VERMILUV was started in upstate NY, by a regular guy and his quest for good food. We’ll call this regular guy Cody to make things easier for everyone. Cody was raised in a big Italian family, where food is shared and cherished. A big player in the food scene in Cody’s family is his dad. Cody’s dad could make anything, the crispiest chicken wings, fresh tapenade, and cheesecake lighter than the clouds…and everything in between. Cody’s dad instilled a fiery passion for food in his son, and always told him that the fresher the ingredients…the better the food. Now I’m sure everyone would love to buy 100% fresh as can be, top of the line organic produce…but Cody don’t got money like that. He doesn’t own a car dealership, and him and his dad definitely aren't cooking meth in an RV like Walter White and Jesse Pinkman, so finding a massive amount of cash lying around to pay for “organic veggies” this and “all natural produce” that was out of the cards. But then he thought maybe instead of buying the freshest and best food for their favorite meals….he could grow his own.
(Cody and family, circa 2002)
Now one thing Cody learned very quickly was gardening is waaaay easier in Stardew Valley vs real life. Things like blight, and pythium plagued his little cucumbers and cherry tomatoes. While the poor soil structure of his garden (which was in the pine bush, a very very sandy soil area) decimated their peppers and squash. All the leafy greens looked great at the beginning of summer…only to mysteriously disappear when the latest round of cutworms and june beetles arrived. Nothing sucks more than spending weeks or months on a project, just for something tiny to come along and completely destroy all your hard work. It seems like Cody’s journey for the freshest ingredients had come to a standstill.
Now obviously he could go online and buy the latest chemical sprays that claim instant results, but also have a loooooong list of side effects when consumed or used improperly like “dry mouth, wet mouth, anal leakage, complete organ failure, total blindness”, and of course “slow agonizing death”. Or maybe there was another way…maybe there was a way he could avoid all those nasty chemicals and microplastics and 8G nonsense in the garden, while still protecting his plants from pests. And imagine if on top of pest control, he could also increase the yields of their plants, germinate his seeds faster, and grow bigger and happier plants.
The trials and tribulations continued for our novice gardener. It was at this time, one could say Cody was close to the end of his rope. He could be seen on his hands and knees in his garden praying to the garden gods to smite these pests and problems in their tracks. He needed a better approach…he needed an answer. It was at this point that Cody started researching everything and anything he could find online about gardening. Then, Late one night, while he was 14 pages deep in another random gardening forum while his border collie was sitting right on top on him because she was “helping”...he saw 2 words that he’d never seen together…worm…farm.
After reading about the hype around these worms, Cody decided to look up some articles on google scholar about worm castings (worm poop), and vermicompost effects on plants…and the amount of articles that came up was mind blowing. A real ‘HOLY CASTINGS’ kind of moment. In his research he saw turnips that were like tiny golf balls when grown with regular chemical fertilizers next to turnips that were the size of softballs when grown in soil with vermicompost. Tomato plants that when grown in vermicompost DOUBLED the size of their frail fertilizer counterparts. He saw root systems that looked like overflowing balls of spaghetti (thanks to vermicompost) compared to root systems with no compost which looked tiny and mushy (root rot city!). He also read about how not only did the plants do way better when vermicompost was added to the soil…but the fruits and veggies the plants produced also tasted better. At this moment Cody had to take a step back, was he being punked right now? Where’s Ashton Kutcher? There’s no way that this vermicompost stuff could really be this magical soil amendment that would fix most of his garden problems right? There was only one thing left to do. Time to wiggle.
(Cody spending quality time with the "kids". Worms pictured; Eugene, Tammy, Sebastian, Shawn, Sean, Shaun, and Jebediah)
This led to Cody purchasing his first batch of worms and trying his luck at making some garden gold. The very first year he used the vermicompost in his garden there were NOTICEABLE results. He’s never seen an eggplant grow as big as it did that summer, not to mention the crazy number of eggplants that single plant produced. He had more peppers than he knew what to do with (luckily he knew some friends without gardens), only one year after only having a handful of peppers from the prior harvest. He actually got to try some of his swiss chard which wasn’t decimated by bugs and the strawberries he grew made his mouth water, they were so sweet. Cody knew 2 things at that end of that harvest, he knew that vermicompost was THE S***!!! And he knew he HAD to spread the word and help other people with their gardening woes and struggles. The same way the worms had helped him.
It was from that point moving forward Cody’s vision began to become more focused, and VERMILUV was born. VERMILUV wants everyone to have the ability to grow their own oasis, and wants to help them along the way. The foundation that VERMILUV is built on can be represented in 4 pillars, those pillars are;
- A Love for Gardening: Gardening is more than just a hobby, it's a labor of love that nourishes our souls and connects us to the earth. From the satisfaction of watching seeds sprout, to the joy of harvesting fresh produce, gardening fills us with a sense of purpose and fulfillment. It’s a simultaneous journey of growth, not only for the plants, but also for us…the Garden Guardians.
- A Passion for Sustainability: At the core of our love for gardening lies a commitment to sustainability. Whether we're growing our own food, composting organic waste, or using eco-friendly gardening practices, every action we take in the garden is a step towards a more sustainable future. By harnessing the power of nature and working in harmony with the environment, we aim to reduce our carbon footprint and promote a healthier planet for generations to come.
- Community Connection: In the garden, boundaries dissolve, and communities flourish. Whether we're sharing gardening tips with neighbors, participating in community gardens, or trading surplus produce with friends, gardening brings people together in meaningful ways. It's a shared experience that transcends differences and fosters bonds built on a common love for nature and a desire to make a positive impact.
- Garden Gold Standard: One saying that we live by at VERMILUV is “Be the Best”. In our pursuit of excellence we hold ourselves to the highest standard, always trying to be the best in everything we do. Whether its the bountiful produce in our garden or our professional dreams, VERMILUV believes in pushing boundaries, exceeding expectations and continuously raising the bar for ourselves and those around us.
And there you have it, the lore behind VERMILUV. It isn’t some magical mythical entity with no face, or some shell company located in Timbuktu, it also isn't some greedy shady company that leaves you feeling greasy on the inside after doing business. It’s just a Community Conscious Company. Founded by a regular guy with a lot of help from his dad, who initially just wanted some good food. Hopefully this resonated with you and at the very least made you chuckle a couple times and wasn't the most boring read of the day. And if it was the most boring thing you read, well sometimes it be like that.