I started my spring ritual, adding aged horse manure to the gardens today. I wanted to see how much I could get done before it snowed. Yes, snow!
I dream of owning a tractor someday, but for now it's five gallon buckets, a shovel, a pitchfork, the golf cart and ME, back and forth from the pile to the gardens.
This particular pile has been composting more than a year. It is well over four feet high, the minimum height a pile should be, to generate enough heat to decompose properly.
The pile is too big to turn by hand so it just decomposes on the spot over time. It has clumps here and there, and that's why it's called aged manure vs. composted manure. While it still composts, it isn't turned over and over again like composted manure which dissolves into small particles.
Some people don't like the looks of the clumps. But they are easily broken up with a shovel or rake, and if you bring them to your nose it smells just like earth...glorious earth.
And boy, does it makes the garden grow. It IS garden gold!
I filled up the buckets and dumped the aged manure in the front gardens, filled with flowers, herbs, strawberries and shrubs.
Did I mention I had some helpers?
They are very good at spreading it all around.
We also have the manure from the chickens, ducks and rabbits that we keep in smaller compost piles and add to all our gardens. It's the best fertilizer.
Do you have garden gold?
happy day!
My mother always use to refer to it as barnyard gold. It does work wonders.
ReplyDeleteWe toss our maure over the side of a hill and let it sit for a year...It comes out black gold! Filling new raised beds and planting trees this year!
ReplyDeleteThat first photo has got to be THE prettiest photo of a manure pile that I've ever seen. Those trunks in the background. The wealth of manure. Lovely!
ReplyDeleteI too have tractor dreams...
We don't, but I wish we did!
ReplyDeleteJean.. if you ever need some, we have plenty to share :)
ReplyDeletehappy day!
Love your little mountain of Garden Gold! As you know, we have our chicken compost to spread over our gardens, but I only got as far as raking before the snow came! Oh well, soon!
ReplyDeleteGreat entry and as always, informative!
Thanks!
Deb
We don't have any...I envy your pile!
ReplyDeleteCindy
I just got to spread a bunch of that gold around and mix it with decomposing alfalfa! It's awesome! Gonna plant potatoes and peas in it! Enjoy your gold!
ReplyDeleteYour experts look like awesome helpers! haha
ReplyDeleteand your garden looks good and you can borrow one of our tractors if needed!
Thanks
Leontien
I have to BUY my garden gold-happy planting:@)
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful. It is garden gold for sure. We have some donkey and chicken gold. I need to get some on my gardens soon :)
ReplyDeleteI just cleaned the chicken coop out and piled to start aging, but my geese decided to help spread it around already, so I need to make some adjustments!
ReplyDeleteIndeed we do have Black Gold.. it is also called goat/ sheep/ donkey/chicken poop mixed with a little bit of this and that. I have been using it all week and WISH I had a tractor too!
ReplyDeleteI have lots of manure I need to compost but wasn't sure how since I don't have a tractor to turn either. Thanks for the tip!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you found my blog and that I found yours! We compost our horse manure - we have a tractor so it gets turned. It is black gold for sure! We have a series of big bin areas and they just get turned down the row - when they reach the end, they're done.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh! The last photo of your chicken helper is a hoot. I can just see her little feet a going! Great blog. I agree with Michelle that is the prettiest photo of a manure pile!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the visit!
ReplyDeleteLovely gardens...yes, that "gold" is magic!
I do have garden gold. I've been out doing the "big dig" as well this week. Our weathers been cold but sunny. I'm really ready for some warmer weather. What about you?
ReplyDelete