Manure Tea

Before we had goats I spent a considerable amount of energy going to my friends  and raiding their llama bean piles. I daydreamed of my own steaming manure pile, collected from dairy goats I hoped to have one day. Now, a few years into goat raising we have an assortment of manure piles with various degrees of compostedness.

 I was reading a few days ago about composting manure and tilling it into the soil, I learned that dairy goats have the best quality manure. Fortunately it seems that goats are part of a lot of homesteads, and hold so much value as an all around helpful animal. The manure and urine collected from goats is  very high in nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and lime. I have limited knowledge of chemistry and soil balance but it sounds great and this stuff does wonders in our garden. I disagree about goat manure being a "hot" manure. I have used this fresh for years and never have burnt my plants.

Manure Tea

I thought I would share another way to use this free fertilizer. If you are not doing this already you will be surprised how it beautiful your plants will look giving a sip or two a few times a week or when seedlings are looking poorly.

Fill a five gal. bucket half full of manure - straw and all (remember how the urine is important and the straw is soaked with it)

Fill the bucket up with water and set aside for a few days if you like. I usually start using it right away. Using as I would if I were watering my plants. I do this when I think they need a boost or try and do it once or twice a week.

When you've used it all, fill the bucket back up with water again. I repeat this until it looks like I've used all the goody up, then composting the straw at the bottom. I always keep a brew bucket setting in the garden ready for use.
Linking Up With Frugal Ways and Sustainable Ways #24
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