Artist Sharon Earl is famous in the Hurunui District for her sculptures, but lately its her unique worm farm that is stealing the spotlight.

Three years ago, the keen gardener developed an obsession with earthworms, which has seen a backyard hobby grow into a micro-enterprise.

The Worm Ranch is an unexpected surprise at the back of Earl's main road dwelling in the North Canterbury town of Amberley.

"I love growing vegetables; that's a big part of my day.

"Then I started watching YouTube videos about soil science and how to do things organically.

"Then I decided to start a worm farm."

Worm castings (effectively worm poo) are great for soil health, and Earl uses them on her extensive vegetable garden and lemon grove.

Earl breeds worms in containers in a dedicated space at the back of her house, feeding them scraps from the farmers market and Dotti's Eatery next door.- and, interestingly, cardboard.

"Cardboard is their favourite."

Since posting her new venture on Instagram, Earl can't keep up with demand.

This is mainly because Earl has painstakingly bred batches of worms that aren't infected with 'pot worms' - a harmless but persistent type of worm that can take over worm bins.

Earl breeds two species of earthworms –in two different colours –red and stripes –typically known as tiger worms.

"It's very labour intensive."

Earl ships worms all over the country in material sacks she makes herself, nestled in a bedding material.

"I weigh the amount of worms people want, usually 200 gms, but I am getting farmers wanting a kilogram.

"I sell out every year; people even give them as Christmas presents."

People come to visit the worm farm, which Earl says she has worked hard to make presentable—a difficult task when dealing with soil and food scraps.

While there, people  also like to visit her iconic house and studio, and she takes group tours by appointment.

The house was built in 1864 when Amberley was first subdivided into a town and originally backed onto large stockyards.

Throughout its life, the house has had many personas, housing numerous residents and, at one point, a tearooms.

For a few years, it featured in the Hurunui Garden Festival.

It is cosy with a rustic, weather-beaten charm and lists slightly on its foundations.

Nothing about the house is symmetrical, and no door closes as it should.

"It's a wonderful upstairs, like a ship; it has a lovely lean."

A friend of Earl's, who is a builder, advised her to spend only what she needed to make the house warm and secure since Earl was likely to be the home's last owner.

"The bones of the house are just too far gone; it's a shame."

Despite the house's long-term prognosis, Earl has been working on it for the last six years, making it the perfect quirky backdrop for her art and garden.

She has replaced the back wall and is working towards replacing the front.

Meander around the back of the house, and you will find a carport and sleep-out with a cheerful orange door that has been converted to a studio exhibition space.

Earl did most of the conversion work herself, with help from her partner Mike.

"I wanted to be able to say that I had done it myself, but sometimes it's ridiculous not to accept help."

The walls are lined with wood repurposed from the house next door, which was being demolished, and a Chesterfield couch from Trade Me provides a place to sit and reflect.

"I want to exhibit here and create a community space when there is enough of my work for an exhibition.

"I'll have sculptures that work together as cohesive pieces and have opening nights for the community for no other reason than just to get together."

Raised on a farm in Southbridge, and with a background as a Vet Nurse, Earl has always been creative.

She initially favoured drawing and painting, but once children were added to the mix, she found she had to adapt.

"Pristine white paper and toddlers don't mix.

"So I thought – how am I going to be a parent with three little kids and still make art that doesn't get destroyed?

"So I thought, well, I'll just draw with steel."

Earl purchased a welder from Trade Me and got a few welding lessons from the owner and, randomly, from a tradesman who spotted her efforts while installing her Sky dish.

She then spent a year working at an engineering company next door.

That was twenty years ago, and since then Earls sculptures reside in gardens right across the country, including a life size horse she created in honour of war horses that resides in Auckland.

These days, she steers away from commission work.

"There is something cool about making something from your own desire than someone else's.

"I'm hoping to do more Art, and the lemons and the worm farm will provide another income stream, too."

"My life is a work in progress."

By Claire Inkson