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  • From: Road's End Farm <organic87 AT frontiernet.net>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Crushed concrete
  • Date: Sun, 21 Apr 2013 18:40:24 -0400


On Apr 21, 2013, at 6:24 PM, Richard Moyer wrote:

Laurie,
As a biochemist, I think about surface area.  What do you mean by 'crushed'?

For instance, we happened upon pieces of a patio (each about 3-5 square feet) so loaded these up to put where our goats walk, something like stepping stones.  We left the dust and small pieces behind.  So the vast majority of the concrete is still intact, and as I understand it, inert.

At the other extreme, I'd hesitate to use pulverized concrete, containing lots of small, powdery, pieces including sand and pea gravel size, because there is exponentially more surface area for water to react with and move into your soil/surface water.  You could wash the bigger pieces before using them, paying attention to where the slurry ends up.

Unless you have a certain chemical analysis, of what the concrete was made of.  Then any of it may work.

But doesn't it break down eventually, and release whatever's in it?

I know concrete mix isn't cinderblock; but cinderblock certainly disintegrates over time, if loose blocks are left out in the weather. A single block hanging out by itself doesn't behave like one holding up a sealed basement. Won't the same be true of pieces of concrete left out in a field?


-- Rivka; Finger Lakes NY, Zone 6A now I think
Fresh-market organic produce, small scale







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