Healthy soil and sustainable growing

[BT Benjaminson <btbenj@netvision.net.il>]

Scott,  Pat
Joe Jenkins, the author of the Humanure Handbook, is one of the heroes from 
my early days of waking up to eco-living.
I read his book (I think) three times, but skipped the greywater section 
because it wasn't relevant for me then. The book is quite funny besides 
being quite serious. He makes a distasteful subject humorous so people can 
bear to read about it and get that important information.

I've been following Joe's humanure composting advice for about five years 
now and have carefully grown many delicious veggies with the 
results--generally I do try to cook the veggies though.
No one uses our "system" except my family, (in general most people are not 
brave enough to try it) and my family is basically quite healthy (may they 
stay that way) and so I am not so worried about germs of terrible diseases 
lurking in the compost heap.

I only wish that when I mention this practice to people I know that someone 
would say "what a great idea!" and run out and buy the book. Most just 
giggle and change the subject... : (

Anyway, I took the book off the shelf and I see even my older edition does 
have some pretty good ideas for greywater systems. I'll start working on the 
ones that seem best for us.
Thanks!
Bat-Tzion
Negev, Israel


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Scott Berkey" <berkeyscott@hotmail.com>
To: "'Healthy soil and sustainable growing'" 
<livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Wednesday, May 17, 2006 5:50 PM
Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] Greywater chemistry


> I've read the Humanure Handbook and it's quite a fascinating read, very
> entertaining actually.  In my small circle of friends and family; however, 
> I
> seem to be the only one open to trying the idea of compost human manure.
> Everyone else is just too squeamish.
>
> If I remember correctly, the author had his completed compost analyzed
> regularly and it always appeared safe for application to a vegetable 
> garden
> - but even he used it for landscaping and other non-food producing 
> purposes.