If you keep livestock on your farm — say , sawbuck or cattle — you know manure can be a challenge to deal with . But if you ’re unforced tocompost the manure , you may transform a nuisance into a commodity .
Turning manure into compost is a win - win billet . Compost is a worthful fertilizer for gardens and fields , supplying nutrient ( particularly N ) to help plant originate .
And even if you ’re unable to expend all the compost you create , you could always betray compost and generate a new revenue flow — a positive for any hobby farm .
There ’s no shortage of approaches and techniques for turning manure into compost . Dig into the details , and you ’ll soon be exploring the pros and convict of pile vs. bin , the nuances ofmixing “ green ” and “ brown ” materials , the temperatures and time require to achieve quality compost , and more .
There are many articles exploring the best room to turn manure into compost , but it ’s less common to see a breakdown of the equipment you postulate to efficiently and in effect tackle the job .
Here a few of the tools and auto you ’ll ideally have on hand .
show more : Build a simple compost bin with these plan !
Pitchfork, Stall Pick, Shovel, Etc.
Whether you ’re shell out with fresh manure , the finished compost or some stage in between , various hired hand putz for trump , flipping and shoveling are a must .
Pitchforks , stall forking and various types and sizes of shovels should be at the top of your tool checklist .
Wheelbarrow
Arguably the second - most authoritative prick you need is awheelbarrow .
They come in handy at two significant stages . A garden cart can be brought into your b ( and into individual stalls ) to hold fresh manure out . you may also fill it with finished compost for easy dispersal in garden bed .
Tractor with Front-End Loader
A tractor , sooner one with afront - final stage docker , is one of the most vital tools when working with large amounts of manure and compost . In improver to pulling wagons and power manure spreader , a tractor equipped with a front - ending loader can be used to turn , mix and aerate turgid compost piles , as well as transport the finished compost to your garden .
Read more : Here are some more tips for dealing with manure .
Manure Spreader
For spreading compost across declamatory sphere ( like open fields ) , a manure spreader will save a ton of time and effort while simultaneously dispensing a large loudness of stuff at one time .
Wagon
Compost galvanic pile are n’t always located close to the stable where manure originates .
Does your farm produce a lot of manure ? you may reduce the number of trip you make to a distant pile by loading everything into a wagon . Then haul it away by tractor once per day .
Compost Aerator
For small compost slews , peculiarly those stored in bin , a handheld compost aerator can be used to turn , blend and oxygenize the agglomerate for improved composting .
Bow Rake
Once the compost is stop and quick for lotion , a prow roue is utilitarian for smash up glob and go around it equally throughout garden beds .
Which tools do you use for handling manure and compost ?
