Worm composting, or vermicomposting, is a method of converting food waste into nutrient-rich compost and soil conditioner.  As the "organic" trend is ever-increasing, worm composting is becoming a very popular way to fertilize home vegetable gardens.  It's a great way to reduce waste, help the environment, and produce healthier vegetables, not to mention a great project to start with your kids!  There are even cities with food waste programs.  For example, Oakland, California will provide homeowners with a bin, and Vancouver provides a bin and even has a hotline for composters to call with questions.  
     If worm composting is something you've been thinking about, here are a few tips and things to get you started.

     The first thing you'll need to start your worm mecca is a container.  Find or build a wooden or plastic container that is about 10-12" high and can be easily moved.  You may find that your worms are getting too much sun or too much rain, so the container should be one you can lift and relocate.  Drill several 3/4" holes in the bottom of the container to allow for ventilation and drainage.  It will need to have a cover on it to keep out light and preserve the moisture.
     Next you will need to fill the container about 3/4 full with bedding, which can consist of straw, shredded paper (with no color), chopped up leaves, etc.  Also throw in a handful of sand and soil and you'll have a pretty good mixture.  Make sure not to pack down the bedding because you want to leave space for air circulation.  The bedding should be damp.  If it's too dry, the worms won't eat it and if it's too wet, it'll start to rot and smell.

Next come the worms!  Night crawlers that you typically see in your soil at home are not what we're going for in this situation; they need to tunnel through dirt to eat and can't survive on vegetable waste.  You'll need to find or purchase redworms, otherwise known as red wigglers or manure worms.  If you don't want to scavenge around in a local manure farm, redworms can be purchased at a variety of places, like PlanetNatural.com.  You'll need approximately 2,000 worms for every 1lb. of food waste.  That sounds like a lot of worms, but they've got a big job ahead of them!  You can always start out with a smaller amount of worms, but you'll have to also start with a smaller amount of food waste you're expecting them to compost.  
*** Please note:  with adequate food and a comfy home, worms can double their population in about 90 days.  Starting small may not be a bad idea!

     So what goes into a worm compost that they will eat and convert into some glorious fertilizer for your garden?  You can throw in everything that you would throw into a typical compost bin: egg shells, fruits and vegetables, coffee grounds, tea bags, etc.  To keep away flies, critters, and the STINK around your bin, avoid fatty foods, meats, grains, dairy, and especially fish.  Try to stuff the food waste below the bedding and pick a different spot within the bin each day.  If you do start to get an odor, you may be "feeding" the worms more than they can handle on a daily basis.  The odor is most likely coming from the rotting food, not the composting, so try cutting back how much you put in the bin at a time.

     With the proper feeding and environment, you'll have the ideal organic fertilizer in about 10 weeks.  You'll know it's ready when all of the bedding has turned into compost.  At that point, separate the worms from the compost, and use them to start a new bin!  Mix in a little of the fresh compost with them in the new bedding, and you'll have some very happy clams!  Er, worms.  Happy worms!

     At this point, you can simply mix your fresh compost with some potting soil and it's ready!  It's great for container plants or as mulch in your vegetable garden.  You can't get more natural than that!

     With all of the fragrances, chemical cleaners and everyday detergents that we typically use in our homes, it can be very common to have poor indoor air quality.  Thankfully, though, there are several ways to mitigate the damage and have cleaner air for our families to breathe.  And one of those ways is to have plants in your home.  Not only are they great for decoration and a little added color, but they can help eliminate the toxins and noxious gases that can easily accumulate over time.  

​Here are some plants that would work well in your home, in no particular order.

Gerbera Daisy
     Perhaps the most colorful houseplant option, the Gerbera Daisy not only purifies your home's air, but also provides an attractive decor opportunity.  You can't go wrong with these easy-to-care for daisies.  They like sun, but not too much water.  When the top inch of the pot's soil is dry, it's time to add a little water.  They'd be a great addition to any home.

