What do you do with your muck?

sandi_84

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As above really, in the new field which is rented from an estate we are left to sort out our own stuff like this and when our muck heap gets bigger we're not sure what to do with it as the estate doesn't need any muck so can't get them to uplift it for us. Our field is relitively small so we wouldn't be able to leave it and then harrow in the better weather really :(

So for those of you with your own yards or fields what do you do with yours?
 

Suelin

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We are fortunate to have a disused quarry which is very large and it all goes down there. We will never fill it.

Some friends of ours have a 2 bay muck heap. They use wood pellet bedding or aubiose and have found that each bay takes a year's worth of muck. So when they have filled the first they go onto the second and then when that is full they get a local farmer to spread the 1st lot on the land and then start to fill that and away they go again. Works very well for them and their field looks very well for it.
 

sandi_84

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We are fortunate to have a disused quarry which is very large and it all goes down there. We will never fill it.

Some friends of ours have a 2 bay muck heap. They use wood pellet bedding or aubiose and have found that each bay takes a year's worth of muck. So when they have filled the first they go onto the second and then when that is full they get a local farmer to spread the 1st lot on the land and then start to fill that and away they go again. Works very well for them and their field looks very well for it.

Ah lucky you! That would be an excellent place for it but there is nowhere nearby we could put ours ha ha!

We don't have stables, we're just going to have field shelters so we won't have any bedding that needs rotting down just the poo :D As I say our field is pretty smallish, perfect for a small horse and a pony but it's only about 2-2.5 acres so would that not be too small for spreading muck (you have to leave it for quite a while before re-grazing don't you?)?
 

Suelin

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My friends only have 3 acres. They do it in the winter when the horses are restricted to their turnout area.
 

lachlanandmarcus

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Mine is taken away by a local couple who run a veggie box scheme. You could see who runs your local small scale schemes and contact them. Initially our people brought a wee trailer and bags but now they have more land they are sending their neighbour farmer with a 16 ton trailer to take the bulk of what has built up in one go! (we didn't know them the first couple of years we were here so we haven't eaten into that part)

The only thing to bear in mind is to be very clear about any medication incl wormers that may be used.
 

SpruceRI

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Or just pile it up in a corner and it will rot down to nothing over time. I've only got 1 1/2 acres, so less than you and my poo pickings I put in 2 or 3 different piles round the field where it just rots down and melts in.
 

sandi_84

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Mine is taken away by a local couple who run a veggie box scheme. You could see who runs your local small scale schemes and contact them. Initially our people brought a wee trailer and bags but now they have more land they are sending their neighbour farmer with a 16 ton trailer to take the bulk of what has built up in one go! (we didn't know them the first couple of years we were here so we haven't eaten into that part)

The only thing to bear in mind is to be very clear about any medication incl wormers that may be used.

Try your local allotments and see if any gardeners are interested - free to collecter!

Ha ha! What a total numpty I am, we have an allotment just round the corner from my house! :rolleyes::D I'll get in touch and see what they think :D
There is a field next to ours that is part of the estate and isn't used by them for anything at all because it's basically a bog with a couple of trees in it... if the allotment thing doesn't work out would it be really bad to dump muck in the bog? Mum suggested this but I wasn't sure if that idea would be ok or if it just isn't cricket ;)
 

sandi_84

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Or just pile it up in a corner and it will rot down to nothing over time. I've only got 1 1/2 acres, so less than you and my poo pickings I put in 2 or 3 different piles round the field where it just rots down and melts in.

Was thinking about this but my horse is a registered escapologist :rolleyes: I just have visions of him scaling the muck heap and jumping down on the other side of the field :rolleyes::D
 

MiJodsR2BlinkinTite

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I put up an advert in local shop windows, newsagents, post office etc saying basically "Gardeners - come and clear my muckheap. Good well rotted horse manure - for free! Bring your own shovels and containers and come and help yourselves".

I had a few punters; but not really enough to clear all of it.

There is a local farmer who will come and remove it in return for a bottle of something good; I think he then probably sells it on to places like garden centres/market gardeners etc, but at least the blimmin thing is got rid of.
 

Enfys

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I have a very sweet farmer up the road who rolls up once a year and ASKS if he can take our heap! If he didn't we would simply take it down to the woods and dump it, the wild turkeys love it.
 

