Black Gold

When I first met my dairy farmer neighbor, I naively asked if he had any extra cow manure. I bet it was all he could do to keep from rolling his eyes. "Sure," he said, "I can bring some by - you just tell me where you want me to put it." After figuring out the perfect spot, I relayed the information and drove off to work, happy as a clam. When I came home, there was a pile of manure approximately half the length of a football field by the side of the house. Was I horrified at this giant pile of 'aromatic' organic material? I was not -- I was thrilled. Fast-forward three years and I am shoveling up piles of black gold with which to plant my fruitscape, fill my raised beds, nourish my rhubarb. And I am working on a new pile of black gold, albeit a smaller one. I've learned to ask for manure in the summer, while the herd is mostly outside during the day. The accumulation in the barn is much more manageable. I figure I can't lose with my dynamic combination of cow, sheep, llama, and chicken manures. Woot!!