The celebration of Earth Day, which was April 22, frequently begins on the preceding weekend, and the Findley Lake Library joined in the fun with their Annual Earth Day Celebration and Plantstravaganza.

Sarah Hatfield, 4-H educator for the Cornell Cooperative Extension gave children a hands-on lesson in worms and their place in the environment. The worm demonstration and activity was new this year and the children plunged right in with the four H’s – head, heart, hands and health.

“What do you know about worms?” Hatfield asked, and received a chorus of replies, such as “I love worms,” “I love everything that’s slimy,” and “Worms remind me of my worst nightmare.”

Hatfield opened up the worm bin, also known as a vermiculture, that she brought to the library, and encouraged the children to crowd around it. “Worms are one of the decomposers that help turn all decaying matter into soil,” she said. “Worm castings are high in nutrients, and once they dry, they can be sprinkled around plants.”

Hatfield passed worms to all the children who wanted to hold them, which was most of those present, and let them touch the soil in the various levels of the worm bin. “The top bin is where you feed the worms,” she said. “The middle is where they hang out and the bottom layer is what’s left over.”

Hatfield told the children that worms can be fed most household scraps, such as banana peels, peppers and fruits. “They do like fruits more than vegetables,” she said.

Hatfield showed those present how to make a homemade vermiculture using a cardboard box and a plastic shoe box. “You don’t feed the worms for two weeks so they get good and hungry, and then put the food at one end” she said. “You have to keep the worm bin moist and in the dark. They don’t like light.”

Children not only learned about worms, but about other garden friends, such as lady bugs. They also engaged in several activities and Earth Day crafts. All visitors were invited to start a seed to take home and were offered snacks. Adults were given information about the Garden Club and had the opportunity to join if they wanted.

The Annual Earth Day Celebration and Plantstravaganza is one of the most popular events at the library. “Earth Day is a fun event for the kids,” said Library Manager Cala Glatz. “It’s a perfect opportunity for them to learn about the earth that keeps us all alive.”