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Now that winter is approaching you have two choices for what you can do with your compostable kitchen scraps; put them into a large container by the back door ready to add to the compost pile in spring, or start making compost indoors using worms.

I prefer the second option because its cleaner, easier and much more fun.

Worm composting bins are easy to make, portable and can be stored under the kitchen sink, in the basement, under the stairs or anywhere you have space.

All you need is a food grade plastic tub such as a Rubbermaid storage tub with a lid, a drill, some newspaper, a sheet of cardboard and some dowling or Lego bricks.

First, take the tub and make some holes with a drill in the bottom for drainage, then make a series of holes just below the 'lip' of the tub, for aeration.

Place the lid of the tub, right way up, on the ground.

You are going to place the tub on top of the lid, but to allow some space between the lid and the base of the tub, add a ring of Lego bricks, dowls, sticks or anything that you have available to elevate the tub a few millimeters. Now you can place the tub on top.

Now, to make the bedding: Take your newspaper and sort it for coloured ink.

You should use only black ink on white paper, if you can.

Tear it into narrow strips until you have enough to fill your tub 2/3 full. If you don't have enough colour-free newspaper, scrap paper from the office is also ideal for this purpose and may come pre-shredded.

You need to dip the shredded paper into rainwater.

Don't use softened or chlorinated tap water because worms are sensitive to chemicals.

Dip the paper into the water and squeeze it out so that it feels damp like a wrung out sponge. Put the paper back into the tub as loosely as possible (if it has packed down a bit, add some more to the top).

Place a sheet of cardboard on the top to form a lid and you have your basic worm composting bin. Now you need to find some worms.

You have a few alternative sources. Tansy Lane Herb Farm at the Dieppe Market may be able to supply you with some, but you will need to order from them in advance as they don't bring them to the Dieppe Market every Saturday.

You can also place an order with Jolly Farmers, near Fredericton.

Tansy Lane sells red wigglers which are small, red and wriggly and loved by kids everywhere. Jolly Farmers sell European night crawlers which are bigger and apparently produce compost faster.

You can also ask for either of these worms by name at fishing bait supply stores or, for the more adventurous, gather your own from any old manure pile which are usually teeming with red wigglers and their small yellowish eggs.

Red wigglers are supposed to eat their own weight in food every two days. I've found this not to be true, particularly during the winter months or if you keep your worms in a cooler spot like the basement.

I would only add a pound of food to a pound of worms once a week. If they run out of food they will eat their bedding so they won't starve.

Remember that worms don't eat fresh food; they eat food that has already begun to rot.

In an ideal situation they will keep pace with the food that you put into the bin, eating the food as it breaks down.

In a less-than-ideal situation, they will not be able to keep pace with the amount of food and it will continue to rot without being eaten, creating a stinky, slimy mess.

Each time you add food to your compost bin, put it into a different corner of the bin and cover it with shredded paper.

Remember to put the cardboard lid on the bin, you don't want flies getting in and laying their eggs. If you have access to another fitted lid it will make a better seal.

Alternatively, you can put the bin on a tray and use the lid to seal the bin.

The compost you produce using this method is rich, black and the perfect food for houseplants, window boxes and your garden. It is both rich in nutrients and extremely healthy biologically.

Add it to your plants, stand back and watch them grow.

* Rowena Hopkins is an organic farm inspector, consultant and educator. To learn more about organic gardening visit http://canadianfoodroots.wordpress.com/