Burning manure?

[MrGriz]

Burning it is one thing. Splitting and stacking it is another :sick: All I need is another sh!t job to do around here.

 

[Andre B.]

Can you run carnivore chit through a digester, Andre? Would the residual material be safe to use in the garden, or would you want to age it to kill off the bugs?

As far as I know it can. Most of the sources seem to say that while a little aging may not be needed because most of the bugs should be killed in the digester, it may be a good idea in case you get some contamination direct from your source material, either thru or around the digester.

Have not got a lot of personal experience with it, made a very small one time, and got some burnable gas and have been meaning to build a larger one to feed a hot water heater and/or cook stove but summer never seems long enough.
_____________
Andre' B.

 

[Martin Strand III]

The Plains Indians (aka Native Americans) did burn dry buffalo chips to help warm their tee-pees.

Since we now have wood stoves, and such, which I have to think is tremendously better than an open inside fire burning animal dung, why on Earth would anyone want to digres back to such primative conditions?

But since you brought up the topic of 'chit', here's some religious views on the subject:

______________________________________
RELIGIOUS VIEWS WHEN 'CHIT' HAPPENS

Catholicism: If chit happens, I deserve it.

Protestantism: Chit won't happen if I work harder.

Judaism: Why does chit always happen to me?

Buddhism: When chit happens, is it really chit?

Islam: If chit happens, take a hostage.

Hinduism: This chit has happened before.

Hare Krishna: Chit happens Rama Lama Ding Dong.

Rastafarianism: Let's smoke this chit.
_____________________________________

And now you can try to burn the chit... Good luck.

Aye,
Marty

 

[Andre B.]

Bury that dog squeeze along with all your kitchen scraps and wood ashes in the ground, and you'll be improving the soil. Just not in a garden because of the pathogens from the dogs.

Noooo. Would never do that. I live on a well and fecal contamination is a concern. I would never leave the dog poo out too long and certainly not bury it. Leaving it on the grass just kills the grass. Kitchen scraps and wood ashes... okay, I'll put them in the ground.

I have a well and dogs and could clean the crap out of the yard, I do near the house but I just toss it where I am not going to be walking on it.

But what about the cows, horses, goats, ducks, deer, squirrels, skunks, raccoons, rabbits, fox, turkeys, bears, and every other animal that takes a dump in or near my yard.

I am thinking this is a non problem and that unless you have a very shallow well, by the time anything from the dog crap gets leached into the well the bacteria in the soil along the way will have taken care of it.
Whatever don't kill ya.
______________
Andre' B.

 

[Hokerer]

Imagine sitting around a wood stove convention so what are your tools of the trade a chain saw maul PE wedges
what do you use a super pooper scooper and how do you stack it does it need to be split or covered. are flies a problem
In Franklin Ma maybe your neighbor would not be stealing you chit..

Honey pull over pull over did you see that road apple.Nothing like a trip to the park and transporting a fresh bucked of dog chit
Damn honey I hope you don't mind but the bucket tipped over in the car but don't worry I scraped most of it back up.
The best part no one will be bumming ride from you anymore Might reduce the trade in value This gives a new meaning to owning an old chiter to drive around

Gives new meaning to one of the guys standing up and saying "just a minute, let me go put another log on the fire"

 

[Martin Strand III]

This is really bringing out the anal retentive personalities!

Carpe TP.

Aye,
Marty

 

[kevinmoelk]

Bury that dog squeeze along with all your kitchen scraps and wood ashes in the ground, and you'll be improving the soil. Just not in a garden because of the pathogens from the dogs.

Noooo. Would never do that. I live on a well and fecal contamination is a concern. I would never leave the dog poo out too long and certainly not bury it. Leaving it on the grass just kills the grass. Kitchen scraps and wood ashes... okay, I'll put them in the ground.

I have a well and dogs and could clean the crap out of the yard, I do near the house but I just toss it where I am not going to be walking on it.

But what about the cows, horses, goats, ducks, deer, squirrels, skunks, raccoons, rabbits, fox, turkeys, bears, and every other animal that takes a dump in or near my yard.