Bennions Field

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Mine is taken by a local contractor to spread on my neighbours maize field, costs me £60 to get it removed but I have four stables worth of wood pellett bedding which is piled up during the winter, it's taken for spreading in April/may when it's a little drier - the field muck is chain harrowed every 2 weeks during the summer I have four small paddocks and rotate them around, so they get fresh grass every 2 weeks while the muck gets watered in by all the rain ! Works well, have field soil tested and horses worm tested and over 8 years it's worked briliantly, oh and use my 4x4 to pull chain harrows round, small set cost 150 a few years ago, more than paid for themselves as also use to level ménage :)
 

Rose Folly

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We have a 3-bay manure heap (ready to go, maturing and being filled). We are in a small village of enthusiastic gardeners, and we give the manure away. We take care that it is made properly, and over the years our ring of customers has spread (we LOVE the ones who come with a Landy and trailer). but this inter, because of the awful weather, we are having to really jump about on the 'in-use' one, as our gardeners are still in hibernation!
 

horserugsnot4u

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There is a field next to ours that is part of the estate and isn't used by them for anything at all because it's basically a bog with a couple of trees in it... if the allotment thing doesn't work out would it be really bad to dump muck in the bog? Mum suggested this but I wasn't sure if that idea would be ok or if it just isn't cricket ;)

I think there are rules about muck heaps near water courses ie not to be sited near one (a bit difficult with all the lying water around at the moment), therefore you might have to okay it with someone. I have an open trailer with a ramp, which, when full, the farmer takes away for me.
 

dafthoss

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We have a man with an allotment come and help him self when ever he likes, we leave all our feed and bedding bags for him and he fills them and takes it away :D
 

Polos Mum

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Our local farmer thinks it's liquid gold so we muck out onto a trailer and then when that's full take it to his land and leave it for him to put where ever his crops need it most. We are both very happy with the arrangement
 

Twinkley Lights

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I used to have a local farmer who hired his trailer and took it away at £20 a pop usually once a month but I left him £30 the other month by mistake and he rang and said that's what the new price was:eek: I now have a heap in a spare paddock and will try and get a less grasping farmer to take it away in spring. A friend just puts it out by the gate in bags and the gardeners take it.
 

mandwhy

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If you bag it up in old feed bags, especially when it is rotted down into proper 'black gold' compost, the gardening enthusiasts will be all over it and probably even pay you for it!

I have a pile either end, one of which is proper rotted now and my dad is probably going to have most of it, then the bagging will take place and I might advertise it on freecycle, gumtree etc. Might do donations to the local pony sanctuary or something.

Just need a spell of sunny weather so its not sopping wet! Euw poo juice!
 

Spottyappy

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I put a lot of adverts on freecycle and in local allotments. This produces a regular supply of keen gardeners and some with trailers.
However,not enough to totally clear heap,so I have to use local company to clear it. This costs £250 for a lorry load. The lorry is one of those with a grab on it,so a big Hgv one. Even with that,and the gardeners it does not clear all of it. Could do with more than one ld taken,but besides cost,there would probably not be enough to fill two lorry loads.
Hope this helps.
 

ossy

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Remember that horse manure can be classed as a controlled waste
"If manure produced at a private, agricultural or commercial stables is disposed of by burning, tipping or burial or mixed with other wastes, then it is classed as a 'Controlled Waste' and subject to Environmental Permitting Regulations"
Unless you are composting for fertiliser then I would be very careful how you dispose of it. A contractor/farmer (who is permitted to do so) is what I would recommend.
 
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lachlanandmarcus

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Definitely don't dump it anywhere outside your own fields without having permission!

While horse manure is exempt from the very strict Muck spreading on fields regulations controlling things like cow muck since horses aren't agricultural animals, the pollution muck can cause absolutely is covered and the landowner could get into a lot of trouble if it pollutes watercourses (quite apart from it being discourteous). If your mum thinks it will be ok, send her to ask for permission :))))
 

lachlanandmarcus

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I used to have a local farmer who hired his trailer and took it away at £20 a pop usually once a month but I left him £30 the other month by mistake and he rang and said that's what the new price was:eek: I now have a heap in a spare paddock and will try and get a less grasping farmer to take it away in spring. A friend just puts it out by the gate in bags and the gardeners take it.

I'm not sure that's grasping - sounds fairly cheap to me? Horse manure doesn't have much fertiliser value compared with other animal manure and fuel to fetch it is double what it was...compared with a grab lorry at £300 ish it might still be a cheaper option if you can't get rid of it in other ways..
 

1stclassalan

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Compost it and put it on the garden. Two horses, big garden.

Ah! MASTER CAUTION ALARM!

I've been a prodigeous consumer of horse products and used to spread it far and wide - it's wonderful stuff - or rather used to be.

Since the Dow Chemical Company manufactured ammonium cyprilid (sp) in it's various forms - it can't be used for gardens. Not even several years after composting.

This chemical is the constituent part of many selective weedkillers for use on grass - it passes clean through horses and cows relatively untouched and doesn't do them any noticeable harm however; it's potency remains in the compost and will kill most plants except grass.
 

Twinkley Lights

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I'm not sure that's grasping - sounds fairly cheap to me? Horse manure doesn't have much fertiliser value compared with other animal manure and fuel to fetch it is double what it was...compared with a grab lorry at £300 ish it might still be a cheaper option if you can't get rid of it in other ways..

Believe me .. I know him he would take the pennies off a dead man's eyes:D He saw extra cash and broke his legs asking for it, little magpie, when I challenged him he didn't deny it. £30 is mega bucks here for a small trailer. He is a local character and tries to take liberties with me because he used to have an affair with woman who owned the place before. I have been pretty clear that's not an option urghh:eek:
 
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