We do worm composting. In the winter some red wiggler worms survive the winter in New England but not so many do well in freezing temperatures. The part of our basement in the photo has a dirt floor. Originally we were going to make it a wine cellar. But the red wigglers are special and so we now have a winter worm cellar.
Red wiggler worms digest 50% of their body mass daily. In those four bins there are thousands of worms. Worm castings are very expensive to buy; more expensive than an inexpensive wine. A five gallon container of worm castings sells for $75.00. Many farmers refer to compost as farmers’ gold. Worm castings in the world of farming are considered to be farmers’ platinum.
Worm Casting are very dense and very heavy. I mix the worm casting into Mel’s mix which is a blend of peat moss, vermiculite and five different types of compost. The plants are so healthy and strong that there are no pesticides needed or used in our garden.
1 Square Foot at a Time 
In the past, I have gotten my worms at agway.
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Sometime putting lint in the compost for over the winter allows the worms to stay warm while congregating. It will be interesting for you to check and see if any survived once you get back home. If there are very few, contact me and I will send you some in next day mail.