In our quest for environmentally-friendly agriculture, we felt it was essential to return to natural, traditional methods. Using cow manure to enrich the soil is an age-old practice.
We have 4 tonnes of cow manure delivered to us, which we spread over our vegetable patch using a wheelbarrow. We apply a final pass of the rotovator to mix everything together and incorporate the manure into the soil.
Enriching our soil with cow manure (or horse manure, which is less accessible but more aerated) will therefore enable us to:
- Increase its fertility because it is rich in organic matter. The structure of your soil is improved, as is the retention of water and essential nutrients for our crops. As it gradually decomposes, manure slowly releases nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, which are essential for healthy plant growth.
- Encourage root development to reduce the risk of nutrients being washed away, while preserving the health of our soil.
- Do without chemical fertilisers altogether, avoiding the risks of water and soil pollution.
- Develop healthy biodiversity in our soil by feeding the beneficial micro-organisms that maintain a biological balance essential to the growth of our plants and their resistance to disease.
