The average for just about everywhere in the us is $25/pound. Liz

Sorry I thought I made myself clear. I'm not talking about buying worms by the pound to get started vermicomposting. I'm talking about "price per dozen" to be used as fishing bait.

I knew what you meant. Your best bet is drive around to Walmart and to some of the bait shops and convenience stores near the fishing areas and see what your locale charges. Alot of the places here offer canadian and European nightcrawlers (sold as panfish worms). A few offer what they call red wigglers which proved to be EF's.

I've been thinking about how a small home operation can compete with the big boys for a little extra cash and most importantly, without alot of time and effort.. I may never actually do it, but it will be fun to put the plan together.

You might want to rethink the "without alot of time and effort" part.

I knew what you meant too AND I dont sell by the dozen, simply not worth the time. Most red worm sellers only sell by the pound. I have sold a lot to fishermen who are happy to set up a little bin to keep stock for their fishing expeditions.

I would offer him all the worms he wants. Let him harvest them himself. He can set the price and do all of the selling and give you half of the price he gets. He will know if he sells too many that would cut into breeding stock and would not be good for him either.

My guess he might loose interest in selling of the worms.

As a cottage industry, selling worms might give you a little spending money. It's all in your approach. Down here we have alot of people who set up produce stands out of the back of a pickup truck selling stuff in season.

Each Saturday I see a woman selling tamales of all things on the same corner near my home. She has a simple sign that says tamales, no price no details. I've never stopped but I've seen people buying from her. She has a couple coolers sitting in her trunk. She obviously has a following and a good product that she can sell for a profit as she has been doing it for at least a couple years.

I would never try to sell worms out of my home. You do not need that kind of disruption to your life. The way to sell is price them right offering a good number for a little less than the local bait shops. Have the worms pre-counted into little cups that you keep in a cooler. Make a couple signs saying fishing worms and scout out a couple locations where the fishermen pass.

Sit out there in a lawn chair and a thermos of coffee and read the paper for a few hours each Saturday morning. See what happens.

Experiment with the price per bakers dozen. You might want to guarantee that your European worms bring in the big one or their money back. It's gimmicky but consider millions purchased pet rocks back in the 70's. Your worms aren't the biggest but they are breed to wiggle longer and faster then any other...right? One person might ask for their money back but most won't because they'll have caught the big one.

You'll never outsell your expectations; now get out there this weekend and report back Sunday evening.

Just throwing this into the mix. A friend of mine told me that years ago he set up a cooler filled with cups of worms near a fishing lake. A sign was placed next to the cooler and a can for the payment. The sign said "Honor system bait shop" and the price per cup. Might not work everywhere...but how much is your time worth?

I would say there was 12 in a cup but put in 15.