Spreading manure on fields .. how ?

C

canteron

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 October 2008
Messages
4,144
Location
Cloud Cockoo Land
Visit site
I have some resting fields and a gorgeous pile of well rotted manure. If you aren’t in a farming situation, is there any practical way to get the manure on the field. I have a quad bike so something towable would be an option!!
 
We hired a small digger and put piles all over the winter field (don't drop the bucket load in one spot)

We were moving 3 big heaps and it took longer than expected so the digger had to go back as we only had it for a day. Next time we'll have it for 2 days and hire a harrow to go with it (or DIY version) because we then ended up spreading a lot of the piles by hand - wasn't actually that bad apart from the 2 which were entire bucket loads.

I'm coming up to 4 years on my yard and have spread in turns on the fields and its done wonders for getting rid of buttercups.
 
We did it with a wheel barrow and then the quad and a harrow - hard work and we only did a small area's at a time.

We basically took barrows full out into the field and tipped piles about 10 feet apart then harrowed over several times until it was evenly spread. We did the whole 5 acres over the course of three weekends, but we haven't done it since.
 
dorsetladette said:
We did it with a wheel barrow and then the quad and a harrow - hard work and we only did a small area's at a time.

We basically took barrows full out into the field and tipped piles about 10 feet apart then harrowed over several times until it was evenly spread. We did the whole 5 acres over the course of three weekends, but we haven't done it since.
Click to expand...
I do small fields this way!

Because I set up tracks around my fields with electric fencing and strip graze in it means that once the field has been eaten down the fencing comes back out and the 'island' in the middle of the track then gets poo on it. Those islands are usually just under an acre so that's more manageable by hand (especially as I have 3 heaps so never going far). My winter field though is much larger and harder to access so hiring a small tractor gave my OH something to play with. Would have been nice if it could have rained since though as I've got rock solid poo lumps everywhere.
 
SEL said:
I do small fields this way!

Because I set up tracks around my fields with electric fencing and strip graze in it means that once the field has been eaten down the fencing comes back out and the 'island' in the middle of the track then gets poo on it. Those islands are usually just under an acre so that's more manageable by hand (especially as I have 3 heaps so never going far). My winter field though is much larger and harder to access so hiring a small tractor gave my OH something to play with. Would have been nice if it could have rained since though as I've got rock solid poo lumps everywhere.
Click to expand...

I've got 3 smaller fields off a 'yard area' with water and a shelter. The largest being about 3 acres for the winter so really I could do one field at a time, although we don't poo pick the whole field anymore and just harrow fortnightly. As our ground is basically sand it needs all the muck it can get to help the grass grow. We have sheep out with the horses as well to try and add a bit more sh#t in the mix 🤣 (and to help with worm cycles).
 
I did see a post on another forum about towing an upturned pallet, loaded with manure..as you drive along it shakes down thru the slats. You'd have to get a very strong pallet tho
 
tda said:
I did see a post on another forum about towing an upturned pallet, loaded with manure..as you drive along it shakes down thru the slats. You'd have to get a very strong pallet tho
Click to expand...
That might work quite well if you put runners on it. You can get 8ft pallets which would reduce the number of runs required.
 
Shovel it into a wheelbarrow, tip the wheelbarrow where you want the manure, spread it roughly (clods) with a strong metal rake. Repeat, say do 5 or 6 wheelbarrows at a time once a day so you're not too exhausted and don't go to bed dreaming of raking poo. After a few days and some rain, re-rake the clods and they will break down to a finer, smaller tilth. Works well on a small acreage.
 
Oh god, the days of wheelbarrow and shovel muck spreading…I got nowhere fast!

We now have a tractor muck spreader combo - it’s brill.
You could ring round local farmers - a tractor with a front loader bucket and muck spreader on the back would be ideal - the cost per day would vary..200-300ish maybe?
Digger hire for a weekend is that alone minus fuel, and hire of a spreader on top. May as well pay a person with experience/speed at the job, ends up costing less.

You may be lucky to find a mini muck spreader from an ‘agri machinery hire’ company - but the chances are slim it would be small enough for a quad to tow.

For an ecstatic laugh and social media viral appeal 😆🤪….you could get a shopping trolley, fill with muck and race as fast as you can around the field, causing the trolley to jiggle about spreading muck through the holes!! 😂 (p.s probably best to wear your riding hat just in case!)
 
I spend hours of my life filling a trailer pulled by the quad and flinging it out. Two fields are very hilly though so if I leave the back of the trailer down and drive straight up at speed, it shakes loads out.

I listen to an audio book and just zone out. It’s quite meditative and very satisfying that the muck is helping my fields rather than paying to take it away!

I do dream of a mini muck spreader and a digger to fill it though…
 
either buy your local farming paper and look for agricultural contractors, or pop into your local agricultural suppliers and ask them, they will know who would have the type of spreader you need…plus make friends and you will find what you need for example, topping, spraying….at a lot better price, which could then lead you to cheaper hay/haylage…
The other thing about local farm suppliers is often you will find that they can suggest less busy times of year…
 
can you hire a tipping trailer and load it up then drive into your field ? I had to do that before I got a tractor with back box and now a muck spreader. Then just barrow it in heaps do a few hours a day and spread each heap with a grape
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top