Muck heap ideas

LaurenBay

LaurenBay

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The field I rent has a 6 ft ditch running along side it which I have been putting the Horses poo in once I have poo picked, previous tenant also did this. Farmer has now informed me he has had complaints from the nearby residents regarding this and could I find another way to get rid of the poo. I have no hardcore in my field and do not really want a big pile of poo in my field.

There is a small area of hardcore opposite my gate so I am going to ask the farmer if I can please put the muck there, firstly it won't be in my field, also it will be easier to take away when I need it to be taken. If he agrees what kind of thing could I use to make a muck heap? 3 Horses max, no bedding, only poo.
 
3 horses can produce quite a lot of poo!!

Have you worked out how you will get of the muck heap?

You could buy a decent sized trailer and put it in there and ask a farmer to remove the trailer when done
 
Bag it and make it available for local allotment holders to take away. We get rid of multiple horses worth that way. (Throwing it into the ditch or making muck heap within 10m of the ditch is illegal so definitely a good thing that you are looking for another option).
 
I have had some quotes for muck heap removal which will roughly cost between £70-£90 depending on how much there is. I am hoping if I mange it properly and keep it stacked then I won't have to keep paying for someone to take it. I will also offer free manure and provide bags, I cannot deliver though as I don't think my Fiat 500 would cope haha.

BBP - interesting I did not know it was illegal. The field hasn't been grazed by Horses for too long so luckily not much poo in the ditch.
 
Trailer
Use sleepers to make a dung heap enclosure
Bag it up and hope that the residents come and collect the bags and put the dung on their garden/allotment, I am always asked for dung but with the people I get they want to spend the day, chuck my dung heap all over the place, me supply the bags and tools and drink tea and have a day out :)
Never heard of putting dung in a ditch
 
LaurenBay said:
The field I rent has a 6 ft ditch running along side it which I have been putting the Horses poo in once I have poo picked, previous tenant also did this. Farmer has now informed me he has had complaints from the nearby residents regarding this and could I find another way to get rid of the poo. I have no hardcore in my field and do not really want a big pile of poo in my field.

There is a small area of hardcore opposite my gate so I am going to ask the farmer if I can please put the muck there, firstly it won't be in my field, also it will be easier to take away when I need it to be taken. If he agrees what kind of thing could I use to make a muck heap? 3 Horses max, no bedding, only poo.
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Maybe ask the farmer if you can put a muck container there and that way it will be taken away. Failing that you could put in bags and offer it to the local allotments
 
Basically if you don't want it in the field as most above have said, a trailer is really your only option. It's worth asking land owner if he has something suitable. If it is a drainage ditch which it sounds like from your description it is indeed illegal and I'm not surprised the land owner has had complaints ! It you do end up siting it in the field make sure it is the legal distance away from the drainage ditch to stop nitrate run off (10m? Don't quote me on that, the gov website will tell you) otherwise the landowner may continue to get complaints.
 
BBP said:
Bag it and make it available for local allotment holders to take away. We get rid of multiple horses worth that way. (Throwing it into the ditch or making muck heap within 10m of the ditch is illegal so definitely a good thing that you are looking for another option).
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This. I'm always being asked, at our allotment site, where we get our horse manure from.
 
We have a muck crater in one of the fields. It's basically a dug out pit, with fencing round it. It's surprisingly trouble free, if a bit unsightly.
 
thanks all, I will ask him at the weekend regarding putting something on the hardcore. My OH has offered to build me something.

Regarding the ditch, I have stopped putting the muck in there, I really didn't realize it was an issue. I have poo picked in the field before with the farmers wife in the field and she never said anything so assumed it was ok.

Will look around for local allotments but there are many fields and yards around my area so most probably are already supplied. I will advertise on local FB group though.

JFTD - do you have a pic?
 
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shortstuff99 said:
It's illegal because it could pollute the watercourse, which is why the muckheap can't be too close either as run-off may still go in the ditch.
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Just read up about it on the Gov.uk site. Really didn't know it was a problem, but now I do. Just need to find an alternative. I am a bit dubious about getting a trailer, whilst it would be the best idea, I am worried about theft. If I had a secure yard I would probably go for this option. But being its a field only I wouldn't be comfortable keeping it outside the field, or in the field.
 
No, but I can get you one. What boundary fencing do you have? I wouldn't want to leave a trailer in the field either... I had mine nicked once (it didn't live in the field but was there for a few weeks as we were selling the house and it takes up a lot of space on the drive!) and the ******* took down the fencing to get it out, letting my horses loose for most of the night.
 
We have an old silage trailer for our muck. Not very stealable as can only be moved with a tractor plus not worth much so wouldn't be worth the hasssle of taking it. Maybe see if you landlord has one you can use, you'd be surprised at what farmers have sitting under/in brambles
 
JFTD said:
No, but I can get you one. What boundary fencing do you have? I wouldn't want to leave a trailer in the field either... I had mine nicked once (it didn't live in the field but was there for a few weeks as we were selling the house and it takes up a lot of space on the drive!) and the ******* took down the fencing to get it out, letting my horses loose for most of the night.
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That is what I am frightened of, people letting the Horses loose.

We have post and rail fencing and then for the ditch there is a hedge the other side of it. I didn't tape this off at first because didn't think any Horse would go in it, I was wrong and 2 weeks in my mare was happily standing in it, it now has electric fence running up the side.
 
It cost me £480 to get most of my muck heap removed!!, think the contractor took the pee with me though...,
This is why I hate it when liveries let it spread across the yard and dont keep it tidy.
 
dominobrown said:
It cost me £480 to get most of my muck heap removed!!, think the contractor took the pee with me though...,
This is why I hate it when liveries let it spread across the yard and dont keep it tidy.
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Wow that must have been a lot of poo!!!

Luckily its only me and another girl so I know we will keep it tidy and stacked so we can get more use of it.

Must be very frustrating to be a yard manager with a big yard though, liveries just don't understand the cost of running it!
 
Could try freecycle although some keen gardeners only want dung which is really well rotted down
Advertise in the Parish Council Magazine
8 wheel grab lorry once a year to take it away for about £220
 
Make muck heap containers out of pallets and put muck in there to rot down then spread it back over the fields. Have a ready to spread one, a cooking one and a fresh one or harrow and rotate. You will do wonders for the permeaculture of the fields and as long as you have worm counted, thats a good recycling and organic solution. If you wish to see how I’ve done it, you can’t join my Facebook group land management for horses uk if you like. Just send me a message so I know who you are. I won’t let anyone else in, btw, unless I receive a pm ....
 
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I was late getting our pure poo muck heap taken before winter so I made a pallet three sided bay across the field and used that to pile the poo in until it got too wet to poo pick and actually it looks a bit unsightly BUT with a lick of wood stain I'm going to do what the above poster said and create three bays and when full I will cover with a black sheet which I've seen on youtube to help rot it down quicker and then use it for the garden and advertise is for free to collectors.

Just be careful with the free to collectors though because in the past i have found them a pain to deal with, unreliable and they pass your number about with friends and other allotment holders and try and turn up as and when they feel like it. Bagging it and putting it by the gate with a sign say free is probably a better idea otherwise security could be compromised!
 
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