Jay Hatfield wrote:I want to use the pig poop to fertilize the raised hugul beds. I want to know if i have to compost the pig poop first or if i can use straight on the beds/plants? I know I've heard Paul talk about his days raising pigs and I think he mentioned use the pig poop straight but have read several differing opinions online. Thanks Jay
This is one reason I tell people not to get pigs as pets. They eat a lot and as a result they produce a lot of manure and
urine. However, it's great fertilizer. We have about 300 pigs. We farm. They are on pasture so they spread their manure and urine over the fields fertilizing it as nature evolved. It's good sh*t.
In the winter our pigs go on winter paddocks which the fertilize up pretty well. Then in the spring after they go back to the mountain pastures we plant pumpkins, sunflowers, sunchokes, turnips, beets and many other veggies directly in those areas. No composting. No tilling. Nothing fancy. Those winter paddocks / summer gardens produce a tremendous bounty of food which our pigs then eat the coming late fall and winter.
You can definitely compost it. Just add
carbon (
wood shavings,
hay, straw, etc). If it smells, add more carbon. No need to be fussy about turning the pile a lot. Let it rest. Make it big. Add other things to the pile. A minimum of a 4' pile makes for a really nice compost as then it gets to the point where it heats up and 'cooks' well.
Have fun and grow lots of goodies off her.
Cheers
-Walter
Sugar Mountain Farm
Pastured Pigs, Sheep & Kids
in the mountains of Vermont
Read about our on-farm butcher shop
project:
http://SugarMtnFarm.com/butchershop
http://SugarMtnFarm.com/csa
