Basics of Raising Mealworms

Mealworms are a great source of protein for wild birds, domestic chickens, and insect-eating pets. They’re expensive to buy. Did you know they’re inexpensive and easy to raise?

With minimal initial investment, you too can grow a mealworm colony brimming with tasty mealworm larvae for consumption by your local wildlife, pets, or even…yourself!! Mealworms are harmless, unable to bite or fly in any of their life stages, and create minimal mess. In this class, learn how to grow them in your home or garage and troubleshoot any problems that arise. Join instructor Ry Meyer to find out how to get started.

This hands-on class is only one session long and will teach you how to raise mealworms. You will learn about equipment, starting and maintaining your mealworm colony, and troubleshooting problems. This class focuses on mealworm lifecycle and maintenance, and some uses of mealworms. You will have the opportunity to work with live mealworms in this class.

Instructor Ry Meyer is a native Dubuquer and graduated from Clarke University in 2003. Following college, Ry enlisted for a six-year active-duty Navy enlistment. After completing his service, Ry attended Vermont Law School before returning to Iowa to work as an attorney. Growing up in Dubuque and in his travels, Ry developed a deep appreciation for nature and a fascination with the living plants, animals, insects, and other organisms that share our world and improve our lives. He is an avid insect- and bird-watcher, and each summer hosts a colony of migratory Purple Martin songbirds in his yard. Ry has been a beekeeper and mead-maker for almost 15 years, successfully maintaining his own beehives and assisting other beekeepers with their hives in places like Hawaii, Vermont, and at Convivium in Dubuque.

Convivium is a nonprofit committed to helping increase accessibility to the tools and knowledge of how to grow and prepare your own food. As part of this commitment, and in pursuit of a more wholesome and secure food experience for all, Convivium is now offering most of our classes on a sliding scale.

The sliding scale system allows for classes to be obtained at multiple price points, based on the circumstances of the participant. It allows folks who may otherwise be priced out of something to have the chance to take part in it.

When completing your registration, please self-select from the following three payment levels:

• Contributor: The contributor level is a pay-what-you-can option that allows you to do just that – pay what you are able to for the class, at this time. Please note there is a $5 minimum per the Eventbrite platform. If this minimum, or paying with a credit card, is a barrier, please call us at 563.557.2900.
• Supporter: The supporter level is the normal ticket price of this class. It covers all the supplies and materials needed, as well as the instructor fee.
• Sustainer: The sustainer level is a buy-one, give-one model that covers the complete cost of your class plus a small donation that helps supplement the cost of a Contributor level participant. By choosing this level, you are ensuring we can continue to offer this class in a way that is accessible and affordable to all – thank you for your generosity.

Convivium Urban Farmstead has a no refund policy for all classes and workshops. If you are unable to participate in the class after you registered, your fee will be donated to our pay-what-you-can sliding scale level, which helps to ensure our classes are accessible and affordable to all. However, if Convivium cancels or reschedules a class for any reason (weather, instructor illness, etc.), participants will be notified as early as possible by email and their registration will automatically be refunded by Eventbrite. We appreciate your understanding and thank you for your cooperation.

If fewer than six participants are registered for an event, Convivium reserves the right to cancel or reschedule the event.

The cut off time for cancellation due to low attendance will be one day before the scheduled date of the class. We will email and post cancellation notices on Facebook.

We will refer to the State Police website and road condition designations: https://511ia.org/. If the majority of the roads in Dubuque are designated “Travel not advised” (purple) or worse, we will cancel class.

The cut off time for cancellation will be one hour before the start of each class. We will email and post cancellation notices on Facebook.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Convivium Urban Farmstead, 2811 Jackson Street, Dubuque, United States

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