Thinking of doing the job yourself?  Replacing an existing toilet is much easier than installing a new one; the pipes are already in position.  If you are installing a new toilet rather than replacing one, however, please consider hiring a professional, for it is a much more complex endeavor.  That being said...let's get started!

Before you actually get started, lay some old towels nearby on the floor to place the old toilet on.  This is to avoid cracking the flooring tile when the toilet slips out of your hands.  And this may sound a little silly, but make sure the new toilet will actually fit where the old toilet is.  Some of the newer models are shaped just differently enough that it may not be able to go exactly where you want it.

Remove the rag from the drainpipe.  Apply a seal of caulk around the base of the toilet and lower toilet into position, pressing down as you do so.  Gently tighten the washers and nuts onto the bolts.  Making them too tight will crack the porcelain, so be careful here.
Ensure that the toilet is now level on the floor.  We don't need to get into what might happen if you install a crooked toilet...
Fill the cap covers with plumber's putty and place over the bolts.

Connect the supply line between the shut-off valve and the fill valve.  To finish connecting, tighten the compression nut.  Then you can open the shut-off valve.

If you get overwhelmed, or the project is not what you thought it would be, pop on over to www.CameronsPHC.com, or call 610-932-2416 for some professional advice!

You may have heard about it online, or have seen it on an ad on TV, but what IS nest, exactly?  Nest is a collection of products to make your home smarter, safer and more efficient, and can all be controlled from your smart phone.  And can be purchased at Cameron's :)  

So let's start with the Nest thermostat.  It may seem a little pricey at first (the thermostat generally runs at $249.00) but claims to save enough on your heating and cooling bills that it will pay for itself within two years.  Within one week of installing it in your home, it will program and adjust itself to your family's schedule, and to the time of year.  It even knows when you're not at home, by using the location of your, and other users', cell phones.  Once it thinks everyone is out of the house, it will set itself to its Eco temperature, saving energy and money.  But, for example, let's say that Grandma is picking the kids up from school today and taking them back to your house.  The Nest thermostat will think the house is empty because your cell phone is still at work.  So all you need to do is log onto your Nest app and adjust the thermostat from your office so that Grandma and the kiddos are nice and toasty when they walk in the door.  Pretty simple, huh?  The other nice thing about the thermostat with the app is that it can show you a daily report of how much energy you've used, and how to cut back if you'd like.  
A bonus of the thermostat is that it will light up when someone enters the room.  So when you get up at 2:30am to use the bathroom, the thermostat will not only show you the time and temperature, but will also light your path, so that you aren't waking anyone up by turning all the lights on.

Like the thermostat, the Nest security camera was made to ease your mind about your home, while you're not at home.  With 24/7 live streaming and alerts to your smart phone, you can make sure your middle schooler got home okay.  When the app alerts you there is an intruder in the house, you can use the Talk and Listen feature to actually send your voice through the camera and scare them away!  And then use the camera footage to show the police!  An added bonus of the Talk and Listen feature is that you can yell at your yellow lab when he's chewing the couch pillows when you're not even home.  And since the Nest camera is plugged in, it doesn't ever power down to save battery power; it's on all of the time, and stores up to 30 days of footage.  

As Nest claims, this is the smoke alarm that other alarms look up to.  It tests itself automatically, can last up to 10 years, and is the first smoke alarm that you can silence from your...you guessed it...smart phone.  For one thing, it gives you a nice human voice to alert you that there is smoke in the kitchen, before your burnt toast sets the alarm off.  As previously mentioned, this detector tests itself, 400 times a day.  With the alarming (no pun intended) rate that an entire house can be engulfed in flames (5 minutes!) you need to know that your detectors are working.  And since you're probably not in the 10% of the population that checks their alarms monthly, you can check this worry off your list.  As you turn the lights out at night, the smoke detector will flash a quick green light, letting you know that it has tested itself and is fully functional.  And with carbon monoxide being the silent and odorless poison that it is, you can't take any chances with your family's health and safety.  
One reason to use Nest products is that they work together.  If there is a fire in your home, it is common for the heating system to leak carbon monoxide into your home, or spread the smoke more rapidly.  In this case, the smoke detector automatically shuts the thermostat off, thereby helping to keep the threat from spreading.

