JerryG
Super Member
What you are doing it a lot different but I can tell you what I do. My chicken litter guys charge $26 a load for cleaning out and then $2 / loaded mile. But, they know that they will have at least 120 loads. A load is 6 ton.
Horse Crap (no, this is not a political thread)
- Thread starter Robert_in_NY
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You know, after thinking about this a little more, and since you have farm stuff anyway, I think the answer might be to get a hay tub grinder that processes the big round bales. The size would be right. You could load it with brown stuff and green stuff with an FEL, then grind it and put it in piles or windrows.
You could control the mix that way, and "stir" it by running it through a few different times.
Anyone doing this??????? I suspect it would wear on the grinder quite a bit, but hey, build that into your biz plan and go for it.
ron
You could control the mix that way, and "stir" it by running it through a few different times.
Anyone doing this??????? I suspect it would wear on the grinder quite a bit, but hey, build that into your biz plan and go for it.
ron
Soundguy
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I didn't realize that 'poop' was such a big problem. We currently keep 4 animals on a small part of our pasture right now.. The stuff that falls in the pasture gets the 'drag' now and then, and the stuff in the stalls kets hauled out to the compost pile. Our compost pile really never 'grows'.. it widens out a bit, and then i turn it with my fel and maneuer bucket, and pile it high. The bottom of the pile is always nice perfect 'potting soil' quality looking stuff... good organics going on.
Not sure why the someone would mix 10-10-10 to the mix.. horse do-do has plenty of nitrogen in it... almost too much.. it's considered 'hot'.
Don't let your pile dry excessively.. dry compost piles dehydrate the microbes and they don't work as well.
We pull fromt he bottom edge of the pile when we need fertalizer... never had a problem with excess buildup or management.
Soundguy
Not sure why the someone would mix 10-10-10 to the mix.. horse do-do has plenty of nitrogen in it... almost too much.. it's considered 'hot'.
Don't let your pile dry excessively.. dry compost piles dehydrate the microbes and they don't work as well.
We pull fromt he bottom edge of the pile when we need fertalizer... never had a problem with excess buildup or management.
Soundguy
CbarJ in MO
New member
Robert, I have a 15 stall operation, plus way to many horsers outside the stalls. I did a little researched on this subject as I want to fertilize my hay fields.
My findings were that at the very least pile the manure for 1 yr turning it twice during that yr, then spread it. 2 yrs is better, however I don't have that much time. well, theres my nickel
My findings were that at the very least pile the manure for 1 yr turning it twice during that yr, then spread it. 2 yrs is better, however I don't have that much time. well, theres my nickel
AlanB
Elite Member
Robert, I am looking at doing something similar with the yard wastes and chips we pick up in the landscaping business.
My current plan is to set up several long strips, (I am thinking 6 at the moment) and plow / disc the debris into one strip throughout the year. Then the next year moving on too the next strip, going back occasionally to turn the pile and keep it "working"
I am figuring on something like a 5 year plan going back to the original row. Then I could either sell the top-soil (always have trouble getting enough) or just keep building my property up, that sits too low anyway.
There are several commercial means of doing it, one I looked at a while back was like a big plastic cocoon that got fed like a sausage tube, supposed to turn it in about 30 days or somethng.
Not sure how practical or often, but could you afford to put old trailers out there where the folks could just load directly on them?
If I was pricing it, I would price by the yard, and maybe "mileage" or travel cost or some other pickup charge. Figure out yardage by having measuered sides on the trailer, much like buying mulch.
Good luck, I will be watching to learn, please share any insights you have.
My current plan is to set up several long strips, (I am thinking 6 at the moment) and plow / disc the debris into one strip throughout the year. Then the next year moving on too the next strip, going back occasionally to turn the pile and keep it "working"
I am figuring on something like a 5 year plan going back to the original row. Then I could either sell the top-soil (always have trouble getting enough) or just keep building my property up, that sits too low anyway.
There are several commercial means of doing it, one I looked at a while back was like a big plastic cocoon that got fed like a sausage tube, supposed to turn it in about 30 days or somethng.
Not sure how practical or often, but could you afford to put old trailers out there where the folks could just load directly on them?
If I was pricing it, I would price by the yard, and maybe "mileage" or travel cost or some other pickup charge. Figure out yardage by having measuered sides on the trailer, much like buying mulch.
Good luck, I will be watching to learn, please share any insights you have.
OP
Robert_in_NY
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Well, this thread is 2 years old and I didn't pursue this venture. I might in the future but right now I just do not have the time to take on another operation. Between, construction, haying, my vineyard and orchard and making time to play with my daughter I just do not want to commit to anything else just yet. We bought my old neighbors last year which is what got me into the vineyard and orchard and I just bought another 40 acre parcel with 6 acres of vineyard on it currently. I will be expanding that piece to 20 acres of vineyard total over the next few years.
