All the Horse Manure We Want!

[bobm]

On my ranch in central Cal. I had over 30 head of horses that contributed their fair share of manure. It took me 3+ years or adding 6+" , 3x / year before the soil had enough tilth to dig with a shovel instead of a pic axe. When the fungi, microbes, and worms do their thing, the first applications just dissapear into nothing. Since they are so hungry one has to add more and more manure. Here on my city lot in the PNW, I don't have access to any quantities of horse manure, so I turned to grass clippings from 5 neighbors. I covered each area with 6" deep 2x/ year. I got the clippings every week from spring through summer. Now after 2 years, there is very little evidence of the clippings, but there are worms galore and due to their orgies, even more worms. 4 pairs of Robbins have raised 2 clutches per year each on my worms. Sin?ce you have white sand and no humus ... guess what is in store for you ...more horse manure ?

 

[baymule]

We made 5 trips today with the dump trailer. The dump trailer is 7'x12'x2' and calculates to 6.22 cubic yards. The way the tractor operator packs it down, we are probably getting 7 to 8 yards in it. All 5 loads went into the garden/pig palace. Going back tomorrow for more!

 

[baymule]

Today we went back for more. It was just me and DH, Robert had things to do today. We got 6 loads today. Ricky packed the trailer with the big front end bucket on the John Deere cab tractor. He packed it so tight we had to dig it out with rakes. I got 2 of the loads spread, but the others are still in piles. DH and I fed the animals, took showers, cooked supper, ate and sprawled out in our recliners. We have some serious butt-drop disease going on--when our butts drop, the footrest comes up.

 

[ducks4you]

wow


I have more than I know what to do with




Anybody close who wants some? It's pine shavings, straw and hay (very little, because I count flakes.)

 

[Nyboy]

Ducks why don't you sell it ? By me CL always has people selling horse manure. You charge so much a pick up truck full.

 

[ducks4you]

I LIKE that idea! That would pay for some of the wintertime bedding. Looking into it.

 

[Nyboy]

Yep and ad is free, place in farm and garden section. Those of us with out livestock have to buy it

 

[Nyboy]

some thing like this http://hudsonvalley.craigslist.org/grd/5504275436.html

 

[chefsdreams]

i laughed out loud when i read your note. not because of your note, but because you reminded me of an event of my youth. my father bought some very expensive rose bushes for our house when i was quite young. he had a friend who worked at the local horse race stables and they snuck some of the manure out. he came home all proud of his little thievery and applied the good stuff to the roses. . . which promptly burned and died! his friend failed to inform him that one doesn't apply horse manure without 'diluting' it with lots of other dirt. it's just too strong. Hah. i'm still laughing.
good luck and thanks for the memory.

 

[ducks4you]

Honestly, every year I just pile Fresh horse manure around my rose bushes and they thrive. Maybe he buried them in it?!?!?