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mendopete

Haybale/Wedge

mendopete
12 years ago

About 16 months ago I started a new system to handle manure from our horse and 8 chickens. I lined a 10'x3' area with moldy hay bales and put about 6" of aged horse manure in the bottom. To this I added about 10cu' of worm castings and cocoons from a worm cage I broke down. Then I transferred worms from my other beds and a neighbors worm bin.

Over the next few months I continued to add composted manure and hay until it overflowed. The worms rapidly reproduced. I pulled 3 bales of hay back and began expanding this "windrow" laterally. Now my pile of worms and poop is about 10'x18'. It has no bottom and is covered by a large piece of used office carpet to keep critters out. My chickens patrol the perimeter and catch escapee's.

I held off until last week for my first harvest. I dug out and turned the area I started with and got about 20 cu'. However I waited too long letting the herd expand and tree roots had infiltrated the VC and clumpped it up. I plan to continue my harvest until about 1/2 is taken, and then work the row nack to the starting pointand begi harvesting the other side.

If anyone out there is interested in larger scale systems such as this feel free to ask for more details.

Cheers, Pete

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