EF: Eisenia Fetida (Red worms)
EH: Eisenia Hortensis (European Nightcrawlers)
PE: Perionyx Excavatus (Blue Worms)
OM: Organic Matter
VC: Vermi-compost

FT: Flow Through
RM: RubberMaid
COW: Can of Worms

In all likelihood, the following is going to be taken as "harsh". My intent is not to chastise - I have no authority to do so. Rather it is to ask a couple of rhetorical questions to elicit some thought on the use of acronyms and abbreviations.

Is it really just too difficult to write the whole phrase out once in a post and refer to an acronym for the rest of the post? Is life so hectic for the author that the time it takes to write out Can of Worms (COW) is so much more valuable than the time spent by a reader not in the "in crowd" looking for what COW means? I've quit using abbreviations and acronyms unless I have defined them in the post or thread. My time left 'here' is less than most here at this forum, and I do not think my time is so much more valuable than "newbie's" time that I find it necessary to save milliseconds by writing abbreviations and acronyms that only the "in crowd" understand.

charitycomposter's OP illustrates my point. There are those here that seem to feel the need to rebut pretty much whatever I write, and are therefore likely to rebut my comments pro forma. NOT wanting to appear 'preachy' and in an attempt to head off the 'automatic' rebuttals, I would point out that this is not "my idea". Scientific writing standards dictate that if one wishes to use an acronym or abbreviation in a written document, it is incumbent on the author to write it out first followed by the acronym or abbreviation that can then be used throughout the rest of the document.

Paul

Whats OP mean Paul?

Just kidding of course but it illustrates the point that folks learn as they go. Sure its good to include a full text version on obscure abbreviations but there is also an assumed standard of knowledge when one is perusing a given subject.

Asking what something means should not be considered as anything other than seeking further information which is generally in a community where sharing information is nurtured to be a good thing.

You are in AK right? Hope its not too dang cold. man I couldnt man up to that kind of weather myself. Always said if a penguin could live there without AC I dont want any part of it.

When I first saw this post before sbryces helpful additions I thought the Orignal Poster could have listed the abbreviations they were wonderin about. The more someone invests the better the return right?

Now to see if I can add here

Verd - vermi-herd

sorry, I made that one up myself but I think its catchin on ;)

Surprise, surprise, surprise. I am in 100% agreement with pskvorc. "Can of Worms (COW)" is the ticket the writer needs to ride the COW train.

"I thought the Orignal Poster could have listed the abbreviations they were wondering about."

I did too, but I listed the few I could think of that we use here often. There is nothing wrong with learning the lingo.

PAUL ! So glad to see you back. !

For the record, I think I'm understanding both the view of the Long Timers ( shall we initialize that & refer to them as LT's ?)
and a new participant (I'm not fond of the terms -- newbie or noob ) but those are well known. Does that make you 'n me Tweeners ?

If we compare this , shall we call it a composition issue, to the Art or Science or Both issue, I think I can make a case for Both
. An LTP-- long time poster -- is understandably frustrated when a NP -- new participant -- asks a question, sometimes not even an especially "good" qustion, without reading any APP -- already published posts.

The impulse to be in an IN group is, I'm told, common among critters.
(Red Wigglers squirming in a melon shell ?)
If we indulge the LTP's their entertainment, we benefit from their experience.
And, I've read here, that some participants are entertained by the cultural interactions.

I vote for Both. Those of us, like sbryce,and mendopete, with patience, can help keep the forum active by filling in the spaces . AND if a new participant reads this thread . . . there is information here, too.

So how are your bins in the cold ?
I'll look in your posts to see whether you've given us More<?I> !

Here's the deal. A question comes up about species of worms. We can talk about red wigglers, but it is always better to specify the worm species by Latin name. So, now we are talking "Eisenia Fetida." But I can't remember how to spell it, so I do a Google search on Red Worm. Problem: many sites that sell Eisenia Fetida don't list it by Latin name. So I need to search several sites to find the correct spelling.

Or I can type "EF." The regulars know what I am talking about. If it is a new poster, I will go through the trouble of looking up "Eisenia Fetida."

Senor Paul !

You are always missed and welcomed back when found. You bring much...eh, how is it said... controversy and interesting comments to this place.

I have wondered long how one person can attract so much simple and plain reaction to any simple subject brought to this place.

It makes me glad to see new activities with the lowness of anyone making posts for many days during the celebrations of Thanksgivings and the Christmas.

I know my close mentor and friend chuckbto will be wanting to make such a post when he sees this abbreviations if he returns from the home of my people.

CarlosDanger

I will slaughter a large pumpkin so we can celebrate proper. Shhhh. I did not notice he was missing. Probably because I have noticed a LOT of posters really stepping up and letting their words flow. That is good to see.

Good catch on my "OP" gaff, Nevex!

