Nightcrawlers answer retiree’s prayers

Distributing bait keeps retirement fresh and exciting

By Amie Johansen

amie@charlescitypress.com

When to retire and what to do with retiree free time are common problems for those nearing the magic age. Galen Roberts, of Floyd, was no different and also faced these challenges.

“About five years ago I started to pray about my future,” Roberts said. “I knew at 55 I could retire at Zoetis.”

Roberts did not want to leave the workforce with nothing else to do, so he prayed for answers. His prayers received 12 answers in the form of one dozen nightcrawlers. According to Roberts, his wife ran into a work acquaintance at Kwik Star in Charles City. When she asked what brought him to town, he explained his side job as a wholesale nightcrawler distributer. He also spoke of wanting to retire soon and was looking for someone to take over. The man, whom Roberts now refers to as his mentor, gave Roberts’ wife a card to bring home.

Around the time Roberts received the card, he learned his position at Zoetis was being eliminated.

“Come (this past) November my position was eliminated,” he said. “That made it pretty clear to me — that was my prayer, to make it clear — I retired.”

Remembering his conversation with the wholesale nightcrawler distributer, Roberts decided to look further into becoming a distributor as well.

“I called and we hit it off,” Roberts said. “I struck a deal with him…basically bought nine customers and any future or potential new customers.”

Roberts’ mentor lives in eastern Iowa, along the Mississippi and was happy to sell his westernmost clients to Roberts.

“I have a 250 mile route,” he said. “I go as far east as New Hampton and as far west as

Thompson, IA.”

According to Roberts, his mentor has over 100 customers. Right now, Roberts is able to complete his entire route in one day, if he starts early. His mentor runs a route roughly four times a week.

Since he began in March, Roberts has been able to grow his business.

“I picked up about 10, so I have 19 customers,” he said.

In becoming a nightcrawler distributer, Roberts said he has learned a lot about worms.

For instance, he has learned by keeping them cool, and slowing their metabolism, worms can be stored for up to six months.

“At an auction, I bought a three-door Pepsi cooler and a two-door stainless steel cooler,” Roberts said. “I can store 2,500 dozen.”

Though he has large storage capacity, Roberts tries to stock for his customers’ needs so as to keep the product fresh.

“My biggest challenge is to predict sales,” he said. “I feel like a farmer, watching the 14 day forecast.”

One customer currently requires 50 dozen nightcrawlers a week, Roberts said. He predicts their need will increase as summer hits and peak fishing begins.

Nightcrawlers are delivered weekly from Canada.

“They have (refrigerator) trucks,” Roberts said. “I actually am getting them from my mentor. I don’t have quite the volume (for them to deliver to me).”

Inventory and maintenance of the crawly product is fairly easy, he said.

“They come packed in their own material…packaged in little square containers,” Roberts said.

Although the nightcrawlers are raised and shipped from Canada, Roberts is constricted by regulations.

“There’s nothing, (no rules or regulations) for suppliers to get them here,” he said.

Two of Roberts’ customers are grocery stores. Wanting to ensure all stipulations are met, he spoke with the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals Food and Consumer Safety Bureau. Roberts was told there are no specific laws about nightcrawlers.

“Separation and (preventing) cross contamination,” Roberts said were the only advisements.

While working at Zoetis, Roberts regularly performed inspections and understands the importance of keeping certain substances or products contained.

“I kind of coach (my customers) to keep (the nightcrawlers) towards the floor,” he said. Roberts explained that by keeping the nightcrawlers toward the floor they will be less likely to contaminate surfaces or products should they become loose. However, the event of a nightcrawler finding its way out of its packaging is very unlikely, he said.

All biases aside, as a fisherman Roberts prefers to use his Canadian Crawlers over the competing nightcrawlers.

“I’ve seen the competitor, I don’t mean to be bias…(mine) are big and fat,” he said.

As a distributer, Roberts has more freedom with his time than the average bait shop.

“I’m a distributer. I distribute night crawlers. I do not have retail front, I don’t wholesale to individuals,” he said. This allows him to make his route and spend the rest of his week fishing, instead of catering to fishermen.

After just three months as a nightcrawler distributer, Roberts is hooked.

“It’s been a blast,” he said.