Manure Methodologies

I live on dryland - 4.5 acres of it in the foothills of Colorado. Colorado is a pretty arid state, and unless you have access to irrigation water, grass has a hard time surviving. So, living on a small acreage property, with grazing critters, it's a continual challenge keeping the grass green - or bare minimum alive.

Grass in my little neck of the woods pretty much has one big chance each year to grow, and that is in the spring, provided there is adequate rain and snow! The soils here are pretty loose and sandy, so water retention is minimal.

In my time here, I've done a couple experiments managing the pasture. The biggest thing I learned is that too much critter time on the pasture brings it down to dirt in short order. So, the horses are limited to a small section of the pasture most of the time, to their dismay, and are turned out onto the large pasture about once a week for grazing and play. This they love!

The grass, however, does not. Even if the horses ate nothing, just walking on the grass kills it because it's so fragile.

But, a perk of the horses is manure. And their manure is excellent fertilizer for the grass. So long as it is not in too high of concentration.

What I've been doing is maintaining (growing) a manure pile, which ideally I'd spread each spring, before the precious spring rains come.

I have a tractor, but not one with a front end loader, and I do not own a manure spreader. A couple years ago I opted to hire the work out, thinking it would be a quick-n-easy job. But, with coordinating and assistance, it took multiple days, and I had to be here anyway. This year I contemplated putting up a sign in the neighborhood seeing if someone would be willing to rent their tractor and spreader out to me, but I hadn't gotten that far.

Well, last weekend I got ambitious, and decided to go at it with a shovel, wheel barrel, and rake, doing the equivalent job. I actually put a pretty good dent into the pile, and it's an awesome upper body and core workout. Try shimmying and shaking a full wheel barrel to dump just what you want for easy spreading. Not to mention warding off the occasional goat who wants to head butt and enjoy the simple pleasure of knocking that wheel barrel over. I can clearly cancel my membership to the gym.

The dogs were out helping too - I was sure they would roll and cover themselves, as I had just that morning finished the not-so-easy endeavor (for the bathroom - and me) of giving them baths. But, to my surprise they were good and stayed clean. Yeah Baka and Luke!

Anyway, I'm wondering now about not maintaining a manure pile, but rather always spreading it immediately onto the pasture. I know there is some benefit to letting the stuff "age". I think that helps mellow out the ammonia content, making it easier on the grass. Dunno - haven't done research. But, it would be MUCH easier than slowly building a pile over time, and suddenly having to eliminate it. Curious.

I've in the interim begun spreading right away for cleanings done now. We'll see if I end up with burn patches.

Anyway, last weekend's spreading turned out well timed, as I awoke to SNOW Monday morning! My cube neighbor teased me that if I'd known it was going to snow, I probably would have worked longer. I told him he was right - I probably woulda considered an all-nighter :) The only girl, surely who would spend a night excited to haul poop.

We're getting good moisture and the grass is already greening. Should take some before/after pics and see how things progress.