To wander more than slightly off-topic (OT) in answering barbararose's question about how my bins are doing in the cold: "Not so hot." (I love puns!) The outdoor compost/worm bin is covered with about 8" of snow, so the Earth's heat should be allowing it to get no colder than about 20F/-7C. If the decaying leaves and grass are providing any heat, it will be even warmer. Of course 20F is far too cold for Eisenia fetida and I am certain beyond any shadow of a doubt that the decaying won't heat it even to 32F/0C, so I'm hoping they have burrowed deep enough to overwinter OR... they have procreated and left 'something' for next summer.

I'll start a new post to add more info about my indoor bins.

Thanks for asking,
Paul

Sbryce - I don't really have a list. Over the past couple of months I have read a few 100 posts going back a few years on this site. Lots of worm wisdom on here. There were many times I didn't know what a particular abbreviation meant. Some I figured out as I read more posts. It's a process of learning for us who are newer to the worm gig. I didn't keep a list. Was just hoping the seasoned vets could share the key terms and abbreviations that are commonly used so future newbys could gain greater understanding quicker. Thanks for the help.

We use them without giving them much thought, so we may not be able to come up with an exhaustive list either.

Search, that Google-like thingie at the top and bottom of posts is an awesome and little-used wealth of information that can provide the answers to a newbies questions much of the time AND provide lots of other unasked-for information.

It also can help all us old-timers from falling into redundancy repeating the same answers to the same questions as much as we have to do if peeps don't wanna Search.

Paul, who is trying to keep wormies alive outdoors in Alaska in winter and a true optimist, suggests that we should answer those repeated questions each time asked.

Paul lives closer to the North Pole and Russia than to much of the United States, and I admire his tenacity and determination while I coddle my bins in a temperature-controlled garden shed in Texas closer to Mexico than St Louis.

Just joking, but check out SEARCH.

chuckiebtoo

Moderation, Diversity, Patience, (especially patience)

Took Chuckiebtoo's advice and found a post from July 2010 that gave some help. It's titled "Wormy Acronyms."

Good thread.

Paul

From "Wormy Acronyms" page:

AVCT = Aerated Vermi Compost Tea

RM = Rubbermade as in the bin
CG = Coffee Ground
___ = Egg Shell
FT = Flow Through

BSF = Black Soldier Fly
BSFL = Black Soldier Fly Larvae
BSFL = Maggots from Heaven that will clean all that is dirty and putrid and make it good and valuable.
Then there are the ... LT, which are abbreviations for the Latin names for worms. We use Latin to know we are all talking about the same thing. Lest someone go inventing a new, super cool worm on us.

UCG = Used Coffee Grounds
COW = Can O' Worms (a commercial worm farm) (round)
WD = Worm Factory (a commercial worm farm) (square)

We also abbreviate our worm species names, red wigglers are usually Eisenia foetida, or EF's, though often they are also E. fetida andrei, sometimes called Andrei's, though I have only heard them called that once.
Then there are the Eisenia hortensis, or European Night crawlers, often called Euros, or Europeans, or EH's.

PE, Perionyx excavatus, also known as the Indian Blue worm.
Don't we sometimes call European Night Crawlers ENCs?

I'm surprised that we missed VC: Vermicompost

Other acronyms:

EQ2 = equinoxequinox = no one really seems to know the meaning
of that neither, nor can anyone understand much of what EQ2 .
says.

chuckiebtoo

I came here to add UCG to the list, but EQ2 beat me to it.

MO micro organisms

If this was Facebook (FB) we would not have this problem because I think there is an area for stickies and posters generally know to check that area for the basics. You'd think GardenWeb (GW) would realize these are the tools posters are looking for.

ANC: African night crawlers.

ANC: African night crawlers.

HA! Someone else plagued with double posts!

Paul

It didn't show up the first time. I thought I did something wrong.

And if it hasn't been listed up to now, HS = Horse S- -T.

Shaul

And if it hasn't been listed up to now, HS = Horse S- -T.

Shaul

A few more...

C: Carbon
N: Nitrogen
C:N: Carbon to Nitrogen ratio.

Came across these in the paper linked below.

CD - Cow Dung
ISW - Industrial Solid Waste
MSW - Municipal Solid Waste
OW - Organic Waste
SP - poorly-graded sand
SW - Solid Waste
VW - Vermiwash

Here is a link that might be useful: Dynamics of the Soil-Earthworm-Plant Relationship

My attempt to offer another link isn't working either.

Putting the reference in a search does get to the pdf.

This post was edited by barbararose21101 on Fri, Dec 19, 14 at 18:40

When posting and stuff goes pftd hit the back arrow. Sometimes the post is still there. Alternately before hitting send, highlight and copy to your mouse and hold it there in imagination and then hit send. If all disappears you still have the text hanging on your mouse click to paste into the next message box.