Want to learn more about Nest?  Click here for additional information.

Fall is a time for bright colors, hayrides, pumpkin spice and s'mores.  But it's also a time for prepping your home for the cold winter months to come.  And come they will, faster than you want them too.  So now's the time to winterize your home (especially this week, since it's 70° outside!) so you and your family can stay warm and dry.

1.  Summer is gone, so let's clean up a bit.  Store away deck/patio furniture, umbrellas, the kids' toys, etc.  
2.  Grass roots continue to grow until the ground temperature gets down to about 40°, so keep feeding!  Applying a high phosphorous mix now will ensure a greener lawn in the Spring.
3.  One of the most important but often neglected projects is to remove and drain the garden hoses.  Install insulating covers over the spigots to prevent freezing, saving yourself from the immense hassle of a burst pipe!
4.  Check over all exterior doors, including garage doors, to ensure a tight seal.  Install weather strips if needed to keep out the breeze and lower your heating bill.
5.  Mend any sidewalk, walkway and driveway cracks now before the cold weather hits and they split completely.  Also consider what may be in the path of the snow thrower or plow when the deep snow hits.  
6.  Clear all gutters and downspouts.  A frozen pile of leaves can cause a lot of damage!
7.  Have chimneys and flues inspected and cleaned, if necessary.  And while you're looking up, check your roof for any loose shingles or leaky vents.

1.  It goes without saying that the most important seasonal prep you can do for the inside of your home would be to schedule an annual check-up for your furnace.  And I would be remiss if I didn't suggest these guys to do it for you!
2.  While you're in prep mode, you might as well take the time to check the batteries in your smoke and CO detectors.
3.  Since it's getting a little chillier and the outside wants to come in to warm up, regularly check your dryer exhaust tube to make sure there are no birds' nests.  You may think it's funny, but it's happened before!
4.  Drain sediment from the hot water heater.  There's no reason for it to work harder than you need it to.

Now that you've checked those off your list, take the time to enjoy the season!  It doesn't last long, and the leaves are already starting to fall.  So grab the kiddos and the dog and go for a walk before it's too cold!

     So why grill a pizza when you can very easily pop it in the oven, you ask?  For one thing, who wants to heat up an oven on a hot summer day?  No need to make the house any warmer than it is; turn on the grill and keep the heat outside where it belongs!  And for another, the grill will add a nice smoky flavor that no oven can compete with.
     Start with a pre-made pizza crust (or go here for a delicious homemade version, if you're up for it).  Prep your grill for direct high heat and prepare a small bowl of olive oil for brushing on both the grill grates and the pizza crust.  Pick your toppings (tomato sauce, mozzarella, herbs, pepperoni, mushrooms, peppers, pineapples, onions...whatever you want!), and at this point, consider letting the kids pick and make their own.
     Shape the pizza dough by flattening it with your fingers on a flat, slightly floured surface.  Note:  do not make a raised rim around the edge of the crust; the different crust thickness will interfere with the grilling process.  Place the dough onto a flat cookie sheet that also has a little bit of flour on it so it doesn't stick.  The easiest way we've found to get olive oil on the grill grates is to dip a tightly-wrapped paper towel into the olive oil and wipe it onto the grill with tongs.  
     Once the grill is hot enough (you can hold your hand about an inch over the grill grate for no more than 2 seconds), slide the pizza dough onto the grates and close the lid for 2 minutes.  You'll know it's time to flip over the crust when the bottom is slightly brown and the top starts to bubble.  Using tongs, pull off the crust onto the cookie sheet, grilled side up.  Make sure to reclose the lid to keep the heat inside.
     

         Enjoy!