Market Farming

[Joan Vibert <joan AT windwalker-farm.com>]

Thanks Paula for that bit of sobering information and Alex for the good
composting info on hormones.  This is all, of course, giving me thought
about using the dairy manure.  The way I read the clopyralid article - it's
a herbicide that's used on lawns and on agricultural crops if it was in the
straw - is this correct?  The dairy manure would have no bedding mixed in -
they are pastured when not being milked but they are probably feed hay -
don't know the source for sure - but I can ask.  Can the manure be tested
prior to taking it for any of these pesticides and where would it be tested?
I can check with K-State on that, I suppose.

I actually have my own horse manure - just not enough.  Its already mixed
with hay, ours - organic - I just have to collect it with rental equipment,
which we are also planning on doing this year but I don't think it will go
as far as I'd hoped the dairy manure would go after being composted.

Any ideas out there!  Would I be safest/smartest to just stay with green
manures and my own compost?

joan
windwalker farm
ottawa, kansas