Connor Freimuth wants to change the world from the ground up.
Worm farming started as a pastime for Freimuth, but has become a mission to improve the health of the soil used to grow food and reduce dependence on chemicals in treating and maintaining landscaping and crops.
New Compost LLC was launched after Freimuth’s father asked him “what are going to do?” At the time Freimuth was working with his dad’s masonry business and raising worms as a hobby to help reduce food waste.
Freimuth says he had time to do some research through “Google University,” which led him to the Soil Food Web School.
He says he learned “it’s more than just dirt we’re walking on; it’s a living ecosystem.”
He also learned the science behind vermicomposting and some of the technical skills such as microscopy analysis that helped him get ready to scale up the business.
Freimuth started the business in his family’s garage in rural Calumet County. The California red worms are raised in bins, with food scraps and other compost materials such as grass and leaves going in and worm castings being the end product.
Freimuth combines the castings with water and strains it to produce a liquid product, Gold Rush, that is sold in 4-ounce and 16-ounce bottles, as well as in bulk. He also sells the castings themselves as a soil additive. The products are available on New Compost’s website and in a handful of local garden stores. He delivers and applies the products for some bulk customers.
Most of the compost used in producing Gold Rush can be added back into the system.
“I really enjoy the sustainability aspect as well as keeping it simple,” Freimuth says.
Sustainable sources of compost material have included spent food from orchards or farms, woodchips and yard waste. Freimuth monitors the castings and Gold Rush through microscopic analysis to ensure the quality and safety of the materials he sells.
He says the overall goal is to reduce the need for chemical additives in soil and increase the retention of applied nutrients. The products are safe for food plants and beneficial in applications ranging from houseplants to lawns and trees.
While he has gained a following through those who have tried his products, Freimuth says education is still a big part of his work. He speaks to garden clubs, attends farmers markets, records videos for social media and has supplied the Fox Valley Technical College ag department.
The message he delivers: “We are all growers or gardeners. Whether we keep a nice lawn or landscape, or have a few houseplants inside, the soil is the foundation. And if we don’t support that foundation, it will crumble and leave us.”
