Eagle Chamber Ambassadors visited Wiggle Worm Gardens to assist with tasks as Eagle's newly opened nursery prepares for planting season in Eagle County. As it turned out, the Ambassadors felt they had entered a bit of a retreat at the end of their work day. "The experience was therapeutic. It was calming", expressed Ambassador Patty Hood of Hood Insurance Agency.
Wiggle Worm Gardens owners Shawn, Nick, Sylvia and Lindsay, were there at the site to welcome the Ambassadors and had their tasks organized and laid out for them. The Ambassadors helped prune annuals, in preparation for Mother's Day weekend sales. "At first, walking around the beautiful nursery, the flowers and veggies were so fresh and plush, I couldn't even tell any help was needed", said Michelle Morgan of the Eagle Chamber.
Pruning petunias and pansies was the order for the Ambassadors and that they did. Snipping and dropping clippings in the compost pale x 4 Ambassadors made some headway during their visit. During a break from pruning, Shawn invited the Ambassadors along for a mini-composting education while she emptied the clippings into the appropriate compost bin she has been cultivating on the property. Shawn guided the crew into the vermiculture shed where the cultivation of wiggle worms is kept. She buried the proper organic fruits in small amounts into the soil bedding and explained how the ongoing cultivation process works. Temperature testing is key to maintaining an optimal range for worm activity and reproduction.
"Wiggle Worm Garden's approach to every detail of their operation is well thought out from the standpoint of health for all living habitats, sustainability, water wise, disease prevention and so much more. Visiting Wiggle Worm Gardens is an educational experience in and of itself and we all learned so much while we enjoyed gardening therapy to calm us after a long work day", Michelle explained.
Ambassador Jackie VanEyll of the Town of Eagle offered; "For me, being embedded in the community gives a sense of belonging. Being involved, hands on, gives me more understanding of Wiggle Worm Gardens and information to pass along to others. Knowledge is power and community is good for the soul."
Be sure and follow Wiggle Worm Gardens on Facebook and Instagram to keep up with their wide variety of special events, including "Meditation in the Garden", "Protect Our Pollinators", a multitude of gardening classes, canning and preserving and much, much more. Except for Tuesdays, Wiggle Worm Garden's spring weekday hours are daily from 12 to 6 pm. Saturday and Sunday 9 am to 4 pm. Be sure and check their social media pages for updates on future hours.
The Eagle Chamber Ambassadors express our gratitude to the incredible team at Wiggle Worm Gardens for accommodating us during this Ambassador Assists session. We'll all be back and will help spread the word about Eagle's newest landscaping, composting and gardening ecosystem.
Special thanks to Eagle Chamber Ambassadors Jennifer Hefferan of MND America, Jackie VanEyll of Town of Eagle and Patty Hood of Hood Insurance Agency for assisting!