Behind Food for Lane County some interesting composting is taking place. Amongst the more traditional bins is a plywood box sitting atop a pallet. It's roughly 40" high, 48" side, and 36" deep, with a hinged roof and a 2x4 afixed about 28" from the bottom.

That 2x4 is drilled with a series of holes & nylon rope has been threaded through. The panel below is held on with friction by a couple of metal angle pieces that go around the corners. If you pull the panel, you peer into the harvest chamber.

Rodney Bloom, who maintains the worm bins and traditional compost at this site, fills the flow-through bin in layers of leaves and food. The red wigglers come from other worm bins. When the bin is filled to the top, several inches on the bottom are ready for harvest. The bottom panel is removed and, with some elbow grease, the vermicompost is raked down with that great human tool: fingers.

This bin doesn't get soggy like many tub and other worm bins tend to. It's pretty vermin proof, although tree frogs love these. Rodney puts ice bags in on really hot days, and insulates when it's very cold.

His design came originally from Dan Holcombe of Oregon Soil, although he has modified that design a lot. You can get plans from Don by clicking on the website. I've added Rodney's email, as he is the undisputed vermicompost expert in Eugene.