Worm work is dog's favorite entertainment

I have been composting since I was a freshman in college. My mom had a big beautiful garden when I was growing up and would show me the wiggly worms in the soil and explain how good they were for the garden. So when I moved into my own place I created a place for those wiggly worms and used the finished product for the plants in my yard.  Each time I moved I started a new compost, often bringing some of the old compost to get the new one started. When our kids were little we got them involved by having them empty the green compost bucket we keep under the sink for fruit and vegetable scraps. They actually enjoyed showing their friends the compost, worms and all. Then we got our dog Cookie who discovered that there are bigger critters that visit the compost at night and she is completely fascinated! She asks to go outside and then will stand on a stump looking up at the top of the compost for an hour sometimes. She doesn't try to catch the critters, she just stares at them if they happen to scuttle by.  The bin I have is a tall black bin with a lid but somehow the critters chewed a hole in the side so that they can get in. At first I was completely grossed out but now I think they're kind of cute. However, I am a bit worried about possible cooties from them. Anyone have any info on this? By the time the compost is finished at the bottom, are the cooties eliminated?

If you want to start a compost pile, it is super easy. Just find a sunny spot in your yard as the sun helps break down the kitchen scraps and yard waste. You can just pile everything up, or you can purchase a compost bin, or you can make one yourself from stakes and chicken wire. The purchased ones are the easiest as they generally have a door at the bottom where you can pull out the finished material that is ready to put on and around your plants in your garden. Once you've got your spot, add any sort of vegetable or fruit scraps. Egg shells and orange peels take a long time to break down, but we put them i anyways. You can also add non-glossy paper and egg cartons, or any other paper material. I even put in my shredded confidential financial papers for the worms to figure out!  Then you need to add yard waste such as grass cuttings, yard clippings and leaves. If your pile is too wet from mostly veggies and fruits then add more dry leaves, etc. If your pile is too dry from not enough wet additions, add some water. The pile should be moist but not soggy. If you get it right, it won't smell bad, but it will smell earthy. If it smells like rotting fruit and veggies then you need to add more leaves on top. Some people turn their piles and some people compress them down. I generally just pile everything on and leave it alone.  If you're just starting a new pile, you can purchase worms from a local nursery or online. Although, if it is on top of soil, worms will generally find your pile. We bought our compost bucket that we keep under the kitchen sink from Gaiam, but they have them all over the place now, including Sur la Table and Crate and Barrel. They all have charcoal filters at the top that let air in but don't let smells out.

Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions - I can talk about compost all day long.