I am thinking this is a non problem and that unless you have a very shallow well, by the time anything from the dog crap gets leached into the well the bacteria in the soil along the way will have taken care of it.
Whatever don't kill ya.
______________
Andre' B.

Oh, I hear you. It's not that an aquifer is so localized to make that much of a difference anyway... but then again, why add fuel to the fire? I live in a heavy agriculture area and I'm sure the pesticides the orchard owners use over thousands of acres are much more a cause for concern than my dog poo. Then again, is there any water in the US that is not contaminated in some way?

I'm just trying to do my part and be a responsible citizen of the earth. Same thing with recycling and re-using materials, saving scraps, etc. I'm all for it.

 

[smirnov3]

Uhm, if you are going to burn cow poo, you have to 'process' it.

The usual meathod is to collect a patty, mix with straw, and stick to the walls of your hut to dry.

I kid you not

(what I recall from my 10th grade world cultures / history class - it made a big impression on my little sub-urban mind)

 

[kevinmoelk]

Since we now have wood stoves, and such, which I have to think is tremendously better than an open inside fire burning animal dung, why on Earth would anyone want to digres back to such primative conditions?

Aye,
Marty

Well just because an idea is old doesn't mean it's bad. Maybe the idea has come full circle. That's like saying a sod, strawbale, or adobe home is a terrible idea, ancient technology and since we have modern building methods we should abandon these building techniques. Yet these same ancient construction techniques have now realized a great re-birth due to their beauty, simplicity and energy effectiveness.

Let's burn some dung! I don't have the wood stove set up yet, but someone has to try it since there has been so much discussion now. Any takers?

-Kevin

 

[kevinmoelk]

Uhm, if you are going to burn cow poo, you have to 'process' it.

The usual meathod is to collect a patty, mix with straw, and stick to the walls of your hut to dry.

I kid you not

(what I recall from my 10th grade world cultures / history class - it made a big impression on my little sub-urban mind)

I think that is a misunderstood anthropologist working. As far as I know it does not have to be processed, beyond drying. What you describe sounds like home construction for pre-plaster. Some folks in the US have used manure to cover cob and strawbale prior to the final plaster coat.

 

[Martin Strand III]

[/quote]

Well just because an idea is old doesn't mean it's bad. Maybe the idea has come full circle.
Let's burn some dung! I don't have the wood stove set up yet, but someone has to try it since there has been so much discussion now. Any takers?

-Kevin[/quote]

Kevin:

You are correct. There are 'some' good old ideas.

The key to progress is to pick (out the bad ones) and choose (to keep the good ones) wisely.

Some learn by other methods. This idea of yours seems like one of these.

Enjoy!

Aye,
Marty

 

[drizler]

I fertizize my yard with horse turds. Daughter lets em in and they crap all over and I hit it with the 5' mower deck and spread it. Nature at work. Maby I get desperate enough I might have to resort to it but NOT TODAY.

 

[elkimmeg]

wrenchmonster I want to thank you for a light hearted post ,where we could have some fun with and not offend anyone
we needed that. chit happens

 

[kevinmoelk]

Thanks Elk.

I'm always trying to keep people talking and encourage the lurkers to come out a little more.

By the way, I almost fell out of my seat reading your "road apple" comment.

-Kevin

 

[Gooserider]

I have never burned any kind of chit in the woodstove (unless one counts the quality of some of my wood...) but I have had other occasions to burn it.

Among other things, I am a beekeeper, and have to use a smoker when working on my hives. For the non-beekeepers, a bee smoker is basically a can with a bellows attached. Squeeze the bellows, get a puff of smoke. The objective is almost the opposite of a woodstove, as you want as cool and smoky a fire as possible. Indeed the typical approach is to make a fire in the bottom of the smoker, then put a big wad of wet grass (the lawn type, not the good stuff...) on top to act as a cooler and filter so that you don't blow out any burning bits. Getting a smoker going is a bit of a pain, I find it often takes me longer to get the smoker going, and get the PPE gear on than it does to do the actual work on the hive.

