No manure???

[Poppy]

I recently met a local vegan farmer who vehemently refuses to use any animal material of any kind on his farm. He even rejects manure. That was the most interesting vegan position I've heard in a long time and I'd love to hear thoughts.

 

[silva]

Of course where the manure has been obtained would be a concern. I wouldn't want any from factory farms!
Everyone poops though. Soil is largely made up of so many deaths
Can't say I'm bothered if it comes from free roaming animals. Why not from sanctuaries?

 

[shyvas]

Of course where the manure has been obtained would be a concern. I wouldn't want any from factory farms!
Everyone poops though. Soil is largely made up of so many deaths
Can't say I'm bothered if it comes from free roaming animals. Why not from sanctuaries?

Good point as I hadn't thought of that.

 

[Poppy]

I don't know that we can ever be sure whether or not produce we buy in grocery stores grows without the use of factory farmed manure.

 

[Second Summer]

I don't know that we can ever be sure whether or not produce we buy in grocery stores grows without the use of factory farmed manure.

Not any time soon, probably.

But I think it makes sense, if I were a dedicated gardener, then I would want to avoid animal manure and use 'green' vegan-friendly manure instead. (I think they use decomposing plants, basically compost?)

'Veganic gardening' or 'vegan organic gardening' are perhaps the right terms to describe the kind of gardening your new acquaintance is practising? I remember a certain member on the old board who was heavily into this.

 

[Blues]

Horse manure to me would be o/ k.

 

[Poppy]

I find it an interesting question, mainly because manure is a product that the animal must rid itself of, not one that we would be taking from it or it's offspring. And I also wonder if it's better to use factory farmed waste material rather than creating those awful lagoons that were in the news with Michael.

Of course the real answer to the question is to quit eating animal products and then we'd be forced to use plant material to fertilize our plants.

 

[Mark Mywordz]

When I was a boy in Liverpool there were quite a few delivery carts pulled by animals. Milkmen especially preferred horses because the horse would move down the road in time with the milkman, so he didn't have to walk back to his van and drive it between houses. My Dad and the man next door used to compete to grow the biggest/ earliest/ tastiest tomatoes in their greenhouses. Whenever they heard the clip clop of horse hooves, I and Tim next door would be sent out with a bucket and spade to collect the free manure from the horses. It was a point of honour to beat off all competition! There are some photos here: milkman horse and cart - Google Search:

 

[shyvas]

When I was a boy in Liverpool there were quite a few delivery carts pulled by animals. Milkmen especially preferred horses because the horse would move down the road in time with the milkman, so he didn't have to walk back to his van and drive it between houses. My Dad and the man next door used to compete to grow the biggest/ earliest/ tastiest tomatoes in their greenhouses. Whenever they heard the clip clop of horse hooves, I and Tim next door would be sent out with a bucket and spade to collect the free manure from the horses. It was a point of honour to beat off all competition! There are some photos here: milkman horse and cart - Google Search:

When I was a youngster milk was delivered by a milk float. I remember them being so silent.

I've never seen a cart pulled by a horse. Perhaps they were used in the 1950 's ?

 

[Mark Mywordz]

When I was a youngster milk was delivered by a milk float. I remember them being so silent.

I've never seen a cart pulled by a horse. Perhaps they were used in the 1950 's ?

In 2002 when I left the UK there were still a few horses and carts. One delivered vegetables where I lived.

 

[shyvas]

In 2002 when I left the UK there were still a few horses and carts. One delivered vegetables where I lived.

That's interesting. I've never seen any around the places that I've lived in or visited.