Dung Heap

      You may recall from previous posts that I maintain a compost pile back behind the barn. When we clean out the stalls, barns, run-ins, and cages it all goes in the pile. The compost requires regular maintenance so that's what I did this afternoon. I rake up all the material that the chickens spread around. They love scratching through it. They find all kinds of bugs and worms in there. Their scratching helps with the health of the compost but it still needs regular work. To turn the compost I shovel it from one side of the pile to the other then form it into a nice stack. After that I shovel all the chicken scratched stuff onto the top. The scratched material is dry and fluffy and makes an insulating layer over the heap. It usually heats up pretty good after I first turn it. You can feel the heat if you lay your hand on it and it steams on cool mornings. I must be doing it right, the vegetables in the garden love it.

The heaping pile of dung.

While I was playing in poop Lisa was in Lexington doing home visits for Heartland Sheltie Rescue. She found Shadow a home. Shadow is a sable and white rescue who has been staying with us.

Shadow.

Poppy did manage to get a few rounds of ball chasing in before and after I went composting

Poppy resting in a sunbeam after playing ball. I was watching zombie shows. 

We had to get new tires on the 4-wheeler this year. The old ones had dry rotted and didn't hold air anymore. We went with and aggressive agricultural profile instead of a sport tread. We need the bite in mud and snow.

New ATV tires.