My evergreen hedging plant nursery

[itsasmallfarm]

wow, that is really cool.

 

[twigcrafter]

Nice shrubs. I also have a small nursery. I had to replace my full sized chickens with bantams. I find they are much less destructive to my plants. I grow more than evergreens. BTW Ducks eat arborvitaes . Just a heads up if you were thinking of getting ducks.

 

[Compost King]

Thanks for letting me know about the ducks! I considered them at one time but they don't scratch and the scratching is so important to my composting project.

 

[Matieus27]

Rabbit poop is a great all around fertilizer also.

 

[Compost King]

Yes it is, but they didn't scratch up leaves for me so I fired my rabbits lol... Chickens love to go through what ever rabbits drop from their cages because its not a hot manure Bugs and worms go straight for it no matter how fresh it is. Rabbits in cages get depressing to look at.

 

[paintedChix]

My family decided they needed a couple of rabbits as "pets". We even had one boy that occasionally came in to watch TV with us. 1 led to a couple more, then we had a few kits. Well, they are out in a pen on the brick patio... Last year I added in 5 ducklings. The rabbits had to be split up a bit and we weren't ever getting any kits to grow out beyond two litters that I did get (can you say "scoobey snacks" for the cats?)... BUT WOW, I just cleaned most of that pen out again. The combination of duck (very wet), rabbit & the couple of free ranging chickens in that area produces a pretty awesome garden mix. I put the "poop" in the feed bags and move it via a Gorilla garden wagon to where I need it. Should take a few pics of that... I just put 8 "50#" bags (some were heavier, some lighter - some dripping wet from the stitched under seam) into a 2' wide x 12 or 16' long bed that I hope to plant next year. Will be my first attempt at actually planting a garden.

Spread it out...via hand, mostly (MISTAKE). Took a lot of hand washing to get that scent off, LOL!! The free range CLBs and RBs really like it - even in the last two days in the frost they've been up and scratching thru it as I've come back into the house to get ready for work. The composting crew at work!! I need to refill their pen(s) with stuff - I don't ever have enough time to do it all. Really kinda hope we don't get all the rain they are predicting this weekend (all day Sat & Sun, AGAIN)... I currently have 2 chicken coops that are too over saturated and I can't get dry as I haven't had time to collect all the materials they need in them. My daughter asked me what she could do for me for Christmas and I said - "I need time"... Or help (another body) to collect all the materials that our bountiful little forest produces. She just looked at me.

We are building multiple chick tractors - and my hope is to have the tractors kinda following the ponies thru a natural, permaculture type pasture set up. Will be reducing the number of ponies, move them thru, close that area up and do the chickens (and may some pigs?). My hope is to turn a 7 - 10 acre "scrub sand lot" into pasture that will in turn support the ponies and the birds (& pigs?) w/ less hay/feed purchased and not so much sand and erosion... Gonna take time, but we are getting a decent start. I will also be having another horse trainer bring in some of his barn cleaning (shavings/straw/manure) and spreading that over the paddocks & lanes, too.

I, too, LOVE the POOP. Have had learning experiences with the pony manure. Was using hay that was getting sprayed. It takes a long time for that manure to not kill garden plants. If using horse manure, composted, and your tomatoes, peppers, potatoes and a few others simply aren't growing or aren't doing well if they are growing - it's probably the herbicides that were sprayed on the hay... I've found a supplier that doesn't use herbicides, but overall, his hay quality isn't as good as some of the others... so, win some lose some.

 

[Compost King]

Oh wow, Herbicides in hay are not a good thing at all I might cut back on the free horse manure I have been picking u. I have something new to research now. Horse Manure is actually one of my favorite manures because even when fresh the odor isn't so bad. Most manures smell good after being smothered in carbon and composted for 6 months. Just make sure you either turn your composts or have a network of air pockets inside. This is why I love my bamboo fencing. Bamboo is free when your neighbors don't want to do yard work offer to clear it for them and replace the rotted bamboo in the fence once a year and instant air pockets in the compost pile.

 

[N F C]

Impressive results Compost King!

 

[Compost King]

Lately I have been trading eggs for horse manure, I finally found a use for eggs! In all seriousness the manure was free on craigslist I just give the lady giving away the manure free eggs to show thanks for the manure.