"Ed" ex@directory wrote in message
et...
First time allotment holder, seeking advice...


The local riding stables have left a whole big load of horse manure
outside of our allotment site for folk to use. It is pretty fresh (great
strong pong from it) and it contains only a moderate amount of straw.

Notwithstanding the warnings I have seen on this list and elsewhere
regarding contamination with weed killers and the like, how can I
beneficially use this stuff?

Can I use this manure straight away on the beds in my plot as a top mulch
and dig it in next spring? Or should I just add it to my compost bins and
let it mature there for, say, a year and then use it?

Also which plants would benefit from an application of manure? I seem to
recall that root crops don't like recently manured beds?

Ed

Why not ask them if any weedkiller has been used on the pasture land where
the horses are.

Generally speaking it is not horse manure that has been the problem, but cow
manure. It appears that horses are far less tolerant to weedkillers than
cows so weedkillers are not used. I understand (from a local stables) that
cows only eat grass and leave the other stuff but horses eat almost
everything.

Unfortunately I've got a couple or three tons of contaminated cow manure on
one of my plots. It has killed everything except couch grass. I'm suing the
farmer. I'm now using only horse manure which I know has not been
contaminated.

PDM

On 25/09/08 09:52, PDM wrote:

Unfortunately I've got a couple or three tons of contaminated cow manure on
one of my plots. It has killed everything except couch grass. I'm suing the
farmer. I'm now using only horse manure which I know has not been
contaminated.

PDM

Did you pay money for the cow manure?

Ed

"Ed" ex@directory wrote in message
et...
On 25/09/08 09:52, PDM wrote:

Unfortunately I've got a couple or three tons of contaminated cow manure
on one of my plots. It has killed everything except couch grass. I'm
suing the farmer. I'm now using only horse manure which I know has not
been contaminated.

PDM

Did you pay money for the cow manure?

Ed

Yes I did. And a lot on dificult to get seed potatoes which were all ruined.

PDM

On 29/9/08 10:20, in article ,
"PDM" pdcm99minus this wrote:


"Ed" ex@directory wrote in message
et...
On 25/09/08 09:52, PDM wrote:

Unfortunately I've got a couple or three tons of contaminated cow manure
on one of my plots. It has killed everything except couch grass. I'm
suing the farmer. I'm now using only horse manure which I know has not
been contaminated.

PDM

Did you pay money for the cow manure?

Ed

Yes I did. And a lot on dificult to get seed potatoes which were all ruined.

PDM


I don't know if suing the farmer will get you anywhere. The problem seems
to lie with pasture that has been sprayed with a permitted herbicide. If
'your' farmer didn't know this could cause a problem, he can hardly be at
fault. There was no deliberate intention to wreck your crops. BTW, because
the answer lies in the grass and possibly in wood shavings used for horse
bedding, horse manure is said to be affected, too so I hope it's not too
late to prevent you from using that on your crops. If you haven't seen it
already, this might interest you. There is some mention of compensation in
one paragraph.
http://www.glallotments.btik.com/p_M...continued.ikml

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online)

On Sat, 27 Sep 2008 21:42:35 +0100, Ed ex@directory wrote:

On 25/09/08 09:52, PDM wrote:

Unfortunately I've got a couple or three tons of contaminated cow manure on
one of my plots. It has killed everything except couch grass. I'm suing the
farmer. I'm now using only horse manure which I know has not been
contaminated.

For anyone who missed GQT on Sunday, they discussed the problem at
length and told people what to do.
The programme is repeated at 3 pm on Weds or on Radio 4's "listen
again". Also details on the GQT website I gather.
Tough on those of you affected.


Pam in Bristol

There was a 15 min segment on Gardeners' Question time all about this on Sunday. If you download the BBCi player, you should be able to listen to it.

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 29/9/08 10:20, in article ,
"PDM" pdcm99minus this wrote:


"Ed" ex@directory wrote in message
et...
On 25/09/08 09:52, PDM wrote:

Unfortunately I've got a couple or three tons of contaminated cow
manure
on one of my plots. It has killed everything except couch grass. I'm
suing the farmer. I'm now using only horse manure which I know has not
been contaminated.

PDM

Did you pay money for the cow manure?

Ed

Yes I did. And a lot on dificult to get seed potatoes which were all
ruined.

PDM


I don't know if suing the farmer will get you anywhere. The problem seems
to lie with pasture that has been sprayed with a permitted herbicide. If
'your' farmer didn't know this could cause a problem, he can hardly be at
fault. There was no deliberate intention to wreck your crops. BTW,
because
the answer lies in the grass and possibly in wood shavings used for horse
bedding, horse manure is said to be affected, too so I hope it's not too
late to prevent you from using that on your crops. If you haven't seen it
already, this might interest you. There is some mention of compensation
in
one paragraph.
http://www.glallotments.btik.com/p_M...continued.ikml

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online)

The weedkiller instructions for use make it clear that any manure should
only be used where non grass food crops, such as Rye, are grown and they
specifically state manure should not be used on any other crop. The farmer
knew this when he delivered the manure. He and every other farmer who did
this is liable. This means he is responsible for his negligence under
British law. Sale of Goods Act for starters. He has already in part admitted
responsibility. There are about 30 or more people suing him. This is
happening throughout the uk.

