Our Family: Legacy

Over the past six months, my siblings and I have been facing the task of sorting through the possessions in our parent's home. This is a difficult task, especially for my sisters because they are local. We've asked ourselves and each other a lot of questions as we look through photo albums, rub our hands over the worn spots on furniture, and walk through the remnants of gardens. Will we be able to honor our parents' wishes regarding the disposition of items? How much should we keep? If we choose not to keep something, are we being disrespectful? If we get rid of an item, will we retain the memories associated with it? Just how do we preserve our parents' legacies? Today is my Dad's birthday, which has been prompting me to reflect even more on the best way to honor him.

And then came the worm project. For the upcoming school science fair, Cassie has been raising Red Wiggler worms in the basement. These worms are raised for their ability to compost and can consume up to their entire body weight in organic compost every day. Cassie set out to determine which of four different diets would produce the most worms and the best soil quality. She has been carefully tending the worms since late December, keeping extensive records of the number of worms, soil quality, and the amount and type of food she fed the worms. Here's a brief excerpt from her research paper:

"My conclusion is that a mixed diet is best to increase the worm population and help keep the soil nutrients. The best diet for this situation is a mixed diet of vegetables or fruit, together with leaves. I also concluded that the fruit diet has the greatest impact on waste reduction. The Red Wigglers that I used for this experiment are used for their ability to compost. They can consume up to their entire body weight in organic compost every day. A healthy Red Wiggler population can double in 90 days. The larger a population, the more the worms can compost and the more waste they can reduce. My group of fruit-fed worms tripled its population in just 45 days. I'm glad I chose an experiment that can be applied to the real world. My conclusion helps because using worms to compost reduces waste. And, using worms to produce better soil is safer for people and animals than using chemical fertilizers. The knowledge of how to benefit the earth can help all people be green."

After I read Cassie's paper, my first thought was, "Wow. My Dad would sure be proud." And then a flood of memories hit me - my Dad's massive compost piles; the Spring gardening rituals; the worms that we raised in the basement when I was a kid;. Cassie's work truly manifests my Dad's love of nature. There will be some tangible memories that we cherish. But, Cassie's love of nature is a worthy legacy.