Setting up a new muck heap - Scotland

[MrsMozartleto]

I'm after your wise words folks.

Setting up a new muck heap. Horses all out 24/7/365, so will be shelters muck and any paddocks poo picking.

Have figured out where to site it, just not clear, at the moment what base, if any, it needs. Not near a watercourse and I'd like to either bag up and give away or reuse on the land over time. Horses are worm counted.

Coffee or orange juice and croissants for all helpful responses ???

 

[Zuzan]

I've never used a base .. you might need to cover it though as sunlight / too much rain can slow down the process .. in winter it's good to insulate it as well.. There's an excellent FB group
Land Management For Horses With Dr Lisa Schofield. If you go to the "topic" tab there's a topic for composting and much heaps .. lots of different methods there. use the hashtag #compostingandmuckheaps

In some systems inserting aeration pipes into the muck heap is also used. Other’s use anaerobic breakdown. I’m going to experiment with Bokashi method at some point. Will just use dustbins as have a couple spare.

In the past on a very thin soiled stressed field I’ve literally poo picked into mini piles .. and then directly spread onto the ground. Obviously you need to rest well if you do this. I did this in Autumn and then left over winter let the rain, frost etc do the job of breaking it down and killing parasites etc. It made a huge difference quite quickly to the field.

 

[MagicMelon]

I dont have a base for mine but I just have a big pile near my open stables in the field which I pay a farmer to remove every year or so. By choice I'd prefer to have a big trailer that I could wheel the muck straight into then he could just take it away to emptry at his place, would be a lot tidier.

 

[GoldenWillow]

My muckheap doesn't have any base, just straight onto the ground. I've made it long and thin asit runs along the hedge line. I start at furthest away point and work backwards so the furthest away point rots down first. It either goes for a few friends and neighbours gardens or if it's getting too big a neighbouring farmer takes it.

 

[pistolpete]

I used to make three side by side with thin wall of wood in between. That way always had access to most rotted stuff which is best for spreading/gardens. One big heap and you want the stuff at the bottom.

 

[The Xmas Furry]

I have fence posts banged in and 3 long sheets of corrugated tin roof sheets wedged against the posts. Can wobble about a bit so I use old fence posts to prop the tin up till there is enough muck to hold the side from falling inwards.
Each sheet is about 4ft high and 10 to 12ft long. Makes it easy to dump it in ?

Local gardeners come and collect a good amount every autumn for the collective at the village allotments, they dig in from the front or remove a side panel. Famer clears the lot in the spring.
Not on a surface, but right beside a type 1 finished surface, so vehicles can get close in.

 

[MrsMozartleto]

Thank you all.

Sounds l like what I've been mulling over will work.