A Resounding Success

Yesterday's event was a resounding success.

I played calming music by hearts of space before the program, and silly songs about worms afterwards (to dancing happy children). I talked about everything from worm anatomy (with a huge poster I drew) to different species of red worms commonly used in permission. There were coloring sheets with markers, crayons, and colored pencils to choose from, full color laminated pass-around photos, power tools, stickers, hands-on wormy play (which was a HUGE hit), and a giant wormy poster to color (that it seems nobody noticed).

I really enjoyed how people didn't feel afraid to ask questions during the workshop. It feels a LOT better to have conversation and interactivity than it would to just be blathering on about a topic. Lectures don't feel right to me somehow, like I'm just boring my audience. I wouldn't be able to teach a lecture-based class very well. I was told that I was even able to be heard over the noise of the drill when people were

We had worms, castings, and worm casting "tea" for sale, plus the usual class / workshop fare of the things I sell in my business all the time. Sold 2 1/4 pounds of worms and sent them on to their new homes. We still have 1 1/2 pounds of worms left for adoption, anyone want some worms? *grin*

There were a total of 5 worm homes made, ranging in size from a diaper wipe container to a huge 20 gallon rubbermaid tub, with stops in between for a clear "pet worm" container, and a pickle bucket bin.

We received rave reviews (when asked honest thoughts in verbal survey) and was told that I really should have charged more considering what other places who give less info about things charge for their classes, workshops, and /or tours. Maybe next time I'll charge $4 or $6 for it? *shrug* Not like I was in it for the money anyway, but that's is a nice side benefit.

I feel really bad that a couple of the attendees left before they got their wormy graduation certificates, but I'll be emailing them to get their address so I can send them to them via snail mail instead. I had wanted to film the workshop so that I could post parts of it on the website as a "virtual worm workshop", but the camera is in the shop (hopefully getting fixed), so that and photos were not to be had. *sigh* I also managed to forget to say that worms may try to leave the bin if you put fresh garlic, onions, or highly acidic things like lemons into the bin, so it wasn't perfect. *laugh* Danged near it though. For my very first vermicomposting workshop, I think it was as near to perfect as it could get. *grin*

I'm learning a lot myself too, as this is my third workshop I've ever held, regardelss of subject, and now I have a fully interactive experience with a lot of information provided in an entertaining manner. I'm loving the heck out of this way of helping people learn. *grin*

Afterwards, the kids ran rampant in the yarden and played a rousing game of "try and pet the friendly fishy" in the pond. *laugh*

We also sold an "unproven doe" rabbit to a friend who has reserved two others (buck and doe respectively) for future purchase so that she can begin her own breeding program to supply her household with home-raised meat. We may end up with only one bunny to butcher from this litter, though it does look like we will be able to breed Roschoreo again soon. I can finally feel his ribs a bit when I pet him again instead of him being such a little lardball. *smile*

After nearly everyone had gone home, we helped some of our homeschooling friends with a part of their science curriculum, that *mock shock* had to do entirely with worms! *laugh* It was a lot of fun, and I was glad to help. Teaching other people's kids is SO much easier than teaching my own, they are actually not used to my conversational style, so they listen better and interact more. *grin* L got a lot more extra out of the "class because of her schooling requirements than anyone else who attended just the workshop. (like I talked a bit about the giant earthworms of Africa, and how there are over 50,000 different types of worms, from toothy worms, and worms with fur to worms that live in the water and more. For going from "eew, I don't want to touch it" to "wow, mom can you get a picture of that when we get home" in a period of two hours, most of which was spent playing with Polly pockets and petting the bunnies is a pretty cool thing, I think. *grin*

Of course, we were too darned tired to do much Beyond ordering pizza (BAD frugal mommy, Bad!) and then passing out in bed. I had a hard time getting to sleep and staying that way. Likely because of our wacky schedule the last couple of weeks where I would work and clean until the wee hours of the morning and get the rare 6 hours of rest before I had to be up and running again. This was the first night I was going to be able to sleep for a full 8, possibly more. I kinda wish it had worked out that way, but the kids had bad dreams, and I kept waking up for nothing on top of it. *sigh*

But today was good as well. *big smile* We got more work done in the house, had a rainstorm, collected plenty of rain for the next week or so, met a person from the rat list who adopted two of our boys to join their mischief. Their kids were great, and their daughter spent a goodly amount of time sitting in the playpen with the baby bunnies. *chuckle*

After they left, I boiled a chicken, made a casserole, made chicken noodle dinner out iof the chicken stock & vegetables, and baked a dessert. *grin* Now, no matter how tired I am for the next couple of days, we'll have good food to shove down our gullets. *chuckle*

I'm still exhausted, but things are moving along quite nicely. *smile*