But I am still interested in doing something like this and with the price of fertilizers now it may be something I do to help offset my farm fertilizer needs. The problem now is that with the cost of hay and feed rising a lot of the horse owners are selling out. So how much manure is going to be available is anyones guess.
But I am still interested in doing something like this and with the price of fertilizers now it may be something I do to help offset my farm fertilizer needs. The problem now is that with the cost of hay and feed rising a lot of the horse owners are selling out. So how much manure is going to be available is anyones guess.
Z-Michigan
Veteran Member
If you look at the current cost of fuel - and the very low NPK values in horse manure, especially after enough composting to kill weed seeds - I am skeptical of whether you would be getting fertilizer value any cheaper than paying higher prices for conventional fertilizers and/or chicken manure (much higher NPK).
Now, assuming the local horse owners have enough $$ to keep their horses, you might make money on hauling it away and incidentally get free low-value fertilizer that's better than nothing.
We took about 10 tons of free horse manure last year from a startup company (a couple with a trailer and a CUT) doing what you're talking about. They dropped it at our place free, but said the distance and work involved was such they would probably just pay to dump it at whatever dump is closest to the customer in the future. Haven't heard back from them, of course. We find fully composted horse manure* pretty good to add to garden soil in large quantities, but when you start talking about acres, I think the amount of manure needed to be really useful would run into 1000's of tons. 10 tons, not composted, was a very thin layer on about 1/2 an acre of a new hayfield for us. It wasn't worth the effort for us either. And the wood chips typically mixed in are a big deal unless composted long enough to decompose them - but really long composting shrinks both the volume and the value of the product significantly.
* We have a small single-source horse manure generator on our property.
Now, assuming the local horse owners have enough $$ to keep their horses, you might make money on hauling it away and incidentally get free low-value fertilizer that's better than nothing.
We took about 10 tons of free horse manure last year from a startup company (a couple with a trailer and a CUT) doing what you're talking about. They dropped it at our place free, but said the distance and work involved was such they would probably just pay to dump it at whatever dump is closest to the customer in the future. Haven't heard back from them, of course. We find fully composted horse manure* pretty good to add to garden soil in large quantities, but when you start talking about acres, I think the amount of manure needed to be really useful would run into 1000's of tons. 10 tons, not composted, was a very thin layer on about 1/2 an acre of a new hayfield for us. It wasn't worth the effort for us either. And the wood chips typically mixed in are a big deal unless composted long enough to decompose them - but really long composting shrinks both the volume and the value of the product significantly.
* We have a small single-source horse manure generator on our property.
crabjoe
Gold Member
Robert,
If you do chose to use stable manure, you should just spread it on your fields in late fall.
By spring planting, it will have decomposed enough so it won't burn whatever you chose to plant.
Over time, the manure will compost. It'll either break down on its own, or the worms will compost it for you. I know a guy that uses horse manure and you should see his soil. It's the healthiest soil I've ver seen. Ever scoup pulls up worms and he does not compost the manure 1st. He just spreads it everywhere in late fall and plants directly in it, in the spring.
If you do chose to use stable manure, you should just spread it on your fields in late fall.
By spring planting, it will have decomposed enough so it won't burn whatever you chose to plant.
Over time, the manure will compost. It'll either break down on its own, or the worms will compost it for you. I know a guy that uses horse manure and you should see his soil. It's the healthiest soil I've ver seen. Ever scoup pulls up worms and he does not compost the manure 1st. He just spreads it everywhere in late fall and plants directly in it, in the spring.
QRTRHRS
Elite Member
I don't know how true this story is but here is one deal I heard about.
Someone supplies straw for horse bedding then hauls it away, runs it through a tub grinder or something, composts it then uses it for starting lawns.
It is common to supply the mushroom industry with horse manure/straw. The horse farm fills an open garbage container that is picked up via a rollback truck.
Someone supplies straw for horse bedding then hauls it away, runs it through a tub grinder or something, composts it then uses it for starting lawns.
It is common to supply the mushroom industry with horse manure/straw. The horse farm fills an open garbage container that is picked up via a rollback truck.
Robert, Don't let that stuff get away!! Pick up as much as you can and keep it simple. Add as much vegatative waste as you can, leave it lying around untill it looks and smells good after turning once it and a while, then use it everywhere. Keep in mind that a lot of these places will load it for you to get rid of it so all that is needed is a trailer.
I pick up 500-1000 bags of oak leaf waste every winter in my 6X16X4 trailer. To that I add as much cow and horse manure as I can get. If I need to I buy chicken manure for 7.50/ ton and add it. After 2 years it is starting to make a difference in my place.
The key is KISS. Good luck!! Mark
I pick up 500-1000 bags of oak leaf waste every winter in my 6X16X4 trailer. To that I add as much cow and horse manure as I can get. If I need to I buy chicken manure for 7.50/ ton and add it. After 2 years it is starting to make a difference in my place.
The key is KISS. Good luck!! Mark
