Composted manure is a microbial life stimulant and
an animal and plant essence that has been “composted”
both inside the animal and outside in the curing pile.
Using composted or aged manure is recommended as
an alternative to compost only when compost is not
available. One reason for this is that, in order to obtain a
1-inch layer of aged steer manure for use as compost on
a 100-square-foot area, fodder for the animal to eat must
be grown on a 500-square-foot area. This means an area
4 times as large as your growing area is being depleted
of trace minerals and life-sustaining humus! Such a
practice is not sustainable if used over a long period of
time. When the proper compost crops are used instead,
the compost materials for your 100-square-foot garden
can be grown in just your 100-square-foot garden itself!
Compost
As discussed in the previous chapter, good compost is
the most important part of the garden as it aerates soil,
breaks up clay, binds together sand, improves drainage,
prevents erosion, neutralizes toxins, hold precious
moisture, releases essential nutrients, and feeds the
microbiotic life of the soil, creating healthy conditions
for natural antibiotics, worms and beneficial fungi.
GROW BIOINTENSIVE places heavy emphasis on
compost for these reasons. In addition, as the demand for
organic fertilizers increases, the supply available to each
person in the world decreases. Soon, few fertilizers will
be available at reasonable prices. The materials used to
produce chemical fertilizers are becoming less available.