The Earthworm Charmer

This is an ingenious story of man mastering a productive aspect of his environment using natural principles and respect for the earth and its creatures. I'd like to call this bit of enlightenment "Earthworms: 101".

A very unusual man, called Gary Revell, is an earthworm charmer. He goes into the forest and "sings" to the worms and they crawl up out of the ground. True story!

What's so great about earthworms? Any organic gardener will tell you that earthworm castings (poop) is black gold. It is one of the best fertilizers that nature can provide. Ask any fisherman the value of a wiggly worm! Ask any backyard bird enthusiast the biggest draw for attracting beautiful birds to your yard. Earthworms are a valuable resource for healthy soil.

The secrets to Gary's worm wizardry has been passed down for generations. It is a family legacy and now, he shares the secret with all of us. Thank you, Gary Revell! Even in revealing his methods, he claims no one will ever be able to catch as many worms as he can. He is worm charmer extraordinare!

Before the sun rises, he heads into the Apalachicola National Forest. There, he finds a spot and drives a metal pole down into the earth about a foot and a half deep. Then, he uses the pole like a musical instrument, dragging a bow across it. The resulting frequency sounds like the deep voice of a bullfrog calling the worms to attend The Grand Cotillion Ball. Within minutes, the earthworms pop their heads out of the ground to see what's going on. They wiggle out and dance on top of the earth. Gary's family helps out and they go pick up the worms.

At this link there is a video of the scenerio which is very interesting. I think you all will be delighted and amused to see this clever country boy in action.

www.tampabay.com...

With so many people asking for "survival techniques" I see worm charming as being an answer to help with gardening and fishing.

I also think this is beneficial knowledge to help us all live in accordance with nature and stop depending on the fertilizers which actually destroy the nutrients in our soils and pollute our waters with chemical run-off.

It is also an opportunity to bond with your surroundings and enjoy the beauty of nature, a morning in the forest, while producing something of benefit with your time.

reply to post by Alethea
But it looks like he sells most of them for fish-bait. I've heard tell of garbage composters that use worms as the active ingrediant.

reply to post by Alethea

In many of these survival documentaries earthworms are also described as a high-protein food.
I couldn't stomach the thought, but perhaps it's the prawn of the future.

reply to post by Alethea


this reminds me of a 'dirty jobs' episode i saw, in that episode Mike Rowe ( the host of the show ) teamed up with some people who farmed wild worms and sold them to fisheries for a living. the technique they used was to rub large metal files against bush and tree stubs sticking out of the ground, the resulting vibrations would be felt in the proximity soil and the worms would apear at the surface

i forget the exact reasoning the person who did this for a living said this was, something along the lines of the worms thinking there was a predator digging in the ground in that area and trying to get away, or perhaps the vibrations fooling the worms into thinking it's starting to rain, and thus they poke out of the soil to escape being drowned

anyways perhaps the OP's 'singing' method works in the same way, actually though, i never thought of that as a 'survival technique' however now that i think about it that way i could see that the worms could be EASILY obtained that way in a survival situation, and then used as bait for large insects like scorpions or small animals, bait for fish, or heck you can eat worms too right? maybe not the best choice for a MEAL, but hey this kind of creative thinking is what keeps you alive!!!!

Originally posted by indigothefish


i never thought of that as a 'survival technique' however.... maybe not the best choice for a MEAL, but hey this kind of creative thinking is what keeps you alive!!!!

Ugh! I wasn't thinking of them as food for people! We need to use what nature provides us instead of depending on corporations to provide the "artificial" type things we have been using. I meant "survival" in terms of not only fish bait, but also a natural food (along with grasshoppers and other bugs) to feed your chickens. Also, the castings from earth worms produce nutrients that are water soluble and worth their weight in gold for providing minerals for your vegetable garden. Using chemical fertilizers actually destroys the structure and natural nutrients in soil. Also the day may come when those chemicals are not available anymore.

This is a gift for those wanting earthworms.

But the concept is pretty horrible.

He leads them to their deaths.

Imagine a people singer. An alien.

Originally posted by catwhoknowsplusone
This is a gift for those wanting earthworms.

But the concept is pretty horrible.

He leads them to their deaths.

Imagine a people singer. An alien.

I understand where you are coming from. And there is such a "people singer." He is called PAN. Pan plays a musical instrument and by becoming enchanted and mesmerized, the people follow as Pan leads them to their deaths.

In some symbolic way, the musical instrument may also be a metaphor for technology.

reply to post by Alethea


Yes, Pan leads people out of their minds, but not necessarily to death.

The people who are leading people to their deaths are the warmongers.

What do they care about the young men they are feeding into the death machine?

It can be done with a stringed instrument as well. Just play. Use a chair so they can hear it. It helps to remember that there's no 'ari' (spawn of emanuel ne auerbach) who can take you from being a 'nobody' to a 'somebody'. None of that counts. They are less than zero. All that matters is complete spontaneity based on the Universe. 'mazing what you'll see. Looks as if the ground is being raised bit by bit, just where it needs to be. I don't capture them. Seems as if water is being attracted.

There is a "Worm Gruntin'" Festival every year now in Sopchoppy Florida.

This video has some interesting anecdotal information. Further in the video it shows the festival where the worm charmer shares his trade secrets with everyone and gives demonstration and instruction.