where to get manure... for free

[rhubarbontoast]

Obviously I am aware of the actual source, however, I am cow, horse and chickenless. I am always reading about well rotted manure and dumping loads of it on the soil. Being of northern extraction, I don't want to shell out for it at a garden centre- do you just roll up to your nearest farmer and ask for a sack or two? What do other people do?

[nick the grief]

We have a friendly farmer who delivers it for about £25 a load & it's some pile I can tell you

[Geordie]

My allotment society has an arrangement with a local farmer, but previously I have tried the 'yellow' free ads paper or local stables....stables are good for free manure as they are usually glad to get shot of the stuff! Happy hunting

[Snadger]

My allotment society has an arrangement with a local farmer, but previously I have tried the 'yellow' free ads paper or local stables....stables are good for free manure as they are usually glad to get shot of the stuff! Happy hunting

Hi geordie, I've got an allotment at Denton Burn and need a load of muck. Any chance you could PM me the farmers phone number?

Newcastle's a big place so maybe your local farmer will not be mine tho!

[Earthbabe]

Most stables etc are happy for you to take it away for free. You ususally need to provide your own bags though, old compost bags are fine.

[Geordie]

Sorry Snadger, wrong side of Newcastle and I know he wont travel that far....have you tried ringing farms near you? Even if they are up the A69 a bit it might be worth a shot.

[dexterdoglancashire]

We have a friendly farmer who delivers it for about £25 a load & it's some pile I can tell you

Don't really want that much information about your "piles" Nick! LOL Dexterdog

[dexterdoglancashire]

Hello RonT and welcome to the Vine! Round here in Lancashire there are a few folks who put up signs outside their houses saying they have pony poo for sale......do you have a free newspaper or local ads paper where someone may advertise? or perhaps you could advertise yourself? what about ringing the RSPCA? they may know someone who has a horse/pony poo for free? Dexterdog

[NOG]

Manure is now classed as a toxic waste as domping lots of it affects the water courses'. So now Stables have to pay to get rid of it. So now if you turn up with shovel and bay they will let you take as much as you want. we now have 2 or 3 stable turn up at the allotment and dump lorrry loads in the carpark.

Just grab the Yellow pages and phone up a few.

[rhubarbontoast]

Thanks for the advice, I'll be off shovelling when someone gives me the nod!

[madderbat]

I drove round the local lanes and stopped and asked an old boy walking his dog.
He put me onto a farm so I went and knocked and asked.
They are very pleased to get rid of it (well rotted horse mostly with some cow) as they used to sell to a mushroom grower but EU regs say only sterilised compost can be used. We take the car every now and again and shovel a couple of garden sacks full.

Trouble is every tme I try and build the pile Mr MB goes and digs it in!
Good luck

[nick the grief]

Get a trailer MB that should slow him down

[madderbat]

lol. Thanks Nick we can only hope!

[taylorlej]

hi, ive got quite a few farms around me - i havent asked but im sure they would let me take some.
someone mentioned sterilised manure - the stuff you get from a farm - is this safe? when you say well rotted how long are we talking about?
thanks

[madderbat]

Hi taylorlej
Don't get too hung up about sterilised manure, the reason farms are happy to let you have manure for free is because they can't get rid of it to mushroom growers any more - EU regulations say they must use sterilised!

Basically, manure = sh1t + straw etc, and the process involves heat generated in the pile as the chemicals (nitrogen etc) work to 'rot down'.
If you get the chance, go to a farm and have a look. It is quite interesting, [I]really [/I, as well as educational .

The difference between 'new' manure (sloppy, visible lumps, straw showing through, smelly) and well rotted (almost like soil, with a 'rich' liquid running out of the bottom) will be apparent.
I've been told that it can take up to 5 years, but that depends on the size of the heap and what is in it. Basically, the bigger the heap, the better for temperatures to raise and things to work. Same applies to compost I believe, but without the sh*t.

You can get fresh manure and build your own heap,as one of our lottie holders has done, but it's easier (and less smelly in the car) to get stuff from the bottom of a farmer's pile.
Good luck