Two or three times a week, Food Lifeline staff, supported by volunteers and labor from a neighboring rehabilitation facility, feed the worms. Feeding occurs in four steps. First, they collect, weigh, and move food scraps to the worm bins. Then, shallow troughs are made in the active layer, where they place the raw feedstock. Finally, the food is covered and more leaves are placed over the top to conserve moisture and serve as insulation.
Water is added if the contents appear dry.
The Food Lifeline project has as available equipment a 16 hp commercial yard waste grinder to shred and mix the food and leaves. Food Lifeline's staff found, however, that most of the food composted well over time without grinding. Bins are fed until the materials reach the top. The length of each composting cycle varies depending on the quantities of food added. Some bins here have been receiving food for well over a year without requiring harvesting.