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Composting <br />Composting is managed, accelerated breakdown of organic materials by microbes (i.e. bacteria, <br />fungus and molds). The goal of the composting process is to provide these microbes with a <br />good environment that encourages quick and efficient manure breakdown. Effective <br />composting does the following. <br />• locks in nutrients <br />• Speeds up the breakdown process <br />• Reduces the size of the pile <br />• Kills weed seeds and fly larvae <br />� manure pile v✓ill eventually breakdown if left alone but will lose nutrients and become <br />infested with unwanted organisms. <br />Guidelines <br />Start with a good compost site <br />• Choose a convenient location <br />Make sure the site won't flood with water <br />Make sure the location meets the manure stockpile site requirements <br />You may not be able to attain desired temperatures during winter in Minnesota, Stockpile manure over winter and resume composting in <br />the spring. <br />Let CQUI <br />Compost curing occurs in the cast � to z months during which time the temperature will reduce to ambient levels. The finished product <br />will look like something between potting soil and large, dar]< brown wood chips depending on the material size. Finer material composts <br />more quickly. <br />Use <br />You tan use finished compost for the following. <br />• ✓emending soli in a garden <br />• Tree mulching <br />Potting soil <br />• Fertilizer for the yard, pasture or hay fields <br />Never spread more than 'h inch of compost at one time when spreading compost on a yard, pasture or hay field. <br />Using manure <br />Whether composted or not, you will eventually need to move and use the manure. You can use manure onsite by spreading it as a <br />fertilizer on an open area, pasture or field. <br />You can also haul manure offsite for fertilizing or composting. Use caution when spreading manure on pastures grazed by horses. Don't <br />spread manure on pastures if there are more than � horse per z acres. Spreading manure in heavily stocked pastures could result in <br />increased parasite exposure, <br />Spreading <br />Spreading manure for fertilizer is a great way to use it. Spreading the manure for its fertilizer value is an excellent way to use it. 13ut, you <br />must use caution to prevent excess nutrient buildup, To determine how much manure to spread on a field: <br />Determine the nutrient content of the manure. <br />0 Several private labs can perform this test. <br />Test the field's soil to determine now much manure the intended crop needs. <br />o Only spread enough manure to produce a viable and maximum yielding crop. <br />