Grow Your Own Magazine

This might seem like daft question, but where do I get manure from. I've looked in the local paper (not that local), asked around the local pubs, looked in shop windows etc. no luck. I live in a small rural town, someone somewhere, must have some to spare. NOT horse muck, too strong for my purpose.

I can't believe that I was married to a local farmer for 25 years and can't find one to deliver me some cow poo.

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"I prefer rogues to imbeciles as they sometimes take a rest" (Alexander Dumas)

local farms

Lou

Most farmers don't have time to deliver cow poo! I would have thought a little walk in the coutry was in order, with an empty growbag or two. Round here, the fields are full of it!

p.s. You WILL get funny looks. I did, looking for late elderflowers the other day, with my tesco 'green bag'!

sorry to worry you but i've been told that some farmers are using a new weed killer that doesnt kill the grass but kills weeds.Trouble is the animals eat it safely but it goes into their poo killing things on gardens!for example,tomatoes radish etc.I will try to find the web site info.

"I will try to find the web site info"

There are threads here [edit: on this site I mean!] with relevant info:

Warning: Toxic Compost

horse manure

Abnormal Growth - Contaminated Manure

Farmers are not allowed to stack it for more than 12 months (I think), so they will need to get rid of it by then, and if they are not using it on their own fields are likely to deliver for day rate (about £200 per day I think) plus fuel for distance.

Might be best off getting a pallet load of bagged stuff delivered if you're really worried about the farm stuff being contaminated. Levington have confirmed that their stuff is safe, and can be bought in bulk from various outlets. I think Crocus do it, and CPL Distribution

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Sarah

“Tell me one last thing,” said Harry. “Is this real? Or has this been happening inside my head?”
“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”

"bagged stuff delivered if you're really worried about the farm stuff being contaminated"

There is talk in one of the threads about compost labelled as Organic being contaminated! Buying manure from a farmer who knows that he has not used the herbicide that causes the problem, and has not bought in any hay / silage from other farms, might be a route with better provenance ...

have you tried a local brewery for thier spent hops. Although they smell of sick and rancid beer, they are a great allrounder. Conditions the soil, used as a mulch and works great on the spuds and best of all dosnt contain weeds.

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good Diggin, Chuffa.

As I said, "Levingtons" have confirmed, in writing, that their stuff is NOT contaminated. I can't speak for any of the other brands though.


Buy 10 x 56 Litre Bags of Levingtons Organic Blend Farmyard Manure : Delivery by Crocus.co.uk

3 Bag - Multi Buy - Organic Blend Farmyard Manure | CPL Creative Garden Ideas

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Sarah

“Tell me one last thing,” said Harry. “Is this real? Or has this been happening inside my head?”
“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”

One problem with getting manure from farms and/or stables is that even if they haven't used the dreaded herbicide on their land they may have brought in hay or silage of unknown provenance....

"One problem with getting manure from farms and/or stables is that even if they haven't used the dreaded herbicide on their land they may have brought in hay or silage of unknown provenance...."

Yes, but armed with that knowledge you can ask the question. I don't think a farmer is likely to lie about the provenance of their bough-in food just to close a sale on some manure!

Of course those that don't know to ask, and farmers who are unaware that the fodder they used was contaminated, are, sadly, at risk.

"As I said, "Levingtons" have confirmed, in writing, that their stuff is NOT contaminated"

I'm happy with that, but I'm not, persianlly, reling on it. The supply chain has the risks of potentially lots of small suppliers, and imperfect relay of information about herbices that are used. I have no idea whether this is actually a Levington problem, but:

"We have the aminopyralid problem and definitely from Levingtons Organic Blend Farmyard Manure" - Allotments-uk Forum - Contaminated Horse Manure

Interesting. I thought that farmers used an agricultural version of Roundup aka glyphosate. This should be inert having gone through the digestive system of an animal.

However, it should only affect plants if put on the leaves. If farmers are using something else nowadays, that is a serious problem to the eco-system. Their own as well, as they usually practice crop rotation. They spread their animal manure on their own fields which are then used for different crops each year.

JanieB aka ex farmers wife.

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"I prefer rogues to imbeciles as they sometimes take a rest" (Alexander Dumas)

"I thought that farmers used an agricultural version of Roundup aka glyphosate"

Roundup kills everything. FOREFRONT is an effective selective herbicide which kills docks, thistles and so on in pasture.

However, it remains active in any plant material that it binds to and thus is capable of passing straight through an animal [fed on hay or silage] and into the manure.

It then remains active in the manure and in plants that it comes into contact with. It will break down on contact with the soil, but stacking the manure in a heap is not, therefore, much of a solution, nor is using it on soil which then has crops of susceptible plants.

This is not a problem for farmers spreading the manure on either pasture or cereal crops, as neither are effected.

"If farmers are using something else nowadays, that is a serious problem to the eco-system"

Well, I don't have a comment on that other than that the label on this product clearly explains the issue with manure, and which crops are susceptible, and outlines the farmers responsibility to make any recipient (of either hay/silage or manure/slurry) aware of the issue. (I don't know if the product label has always said this, or if it has been added later).

Clearly the transfer-of-knowledge hasn't been happing though.

The product labels are available at: FOREFRONT*

Since when have you known men to read the label!?? (I know ... sexism!!!)

Sorry, but most farmers are a bit lax at reading the instructions ....

Manure is delivered every week to our site after market day but since the threads about it I have not collected any and dont know if I will. I need to speak to market manager to find out if its safe to use.

"Sorry, but most farmers are a bit lax at reading the instructions"

Then they are going to be sorry when the lawyers knock at their doors

I'm sure they were told to read the label when they went to get their spraying certification.

(But I cannot be sure what the label said LAST year, only what it says on Dow's website at the moment)