Straw or shavings?!

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@Ericka Nature already does compost piles in the woods! And they don't spontaneously combust! Part of the reason the forest floor is normally so rich in nutrients (as long as sunlight can be added to the mix). Everything that lives in the woods eventually dies in the woods and ends up on the forest floor where it rots and goes back to dust... Even old cars, bottles, trash, you name it, that people have thrown in the woods will eventually disintegrate. Just a matter of how much time is required for it to happen. I wouldn't add flammable items though, like oil soaked rags, gasoline, etc. :barnie
 

Ericka

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Gah! That's so true! Back to the original plan. Thank goodness, trying to convince the hubs of my new plan to put poop in the middle of lawn wasn't going to be easy!
 

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the woods and a compost pile are not the same... in the woods there is a relatively even layer... you don't see an 8 ft or 5 or 6 ft mound- we have lots of woods- ;)
the key to breakdown of a manure/compost pile is to turn it...
you do get some great "product" though :)

The smoldering of ours by the woods is what caused us to water, and spread... and we no longer compost there... open field only now.
 

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Found this on pinterest. A sand bottom! Assumed there would be dirt under that and using a rake to collect the berries this could be nice? Maybe the sand is really that rock stuff??
 

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True enough Southern... DON'T make a 8' or even 6' deep pile of compost... spread it around ;) evenly even... Also, don't "pack it down" leave it loose and airy.
 

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Wait til you get livestock... you'd be surprised at how fast you will get a 4-6 ft mound! We do pile ours high and broad... now our neighbor brings his tractor and either turns it or he takes it away to his place... he has "bays" that he moves everything from bay to bay.

We use to have 4x4x4 bays and hand move them... those bays got full too fast and still so hard to move.

I still think S. C. is rare but is still something to be aware of.

When we first moved here the people before us had a burn fire- ONE gust of wind and the ground caught and the fire went straight to the trees. ... we had noticed the treeline was black and charred and it was a big area... then we heard the story about it. They managed to put it out before it hit the neighbors LOG cabin!

I am still amazed that the FD got it out. I am kinda fanatical about fire safety.
 

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Found this on pinterest. A sand bottom! Assumed there would be dirt under that and using a rake to collect the berries this could be nice? Maybe the sand is really that rock stuff??

Rock dust packs down. The berries will get lost in the sand and not easy to clean up. That may have been the first layer... some do rock/sand then dirt then the grit. Makes for good drainage.
 

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I need a tractor! OK... maybe "need" is a stretch... Want is good... with a bucket and forks... and a rear backhoe, and box blade and wheel harrow, and mower deck, and... Well, I bet you've got the idea ;)

Several of the properties I've found while looking are leaving their tractors and various attachments along with the sale. Wouldn't that be sweet!
 

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I need a tractor! OK... maybe "need" is a stretch... Want is good... with a bucket and forks... and a rear backhoe, and box blade and wheel harrow, and mower deck, and... Well, I bet you've got the idea ;)

Several of the properties I've found while looking are leaving their tractors and various attachments along with the sale. Wouldn't that be sweet!
Ask Santa!!! Lol
 
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