Keeping a "freestanding" muckheap tidy!

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diddy

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Afternoon everyone!

Stuck at work & getting distracted here! Just wondering how those of you with muckheaps in your fields keep them tidy..? I have 3 going on in different paddocks – 2 are ok because they go up against the fence or wall so that kind of stops them sprawling everywhere.

But the muckheap in the summer field is a right mess because there is nowhere to stack it up against. I’ve tried piling it up & stepping it, I also tread it down on the weekend, but it tends to collapse a bit to say the least.

What do you do to keep a freestanding muckheap tidy..? Could I cable tie some pallets together or would the muck just fall out of the gaps? Any other cunning ideas?! :rolleyes:

I know there are more important things in life, but I’m a bit of a neat freak & I don’t like the field looking so untidy – yuck :)

Thanks for your help as always

D. x
 
Pallets do contain the majority of the muck, I use some for my muck heap against a fence and they do the job. I'd knock some fence posts or something in to support them though. You need to build your heap properly too - so walls around the outside nice and level first and then build the middle. It takes more time, but looks much tidier.
 
You can use pallets, choose ones with the gaps as small as possible (some are virtually solid) and when adding to the heap some will go through the gaps but if you make an effort to have the weight of the muck downwards as opposed to pushing against the sides you will find most of it stays put

I hope that makes sense!

Of course you could line the sides with something like scafford debris netting or fine chicken wire
 
Thanks guys!

Pallets it is then - I have loads lying around anyhow. I never thought of lining them with chicken wire even though that's what I did with the fencing to stop it roiling through the gaps - duh!

Thanks again - fun-filled weekend lined up :)

D. x
 
Mine is freestanding in the field with nothing. You need to keep it squared off. If you just keep forking it up it ends up with a peak. Get on top and make sure you put the strawy muck to the edges and the loose muck in the middle. When you are on the ground pull the edges out at the top with a fork and bash it down. As long as you keep levelling out the top and maintaining the edges you will be fine. I have had mine 20 years freestanding. It finally was taken away last week, so now I am starting another one.
 
ours is freestanding... you need to build proper walls and keep them pulled out so it doesn't go up in a triangle shape ;) make them really dense and well stomped down. That then contains the middle.

(we had lots of muck heap training/practice at my RS and am a little OCD about it- Mum and sister pretend to do it sometimes but they're way off! ;) :D )

Ditchjumper sounds like they have it down to a similar fine art :D
 
Thanks for your ideas guys!

How thick d'you make the walls on these impressive-sounding structures..?! My heap is poo-only i.e. no straw/shavings etc. I try to keep it flat on top but I find it hard to keep the sides from collapsing when I jump up & down on it if that makes sense!

Dear me - I really need to get out more :o

D. x
 
I have a poo only heap, it is a flat sort of ledge in one corner, it is hard to maintain the sides, I might try the pallet idea but I quite like that the old one has created a little hill at the other end that nettles grow on, my ponies like nettles :-)
 
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