locally sourced worm castings to the public presented itself. Dirty Chicks Worm Castings are a 100% organic soil amendment and fertilizer for all your gardening and landscaping needs. These castings contain nutrients, organic matter, and beneficial micro-organisms for strong and healthy plants. Dirty Chicks Worm Castings improve soil structure and help to retain moisture. They also contain more humus than traditional compost. Worm castings won’t burn plant roots like synthetic fertilizers or animal manures. Scientific research has proven that worm castings suppress plant disease, regulate plant nutrient release, stimulate nutrient uptake from soil, and reduce pest problems in your garden. (2011, Cornell University Dept of Plant Pathology). Dirty Chicks Worm Castings are never dried or processed. Some Others use this drying process which kills the beneficial microorganisms, worms, and worm eggs that are an essential part of our product. This difference makes Dirty Chicks Worm Castings a living product that builds viable soil! We began simply selling through the Facebook marketplace and Craigslist. As our sales increased, we obtained a business license, developed a website, and designed a label and other marketing materials. We both possess different skill sets, which has helped us prosper quickly. We visited our local garden centers to expand our growing business. Fortunately, our favorite garden centers were happy to carry our worm castings product. We have even had our name and label trademarked. Our worm castings product is approved by the SC Department of Agriculture and certified as a South Carolina product. Every year, our sales continue to grow!
Alright, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
Our road to success has been relatively easy. We attribute this to having an excellent product that performs exceptionally well. We pride ourselves on our extraordinary customer service and want to see our customers happy. Because of this, we have developed close friendships with many of them and have many repeat customers. We acquire 160 bags of worm casting weekly for most of the year. These bags weigh approximately 25-30 pounds each, and we sell out rapidly. Last spring, we would pull into our lot with our loaded trailer and be sold out within an hour or two. Customers set up appointments for pickup times, and we readily accommodate their schedules.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
As stated previoiusly each work week, we pick up approximately 160 bags of high quality, locally sourced, 100% organic worm castings from our source in the Midlands of South Carolina. Our supplier controls the diet of the red wriggler worms in a commercial environment, which prevents pathogens and contamination in the castings. This allows Dirty Chicks Worm Castings to be a South Carolina Certified Product. Dirty Chicks Worm Castings are an organic fertilizer produced from earthworms; essentially worm poo! Like compost, worm castings are full of nutrients, but castings also contain beneficial microorganisms. These microorganisms help plants grow and thrive and fend off pests and diseases. Worm castings also improve soil aeration and structure and increase water retention. Dirty Chicks Worm Castings can be used in all horticulture projects, whether for growing food and herbs, enjoying blooms, feeding shrub borders and lawns, and even houseplants. Our worm castings are a universal product. Dirty Chicks Worm Castings are never dried and processed. This drying process, used by some others, kills the beneficial microorganisms, worms, and worm eggs in their castings.
Dirty Chicks Worm Castings continue to improve soil structure and aeration long after plants consume the nutrients contained in our castings. Because of our continuing education and outstanding customer service, our sales continue to grow, including new customers, repeat business, and word-of-mouth referrals. Most of our clientele know that we do not take ourselves too seriously, even though we are serious about our worm-casting product. Neither one of us had previous dreams of selling worm poop! But here we are, enjoying the process!
Dirty Chicks Worm Castings can be found at some of our favorite local nurseries and landscape suppliers indicated on our website: www.dirtychickswormcastings.com, or email us at dirtychicksworms@gmail.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, where we post our local sales and vendor events. We are proud to supply an excellent product at an affordable price.
Risk-taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Lisa and I jumped into our new adventure without much reservation. Between the two of us, we already owned the heavy equipment, storage space, and vehicles necessary to conduct our business. Financially, we contributed a small amount initially, but after a few short months, the business was carrying itself and starting to provide a little profit. We are both creative, hard-working individuals, and we took it step by step, making intelligent decisions along the way. We have thoroughly enjoyed this venture, which has allowed us to meet many new people. We feel very fortunate.
Pricing:
- $20 for our 25-30 pound bag of organic worm castings
- Wholesale pricing of $400 for a pallet of 40 bags, approximately 1200 pounds of organic worm castings
Contact Info:
- Website: www.dirtychickswormcastings.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dirty_chicks_worm_castings/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DirtyChicksWormCastings