PDM

On 30/9/08 23:47, in article ,
"PDM" pdcm99minus this wrote:


"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 29/9/08 10:20, in article ,
"PDM" pdcm99minus this wrote:


"Ed" ex@directory wrote in message
et...
On 25/09/08 09:52, PDM wrote:

Unfortunately I've got a couple or three tons of contaminated cow
manure
on one of my plots. It has killed everything except couch grass. I'm
suing the farmer. I'm now using only horse manure which I know has not
been contaminated.

PDM

Did you pay money for the cow manure?

Ed

Yes I did. And a lot on dificult to get seed potatoes which were all
ruined.

PDM


I don't know if suing the farmer will get you anywhere. The problem seems
to lie with pasture that has been sprayed with a permitted herbicide. If
'your' farmer didn't know this could cause a problem, he can hardly be at
fault. There was no deliberate intention to wreck your crops. BTW,
because
the answer lies in the grass and possibly in wood shavings used for horse
bedding, horse manure is said to be affected, too so I hope it's not too
late to prevent you from using that on your crops. If you haven't seen it
already, this might interest you. There is some mention of compensation
in
one paragraph.
http://www.glallotments.btik.com/p_M...continued.ikml

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online)

The weedkiller instructions for use make it clear that any manure should
only be used where non grass food crops, such as Rye, are grown and they
specifically state manure should not be used on any other crop. The farmer
knew this when he delivered the manure. He and every other farmer who did
this is liable. This means he is responsible for his negligence under
British law. Sale of Goods Act for starters. He has already in part admitted
responsibility. There are about 30 or more people suing him. This is
happening throughout the uk.

PDM



Ah well, another farmer out of business, I suppose.
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online)

"PDM" pdcm99minus this wrote in message

The weedkiller instructions for use make it clear that any manure should
only be used where non grass food crops, such as Rye, are grown and they
specifically state manure should not be used on any other crop. The farmer
knew this when he delivered the manure. He and every other farmer who did
this is liable. This means he is responsible for his negligence under
British law. Sale of Goods Act for starters. He has already in part
admitted responsibility. There are about 30 or more people suing him. This
is happening throughout the uk.

What sort of weedkiller is it that the farmer used? Is there some new
weedkiller involved now? I'd heard about aminopyralid and clopyrolid but
nothing else.

In article ,
(Sacha) wrote:

I don't know if suing the farmer will get you anywhere. The problem
seems to lie with pasture that has been sprayed with a permitted
herbicide. If 'your' farmer didn't know this could cause a problem, he
can hardly be at fault

Suing the seller is the correct procedure. It may not be the farmer's
fault but s/he is responsible for what they sell. In turn they may be able
to sue whoever sold them bad materials.

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com
A useful bit of gardening software at http://www.netservs.com/garden/

On 1/10/08 18:00, in article
ult, "Steve Harris"
wrote:

In article ,
(Sacha) wrote:

I don't know if suing the farmer will get you anywhere. The problem
seems to lie with pasture that has been sprayed with a permitted
herbicide. If 'your' farmer didn't know this could cause a problem, he
can hardly be at fault

Suing the seller is the correct procedure. It may not be the farmer's
fault but s/he is responsible for what they sell. In turn they may be able
to sue whoever sold them bad materials.

And so another farmer could, perhaps, go out of business for good.
I can't say I'd vote for that if a little investigation showed me he was
ignorant of the circumstances and all I'd lost was an allotment of veggies
with the option to buy them elsewhere for a season and start again next
season. How many UK farmers carry legal liability insurance against selling
on manure that rots off some veggies, I wonder.


--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online)

,snip
Ah well, another farmer out of business, I suppose.
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online)

No actually, he's insured.

PDM

What sort of weedkiller is it that the farmer used? Is there some new
weedkiller involved now? I'd heard about aminopyralid and clopyrolid but
nothing else.
One of the above, can't remember which one now.
PDM

On 1/10/08 19:48, in article ,
"PDM" pdcm99minus this wrote:

What sort of weedkiller is it that the farmer used? Is there some new
weedkiller involved now? I'd heard about aminopyralid and clopyrolid but
nothing else.
One of the above, can't remember which one now.
PDM


Won't you need to know for a legal case?

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online)

"Sacha" wrote in message
"PDM" pdcm99minus this wrote:

What sort of weedkiller is it that the farmer used? Is there some new
weedkiller involved now? I'd heard about aminopyralid and clopyrolid
but
nothing else.

One of the above, can't remember which one now.
PDM

Won't you need to know for a legal case?

I'm beginning to suspect s/he might be pulling our chain about suing the
farmer.

No-one with any sense would sue over lost spuds even if the spuds had been
special ones. It'd be a case of cutting off ones nose to spite one's face.
The cost of not winning would be horrendous and even if one did win then the
manure supply would either dry up immediately or become exhorbitant. People
in the UK already seem to have enough trouble getting manure in bulk. Can
you imagine the price it'd have to be to cover the increased risk of being
sued?