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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Soil Minerals and compost

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  • From: "Allan.Balliett" <allan.balliett AT gmail.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Soil Minerals and compost
  • Date: Sat, 20 Feb 2010 15:40:51 -0500

Hi, Melissa!

A good source for information about animal health and the Albrecht philosophy is

http://albrechtsanimals.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/12/hitching-your-horse-to-a-cart.html

"Albrechts Animals"

Minerals you feed your livestock most definitely do affect the mineral value of their manure! That's one reason why Joel Salatins' pastures are so nice and yet he declares that he's never fertilized or mineralized them. He doesn't have to: he put the best minerals he can affod in his pastured chicken feed and his beef's mineral box! Then the livestock spreads those minerals across the fields in their poo!!

If you are curious about the nutrient content of your livestock manure, yes, you can have it tested. I'm not sure that Logan does that, but most state labs do (Ask your extension agent!)

And, yes, it's not rational to think that we can improve our gardens with manure from livestock that is feeding in an unsupplemented fashion from similarly depleted soils.

For this reason, soil testing, manure testing and, if you can afford it, compost testing, is essential.

-Allan in WV




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