Muck heap management

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Bestdogdash

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We are building our 'dream' yard (yehhhhy) but in a completely new area (Oxfordshire) and am trying to work out how to manage the muck heap best. Currently we have the boys bedded on really good barley straw and a local mushroom farm collects the heap once a month.

I have done a provisional search and can't find a similar mushroom farm anywhere near the new yard, so, wondered what you all did ? Is it best to stick with straw or move to something more biodegradable ?

Grateful for any suggestions
 
Ooooh yes am v excited ! I will have 5 boxes in total, two 'traditional' three inside a stone barn. Walker, 60x30 school (took ages to get that past the husband) two small paddocks with open sided barn shelters, tack room with heating and hot water, horse wash area & solarium, rug room, feed room, hay barn and equipment stores ! Phew ! We are moving and therefore had a free rein to design - am so lucky I know. Building a little cottage for a groom too. Not showing off, but you asked and am so excited !
 
I would maybe contact local allotments or gardeners to see if they could take it..I fill a muck trailer and once every few months take it down to the local allotments and tip it in a heap and they help themselves..
 
We have 3 sections of manure (rather like silage bays on farms but no so smart!)

No.1 holds the manure currently being produced
No 2 is maturing (anything up to 18 months)
No 3 is ready to be used

We live in a small friendly village which is a bit of a rat run to other bigger places. We give the manure away free (dig your own but under supervision!) and have a steady trade from the village. We also have a sign on the road gate which attracts passing gardeners.
It all seems to work well, so long as my liveries remember to put the new manure on the right heap!
 
You could get a local farmer to take it away for you, or if you have a muck trailer you could always ask farmer if you could dump it on his muck heap.
 
Mine is a mixture of barley straw and shavings and I have evolved into managing it in a non PC (Pony club) way.
This is: Have two heaps - one is last years, one is this years.
Plant last years with courgettes, leeks and fennel and herbs.
Move surplus after harvesting to garden areas.
Begin new "this years "heap"
Plant etc....
Offer any surplus last years muck, renamed as excellent compost, on Freegle
 
Bestdogdash said:
Ooooh yes am v excited ! I will have 5 boxes in total, two 'traditional' three inside a stone barn. Walker, 60x30 school (took ages to get that past the husband) two small paddocks with open sided barn shelters, tack room with heating and hot water, horse wash area & solarium, rug room, feed room, hay barn and equipment stores ! Phew ! We are moving and therefore had a free rein to design - am so lucky I know. Building a little cottage for a groom too. Not showing off, but you asked and am so excited !
Click to expand...

Ooh your allowed to show off with that! a school as well!! sounds awesome! :D
 
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