Tag: composting cow manure

Getting garden GOLD

We got 2 manure spreaders full with cow manure, coming direct out of the cowshed
The best thing ever when building garden beds from scratch

This is from the farmer we get our beef from and we are so happy with it. We got it direct out of the cowshed. As you can see on this picture the farmer is loading up the manure spreader.

Manure spreader being loaded with cow manure by a wheel loader, standing underneath the roof in frond of the cowshed

Back home my husband turned the manure of and made a nice big pile with the cow manure.

1st batch of cow manure being turned of the manure spreader in a big pile on an unused pasture
Second batch of cow manure being turned of the manure spreader in a big pile on an unused pasture

Obviously this is fresh and only for next years use. The temperature is at 140°C at the moment. Once this cools down we will load the manure up again and make a new pile, so air can get in again and the composting process will go on again.

Soil thermometer in fresh cow manure pointing at 140°C

We have been trying to compost hay and straw with not the success we where hoping for, since the material lacks the needed amount of nitrogen. Composting first uses a lot of nitrogen, which is released again after the process is done. In the fall we will already be using this manure on our compost beds to get them really going and have garden beds that are rich of nutrients for our plants next year.

A “thank you” to our donators.

2 cows standing in the sun eating hay

And the best thing is, there is more to come this winter.

Here is a link to our video about getting garden gold.