Just priced fertilizer..WOW!!!

No, it's not as available because the copper in biosolids is typically chelated with organic matter. As the organic matter decomposes, it releases the copper in a more plant-available form. The saving grace here is that even though the availability of biosolids copper is less compared to commerical sources, the total amount applied per acre of copper is generally more with biosolids.

This is me talking to a bunch of farmers about biosolids recycling:

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This is the government the Founding Fathers warned us about.....

Hey we could form a business - you, CabinFever and me - wastewater treatment design/building and waste management. I was heavily involved in design and building of WWTPs for 12 years - lol..saw a lot of waste in that time and we spread the solids (treated of course) in a slurry on golf courses and hay fields down here. I worked for the President of a WWTP design firm for many years and did on site field work during construction and wrote O&M manuals for municipalities..

might be a good gig..lol now that fertilizer has skyrocketed.

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Be yourself - no one can tell you that you're doing it wrong!

Thanks Cabin Fever, that's what my gut told me but I kept getting mixed info everywhere I asked. Guess with putting it on right after we take it off it should be just right for the next wheat crop anyway.

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The internet - fueling paranoia and misinformation since 1873.

If you have soil samples done, also ask for a trace element analysis.

I'm not so much concerned with pathogens, etc. in the biosolids as I am with residual medications, hormones, etc. excreted by folks taking those meds daily. How does a treatment plant handle those items?

My Dad RIP had an agriculture degree before becoming a DVM. He grew up in Cuba and their ain't much in that country except for farming and that was before communist dictatorship. I wish he could have seen this place, he would have had a ball working on it. I did not learn much but a few things
since I never owned much more than 2 acres when he was alive.

One of the things was as you mentioned crop rotation. Everyone speaks of the "wonderful Cuban cigars" well that is all BS now, has been for years. Greed took over with the tobacco farming when it became goverment owned/run. Instead of rotating crops he said that field upon field of tobacco was grown each and every season on the same soil.

Eventually the crops became junk and the famous cigars are now just famous by name all because of the lack of neutrents. You are better off with tobacco from other contries like the Dominican Republic, Equador, or Costa Rica they are grown from seeds smuggled out of Cuba generations ago but many of those farms will rotate as needed. I think I am going to go grow some clover and legumes this year and take my time starting off.

Rich

We have five horses and 96 acres. Of course, we don't try to fertilize all of it...33 acres are planted in hardwoods, several acres are "yard" which doesn't get fertilized.

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I'm running so far behind I thought I was first!

http://hickahala.blogspot.com/

Paqebot (Martin),

Regarding the earlier post concerning 'petrochemical fertilizer' Google has
557 thousand hits on the subject.

Post#51 "--Sulfur. Just about every bit available now is a product of petroleum refining" Your words. Sounds like petrochemical.

What isn't decomposed at the treatment plant is degraded in the soil. I am not aware of any research or instances where these materials are taken up by plants or leached to groundwater. These chemicals can cause problems with fish if they enter surface waters. Some research has shown that hormones cause male fish to have more female characteristics.

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This is the government the Founding Fathers warned us about.....

Not certain what you mean but sulfur is a natural element no matter where it is found or how it is obtained. The post in particular was to point out that sulfur is allowed in "organic" operations with no regard as to its origin. It's identical no matter if it's from crude oil, coal, or pumped from underground deposits. The bulk of it now is converted to acid to extract phosphorus from phosphate rock.

Want to learn more hypocrisy? Three common products may be mined by the virtually identical process of pumping water into underground deposits to bring the product to the surface for settling in holding ponds. Potash, salt, and sulfur. Two are accepted for "organic" and one is not.

Martin

In what way CF, Ill and hard to get along with or just plain mean for no apparent reason. LOL EDDIE

sounds like a plan sidepasser! better it run through a treatment plant than straight into a water way!a lot of what hits the drains is minuscule in the mix, good soil is not inert, full of bacteria, viruses and hormones already and in quantity. plough down crops of clovers contain estrogens, rye, molds like ergot (LSD like substance) alfalfa has allelopathic traits and yet these are still planted and used in organic practice.

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àigeach carnaid
chaora dhubh
"Don't raise your voice, improve your argument."

cruachan

my dw has spent many a late night tending her digester cause some idiot has dumped a bunch of soap in the system! yep that porcelain throne does get abused a lot! specially after a chili cook off!

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àigeach carnaid
chaora dhubh
"Don't raise your voice, improve your argument."

cruachan

Interesting, this story just popped up on APNews:

http://apnews.excite.com/article/200...D90168I00.html

Lots of questions about the safety of spreading sludge. Interesting that they did their testing on poor neighborhoods. Less likely to object and bring lawsuits perhaps. The lead investigator has other controversial research (ethics?) according to the article.

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SugarMtnFarm.com -- Pastured Pigs, Poultry, Sheep, Dogs and Kids

It amazes me how the liberal press will play the “race card” in an attempt to stir up debate. This study chose the yards in question because they were contaminated with lead from paint and leaded gasoline, NOT because they were owned by poor, black people.....sheesh! For your reference, the statement from the USDA researcher who conducted this study is provided below. If you truly are interested in learning something about this topic and the beneficial use of biosolids in reducing the bioavailability of heavy metals in contaminated soils, please read the links provided at the end of this post.

"An AP news article by John Heilprin and Kevin Vineys that appeared in newspapers today is an incomplete and imbalanced discussion of a field test I cooperated in conducting in Baltimore a few years ago. We applied Class A biosolids (pathogen-free) compost from Baltimore, a high quality soil conditioner product available for sale for all home and garden uses in the region. The soil treatments did substantially reduce the risk to children from lead (Pb) in those soils. As reported in the paper "This longitudinal pilot study shows that in situ amendment of lead-containing yard soil with Orgro [biosolids compost] is associated with a significant reduction in bioaccessible Pb fraction and the development of a healthy turfgrass cover at 1-year follow-up."

"It is clear that our method using simple incorporation of biosolids compost rich in Fe and P into high Pb urban soils offers individual homeowners the ability to greatly reduce the risk of soil Pb to their children when no public program will assist them in soil removal and replacement. I am comfortable that the issues of soil and housing Pb risks to the children were well disclosed to the participants. Contrary to claims, the families who cooperated in the field test were part of a community group where they learned more about how to protect their children from housing and environmental Pb. An ethics review at Johns Hopkins University (JHU) and HUD approved the test. I was a cooperator/advisor and no such review was sought at USDA. All funding went to JHU.”

Dr. Rufus Chaney
USDA-ARS-EMBUL Bldg. 007, BARC-West 10300
Baltimore Blvd.
Beltsville, MD 20705-2350


Reference articles can be found here:

Biosolids Compost Amendment for Reducing Soil Lead Hazards (2005)


Reducing Children's Risk from Lead in Soil (2004)

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This is the government the Founding Fathers warned us about.....

The soil was already "leaded", unfortunately in many low income family situations the shade tree mechanic is the only option, the yard is the victim of spills.... houses before 1972 were all leaded...many people can't afford the strip and repainting....This is a imperfect solution to a serious problem....To question the ethics of these researchers is going to far....If just 25% effective that a win - win for these families.

The guy who delivers our feed, here in SW MO, is selling pelleted chicken manure for about $250 p/ ton I believe. Dunno how effective it is because it has to be heated and treated and such to get into the pelleted stage.

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http://dairydaze.blogspot.com/