Pamela MacDonald gives Dennis Garcia worms for his worm farm while Hunter Kilgore waits for his turn at the Falkville Summer Reading Program Thurs., July 11. | Joy Harris

Joy Harris

Hartselle Enqurier

The Falkville Summer Reading Program continued Thursday with a session dedicated to worms.

About 10 kids showed up to learn about these wiggling underground decomposers. Helen Sterbutzel, a retired second grade teacher, taught the kids all about life as a worm. She shared her experience as a worm farmer and what conditions and foods worms enjoy.

“Even though worms don’t have eyes, ears or a nose, they are particular about their environment,” Sterbutzel said. “Worms prefer dark damp dirt and don’t like the light. They will eat most any small food like bits of vegetables or corn meal, but they won’t eat onions.”

Each child was given a bucket, dirt and worms to make their own worm farm to take home. Adult helpers Jenny Asherbranner and Pamela MacDonald helped the kids make their worm farm and taught them how to change the dirt and watch their worm farm’s progress.

The worms given to the children should multiply and grow if nourished properly. Soon the kids will see little baby worms the size of thread squirming in the dirt. These babies will quickly grow to full size in a few weeks. The nutrient-rich used soil from their worm farms can be reused in gardens or planters.

The goal of the “Dig In and Read” summer program is not only to teach kids about digging critters but to also encourage kids to read outside of school. Program participants were given an “I READ” game similar to Bingo so kids could track what subjects they read about.

Readers will also receive prizes for reading a certain number of pages. The more pages kids read, the more stamps they earn and the more prizes they receive.

Falkville’s Summer Reading Program is part of a state-wide effort to get kids more interested in reading and learning.

From left, Maggie, Claire and Avery Bramlett investigate their new worm farms at the Falkville Summer Reading Program at Falkville Town Hall. | Joy Harris

Helen Sterbutzel, a retired second grade teacher, presents a lesson on worms and how to take care of a worm farm. | Joy Harris

The Falkville Public Library provided a bucket, worms and dirt Thurs., July 11, for each child attending the Falkville Summer Reading Program to make a worm farm to take home. | Joy Harris

Kids learn about worms and their usefulness as decomposers at the Falkville’s “Dig in and Read” summer reading program Thurs., July 11, at Falkville Town Hall. | Joy Harris