Grew up in a biggish city, but on the outskirts were a couple of bachelor farmers who still farmed with horses. My older brother was horse crazy and part of it one year was toting some manure home, digging out a deep bed in the back yard near the alley and piling it on. Then soil, then rhubarb roots. Man, did we have amazing rhubarb and the pies that followed never lasted long!
We use water in the orchid house to moderate the temperature both summer and winter and it helps keep humidity high, We also have black water heating pipes on the roof and a simple change from all day circulation to periodic two minute flushes means we run the pump a fraction of the time to transfer most of the heat in the system. Our compost used to get up to 72 degrees Celsius but I have changed to creating a coarser mulch which I mix old with new for insect and mycelium exchange and the product that now goes onto the garden is now so full of life the rest of the system greatly benefits.
This is amazing. I've been reading about greenhouses with one stone wall as a way of gathering heat during the day to be released at night but this method seems so much more simple. So do you clear out the manure in late spring and then put the new pile in winter?
Really? People shower from water heated by manure, and wood chips?
Well written as always.
Love, mom
Grew up in a biggish city, but on the outskirts were a couple of bachelor farmers who still farmed with horses. My older brother was horse crazy and part of it one year was toting some manure home, digging out a deep bed in the back yard near the alley and piling it on. Then soil, then rhubarb roots. Man, did we have amazing rhubarb and the pies that followed never lasted long!
Nice article. I learned a lot, turd dancer.
Honestly love reading about compost. It's so alive!
We use water in the orchid house to moderate the temperature both summer and winter and it helps keep humidity high, We also have black water heating pipes on the roof and a simple change from all day circulation to periodic two minute flushes means we run the pump a fraction of the time to transfer most of the heat in the system. Our compost used to get up to 72 degrees Celsius but I have changed to creating a coarser mulch which I mix old with new for insect and mycelium exchange and the product that now goes onto the garden is now so full of life the rest of the system greatly benefits.
ooh I love this idea!! I am always sneaking around collecting manure from the neighbors!
This is amazing. I've been reading about greenhouses with one stone wall as a way of gathering heat during the day to be released at night but this method seems so much more simple. So do you clear out the manure in late spring and then put the new pile in winter?
Love this set up!