My bee supply lady also raises llama's, and will give anyone chit that asks for it as she has a neverending supply to get rid of. Llamadoo looks sort of like deer droppings or exra large rabit pellets, and makes great fertilizer. I got some to use in the garden, but since I'd always found it a pain to get the smoker going, I've been experimenting with different fuels. I remembered all the stories about Little House on the Prairie, etc. (BTW, IIRC Laura Ingall's sister was born blind, wouldn't have anything to do with burning cow chips) with the burning cow patties, and thought I'd see how llamadoo would work as a fuel.

Answer is, it needs to be dried well, but does make a nice fuel for a smoker. It is fairly easy to get going, and burns for a long time (important, you don't want the smoker going out in the middle of working a hive!). The small form factor is easy to get into the smoker body, and it makes lots of smoke (which doesn't smell bad) that keeps the bees mellow. What more can one ask?

I also mix in some of the chips from processing my wood. as that seems to give a more consistent burn.

Gooserider

 

[quads]

But does the honey still taste sweet? Ha ha!

I have never burned any kind of chit in the woodstove (unless one counts the quality of some of my wood...) but I have had other occasions to burn it.

Among other things, I am a beekeeper, and have to use a smoker when working on my hives. For the non-beekeepers, a bee smoker is basically a can with a bellows attached. Squeeze the bellows, get a puff of smoke. The objective is almost the opposite of a woodstove, as you want as cool and smoky a fire as possible. Indeed the typical approach is to make a fire in the bottom of the smoker, then put a big wad of wet grass (the lawn type, not the good stuff...) on top to act as a cooler and filter so that you don't blow out any burning bits. Getting a smoker going is a bit of a pain, I find it often takes me longer to get the smoker going, and get the PPE gear on than it does to do the actual work on the hive.

My bee supply lady also raises llama's, and will give anyone chit that asks for it as she has a neverending supply to get rid of. Llamadoo looks sort of like deer droppings or exra large rabit pellets, and makes great fertilizer. I got some to use in the garden, but since I'd always found it a pain to get the smoker going, I've been experimenting with different fuels. I remembered all the stories about Little House on the Prairie, etc. (BTW, IIRC Laura Ingall's sister was born blind, wouldn't have anything to do with burning cow chips) with the burning cow patties, and thought I'd see how llamadoo would work as a fuel.

Answer is, it needs to be dried well, but does make a nice fuel for a smoker. It is fairly easy to get going, and burns for a long time (important, you don't want the smoker going out in the middle of working a hive!). The small form factor is easy to get into the smoker body, and it makes lots of smoke (which doesn't smell bad) that keeps the bees mellow. What more can one ask?

I also mix in some of the chips from processing my wood. as that seems to give a more consistent burn.

Gooserider

 

[HarryBack]

In Tibet a common source of blindness in children comes from the burning of Yak Dung in open fires for warmth.

wow- this brings back memories of my childhood...cant quite recall, but seem to remember my mother telling me something like...."if you keep doing that, you'll go blind...."......now I finally understand it! My mom and dad must have been burning YAK DUNG!

 

[elkimmeg]

I was doing an inspection and the car in front of me had a bumper sticker stating I stop for quilts

I wonder what other drivers would think, if the bumper sticker proclaimed, I stop for chit.

Hey BB I can't be the only one having fun with this post

 

[Gooserider]

But does the honey still taste sweet? Ha ha!

I have never burned any kind of chit in the woodstove (unless one counts the quality of some of my wood...) but I have had other occasions to burn it.

Among other things, I am a beekeeper, and have to use a smoker when working on my hives.
<snip>
Answer is, it needs to be dried well, but does make a nice fuel for a smoker. It is fairly easy to get going, and burns for a long time (important, you don't want the smoker going out in the middle of working a hive!). The small form factor is easy to get into the smoker body, and it makes lots of smoke (which doesn't smell bad) that keeps the bees mellow. What more can one ask?

I also mix in some of the chips from processing my wood. as that seems to give a more consistent burn.

