Tell Me Why This is a BAD Idea

[Beekissed]

Mangles are good to grow for pigs and corn is a high nitrogen feeder, so it would most definitely benefit from being planted in the pig lot, though I would ferment it before feeding it back to the pig. Often you can do both, with planting the root crop and the seed crop together in the same space, stacking nutrients.

Salatin has some good ideas on the topic, though don't get sucked into to thinking he's all that...he just has a few good ideas on soil and pasture development that really work at his place. His book You Can Farm can help you with this project as he uses pigs the way you are wanting to do.

 

[bubba1358]

My biggest concern about this was mentioned but not answered:

How long, if at all, should the manures be allowed to sit in the field before planting crops for human consumption?

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Found this article:

http://gardening.about.com/od/fertilizer/a/Is-Manure-Safe-To-Use-In-Your-Vegetable-Garden.htm

 

[bubba1358]

Found this article:

http://gardening.about.com/od/fertilizer/a/Is-Manure-Safe-To-Use-In-Your-Vegetable-Garden.htm

Thanks! I've seen that 90/120 day formula before. I plan on using DE extensively with the pigs, and dusting after rotation, to prevent pathogen occurrences. The window will mean lots of planning and charting to work out safe timings.....

 

[bubba1358]

Found this too.

http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/components/M1192.pdf

So the 90/120 rule has definte validity.

Any other thoughts to consider?

 

[Beekissed]

My biggest concern about this was mentioned but not answered:

How long, if at all, should the manures be allowed to sit in the field before planting crops for human consumption?

For that you would have to determine the life cycle of worms that use pigs as a host and which of those worms will affect humans if the ova are ingested.

http://www.nadis.org.uk/bulletins/s...-2/spp-course-2-parasites-part-2-–-worms.aspx

 

[~gd]

Found this article:

http://gardening.about.com/od/fertilizer/a/Is-Manure-Safe-To-Use-In-Your-Vegetable-Garden.htm

Thanks! I've seen that 90/120 day formula before. I plan on using DE extensively with the pigs, and dusting after rotation, to prevent pathogen occurrences. The window will mean lots of planning and charting to work out safe timings.....

DE may kill insects but it does NOT kill pathogens!

 

[bubba1358]

DE may kill insects but it does NOT kill pathogens!

It has been found to be successful in worming applications. Also, it's drying properties would be useful in helping manures dry out faster, thereby depriving other pathogens of the moistures necessary for life.

 

[~gd]

DE may kill insects but it does NOT kill pathogens!

It has been found to be successful in worming applications. Also, it's drying properties would be useful in helping manures dry out faster, thereby depriving other pathogens of the moistures necessary for life. Yep worms are insects.However the moisture is still available to support pathogens. It is not magic fairy dust. But it is your place do what you want with it.

 

[k15n1]

The garden part of it may not work as planned. You can't always space out the harvest because plants won't grow if the conditions are wrong. So if you plant lettuce every 2 weeks, it might all be ready at the same time. I'm trying to stagger my crops functionally---plant lettuce when the last batch has first set of true leaves, for example.

Otherwise, I suppose it would work. I like the green-manure/cover-crop idea. I've been told that pigs will really tear the place up, so don't plan on opening a golf course after the garden's harvested.