A couple of years ago, with another child on the way, Elana Warsen says she had a sort of miniature existential crisis — she wanted to do something to make the world a better place, but she wasn’t sure what to do.

Warsen, who lives with her husband and three children in Manistee, found the answer under her feet, in the ground. She decided to broaden her family’s composting regime by composting indoors with worms, a technique that can be used throughout the worst winters without having to go outside to turn a compost heap. Her foray into the world of worms has taken over a large chunk of Warsen’s life. She’s turned her passion for them into a business called Michigan Worm Works, and she wants to spread the word about how worms can turn food waste into a valuable commodity.

In this week’s Northern Express, sister publication of The Ticker, Warsen talks with writer Patrick Sullivan about how she built out her worm farm, her journey of turning it from a hobby into a thriving business, and tips for others interested in starting their own worm composting. The Northern Express is available to read online, or pick up a free copy at newsstand locations in 14 counties across northern Michigan.