I'm telling you, you can't go wrong with earthworms in your garden bed!  Poor little things are one of the most critical delivery systems of nutrients to the food beds that, in turn, passes nutrients to us, and they get no credit.  One time, I purchased a big box of really old Prevention magazines at a yard sale.  I got a good deal!  I ended up with about 100 copies dating back into the 50's, or so.  One day, I got curious and actually picked one up and started reading some random article.  It was very interesting.  Mind you, the article was written in the early 60's, referring to a study that was done in the mid-50's.  It was a study of greenbeans.  The article was focused on nutrient depletion in the greenbeans over several years of continual harvest and nitrogen application.  What the article said was that because of the continuted use of the nitrogen, the earthworms were dying off and because of the nonstop use of the soil, the nutrients were being depleated and not returned as they would have been if the worms were not dying off. So, if it wasn't for the work of healthy earthworms in healthy soil, we wouldn't be getting what we need to live healthy, thriving lives.  I really hope you get the connection. 

Here are a couple of articles that present the lowly earthworm and the critical work they do to provide humans, via healthy, productive, plantlife, the life-sustaining nutrients that we need.


Bon Apetit!
http://www.suite101.com/content/how-worms-improve-soil-in-the-vegetable-garden-a172437

http://www.bradfieldorganics.com/soilbasics4.html

http://www.gardensimply.com/soil-compost/vermicomposting.php


http://mypeoplepc.com/members/arbra/bbb/id19.html