Latest News - Simonstown South Africa

The famous earthworms at the Mount Nelson Hotel have made a lot of news since they got their nice new worm hotel in 2007, (after a trial period set up in 2006). What is not generally known, is that the earthworms of the Mount Nelson Hotel were originally from the Southern Right Hotel, where they had been merrily munching the Southern Right Hotel and Restaurant's waste since 2004.

In fact, the decendants of those earthworms are still processing all the 'clean' organic waste from the Southern Right Hotel in Glencairn. (The plate scrapings are fed to some pigs on a farm near Cape Point Nature Reserve).

Southern Right Hotel received green accreditation some years ago through the “Western Cape Hospitality Industry Cleaner Production Pilot Project” organised by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning. The project involves an initial audit by specialist consultants in the categories of Water, Waste and Energy Usage, with subsequent recommendations and implementation of chosen aspects. There is ongoing monitoring to assess the effectiveness of the implementation process and the intended consequence of the project is to develop a green-rating system in the South African Hospitality and Tourism industry.

	How it works... Organic waste from Southern Right Hotel's kitchen is collected, mixed with shredded cardboard, ripped up newspaper and other scraps and then fed in layers to the earthworms at their state-of-the-art worm farm. Given enough space, the earthworms will eventually breed to around a similar mass to the food being fed to them, so are always up to the task of processing all the waste.
	The earthworms get straight to work eating up the scraps, resulting in no smell or unpleasant effects from the vermicompost. The material on top will attract fruit flies and should ideally be covered to avoid them (with sawdust etc. or a lid). The composting process itself is an aerobic process, which generates no methane or smells associated with anaerobic rotting as what happens at landfills and dumps, or even conventional composting in heaps. It is important to make sure the worm farm is well drained to ensure aerobic conditions.
	<---- Some nice fat worms getting stuck into food from a couple of weeks ago. The organic waste material is converted into worm castings, which is high quality organic fertiliser. It is far superior to conventional compost, and is in fact pretty much the humus that is found on the floor of a tropical rain forest. A by - product is the liquid leachate, which can be collected from the bottom of the worm beds. This has been shown to be effective in controlling pests when used as a leaf spray and also reduces root nematodes and other soil pests.
	After all the food has been digested, all that is left is the vermicompost. The remaining worms are removed and the compost is ready for sowing into the garden or used as a potting mix where it can be used in place of loam. 'Worm tea' or vermitea liquid fetriliser can be made by steeping the vermicompost in water. <---- At this stage the finished compost has no smell and is perfectly safe to handle.

To find out more about earthworm farming and how to get your own worm farm going in the South Peninsula, get hold of Grete at 021 782 1305 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

We have worms for sale, we have lots of compost and we know a lot about worms.....

'The Glen' has been one of the Far South's watering holes since 1904. Initially a private residence, it was later established as a grand hotel.

The requirements of the modern traveller have been worked into the rejuvenation of the Hotel in a commitment to creating a venue that feels “Just Right”.

5 clean double rooms with en - suite, a restaurant and a pub occupy the main building.

Along the parking area in front there is a pizza shop, a tourist information bureau, a vibey bikers lounge, a shark information office and Cafe Colectables.

 Come for a visit and stay as long as you like...

DID YOU KNOW? Southern right whale populations are showing a slow increase since international protection in 1935 when over-exploitation nearly eradicated the species. There are estimated to be approximately 3 000 to 4 000 currently surviving in the southern hemisphere.