Gooserider

Yup, especially after I 'improve' it with a bit of water, some yeast, and maybe a few other interesting ingredients, and a bit of time... If we have an appropriate gathering of the N.E. gang, I can bring something much better than beer for evaluation :coolsmile:

In actual practice, the amount of smoke used isn't that great, and you mostly don't direct it into the combs, plus anything ready for harvest is already sealed away. Mostly the smoke is used as a pacifier, indeed you can cause problems by using to much smoke. The idea is to give them a few puffs when you come up to the hive and start opening it up. Bees are very scent oriented, and the smoke confuses their alarm signalling scent. It also tells them that they may need to evacuate in a hurry to avoid what their instincts tell them is a forest fire. The response is to go into the hive and gorge on all the uncapped nectar (which they will return later when the fuss dies down...) which keeps them busy and distends their abdomens making it harder for them to get the flex they need to sting... While you are working the hive, you keep an eye on the top bars of the exposed super, as the smoke dissipates you start seeing hundreds of beady eyes starting to poke up as they check to see if the coast is clear and wonder what happenned to the missing roof. hh: At that point you give them another puff or two which sends them back downstairs for another couple of minutes.

Bees are fascinating critters, and keeping them is a far more vital activity than most people realize. For such a critical part of agriculture, it is amazing how much of our pollination is done by "backyard" beekeepers like myself. There are also far more beekeepers around than most people realize, especially in suburban and urban areas. Because there are so many folks with really irrational bee phobias running around, it is easier for most beekeepers to operate in a low profile 'stealth mode'. At the same time, it is possibly one of the easiest forms of "animal husbandry" to engage in, and one of the few that folks in crowded areas can do. (I know of several beekeepers in Metro Boston / Cambridge / Somerville that run hives from the roofs or balconies of their condos and apartments!) They also aren't all that much work. I go into my hives once or twice a month for about 10-20 minutes at a time from March to October. I also have 4-6 hours of work when I do my honey harvest once or twice a year, so I would say I spend probably about 24/hr's a year on my bees, and get 5-10 GALLONS of honey per hive in exchange.

Gooserider

 

[adrpga498]

This would be very difficult to convince the Mrs. that I'm going out "scrounging for Chit"

 

[BrotherBart]

New and Improved! The Ronco Stool Master Log Machine in now available only by calling this number 1 800 DOG-CRAP. Operators are standing by.

And in addition if you call in the next fifteen minutes you will receive, absolutely free, this high capacity stainless steel pooper scooper for your solid fuel scrounging.

Another fine hearth product from the mind of Ron Popiel.

 

[elkimmeg]

clap clap drum roll clap clap

BB Priceless

wrenchmonster thought road apples was funny
That' going to be tough to top

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

if you burn dog poop maybe you should start saving your own, just incase you get into a "pinch"

 

[coldinnj]

OLD ideas?????
Some of them are rediculous, Example:
In the 1700's if someone had whooping cough, the local apothacary would supply them with centipede tea!
What a rediculous idea!
Of course with modern medicine we know better...
Today we would prescribe some different forms of synthetic medicine that is approved...
Which is comprised of basically a synthetic form of ... centipede tea. Yep we stioll don't have anything better, just easier ways to come by it.
Old ideas are not bad ideas. They are the foundation and often the best answer for most of todays problems.
Many times we change the old methods to newer, better methods. Until with more research we find the new ways are worse for many reasons then the old.
Remembe "KISS"
Keep
It
Simple
Stupid
...Not my quote
Ever hear " He's got Sh*t to burn"
Hmmm,
looks like sh*t
smells like sh*t
burns like sh*t
tastes like < we won't go there

 

[Gooserider]

OLD ideas?????

Hmmm,
looks like sh*t
smells like sh*t
burns like sh*t
tastes like < we won't go there

The variant I've heard goes through the above list, and concludes with "sure glad I didn't step in it..."

And then there is the old college definitions -

A. (lot of) S. (h*t)
B. (ull) S. (h*t)
M. (ore) S. (h*t)
P (iled) h. (igher and) D.(eeper)

However, chit does have one advantage as fuel. You only need a limited supply because it can be infinitely reburned, which is something most folks know as "Different day, same old chit" - isn't that better than having to come up with new wood every day?

Gooserider