After a long winter of the cows just hang’n around in the corrals, if it storming.  Or maybe wandering out to eat in the fields, we always have lots of ‘free fertilizer’.

Every spring the manure is removed and hauled out to the fields.

This keeps the cost of farming down, fertilizer is right up there in the very expensive category, right along with fuel.

Even though the manure spreader is old, it still does a really good job.

Because cows digest so little of their food, cow manure won’t burn plants the way nitrogen-rich chicken manure will. Nor does it need to be composted before putting it on the field. Cow manure is the undigested residue of herbivorous matter which has passed through the animal’s gut. The resultant manure matter is rich in minerals. Color ranges from greenish to blackish, often darkening in color soon after exposure to air.

  Once on the field the farmer works it into the soil through plowing or chiseling.  Therefore, rebuilding the soil and feeding the earth worms.

 Our first calf of the year came in the last snow storm.  He is about four days old here. 

See all the manure. Just waiting for the manure spreader.

Linda