Comments on: Building a muck heap http://stonehead.wordpress.com/2006/12/07/building-a-muck-heap/ The trials and tribulations of a modern crofter Wed, 23 Jul 2008 05:42:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU By: stonehead http://stonehead.wordpress.com/2006/12/07/building-a-muck-heap/#comment-958 stonehead Tue, 12 Dec 2006 20:11:49 +0000 http://stonehead.wordpress.com/2006/12/07/building-a-muck-heap/#comment-958 At the moment, we're stuck with a 50-year-old septic tank system - well, more like a cesspit that has to be pumped out every two years. Figuring out a replacement is quite complicated as the cess pit is on the other side of a public road, on someone else's land, and with no official status as it was done so long ago on a handshake. At the same time, we have limited space in and around the croft buildings to fit either a composting toilet, a reed bed system or even a modern septic tank with soakaways. There is space out the back of the steading, but then we're faced with either a long haul to the loo if we go for a composting toilet or reed bed system; or digging through hard standing, under buildings and up hill if the toilet remains in the house and is linked to reed beds or a modern septic tank. There are times when I think it would have been easier to build a house from scratch! At the moment, we’re stuck with a 50-year-old septic tank system - well, more like a cesspit that has to be pumped out every two years.

Figuring out a replacement is quite complicated as the cess pit is on the other side of a public road, on someone else’s land, and with no official status as it was done so long ago on a handshake.

At the same time, we have limited space in and around the croft buildings to fit either a composting toilet, a reed bed system or even a modern septic tank with soakaways.

There is space out the back of the steading, but then we’re faced with either a long haul to the loo if we go for a composting toilet or reed bed system; or digging through hard standing, under buildings and up hill if the toilet remains in the house and is linked to reed beds or a modern septic tank.

There are times when I think it would have been easier to build a house from scratch!

]]> By: stonehead http://stonehead.wordpress.com/2006/12/07/building-a-muck-heap/#comment-957 stonehead Tue, 12 Dec 2006 20:06:08 +0000 http://stonehead.wordpress.com/2006/12/07/building-a-muck-heap/#comment-957 For a simple and pragmatic approach to domestic composting, as opposed to building monster muck heaps, you can't do much better than bean-sprouts' post <a href="http://bean-sprouts.blogspot.com/2006/12/compost-crazy.html" rel="nofollow">Compost Crazy</a>. For a simple and pragmatic approach to domestic composting, as opposed to building monster muck heaps, you can’t do much better than bean-sprouts’ post Compost Crazy.

]]> By: hedgewizard http://stonehead.wordpress.com/2006/12/07/building-a-muck-heap/#comment-848 hedgewizard Thu, 07 Dec 2006 23:25:12 +0000 http://stonehead.wordpress.com/2006/12/07/building-a-muck-heap/#comment-848 I'm thinking of building myself a compost cooker - for killing off weed seeds rather than for cooking food in you understand - next year, simply because I always end up with ivy and so forth encroaching from the Haw-Haws. I need to do some research first, though. I'd be good with muck heaps though - no sense of smell most of the time! I’m thinking of building myself a compost cooker - for killing off weed seeds rather than for cooking food in you understand - next year, simply because I always end up with ivy and so forth encroaching from the Haw-Haws. I need to do some research first, though.

I’d be good with muck heaps though - no sense of smell most of the time!

]]> By: Mel http://stonehead.wordpress.com/2006/12/07/building-a-muck-heap/#comment-840 Mel Thu, 07 Dec 2006 16:05:16 +0000 http://stonehead.wordpress.com/2006/12/07/building-a-muck-heap/#comment-840 What do you do with human muck, Stoney? What do you do with human muck, Stoney?

]]> By: stonehead http://stonehead.wordpress.com/2006/12/07/building-a-muck-heap/#comment-837 stonehead Thu, 07 Dec 2006 13:52:50 +0000 http://stonehead.wordpress.com/2006/12/07/building-a-muck-heap/#comment-837 Theoretically? Yes. In practice, no! I've even had barley sprout where I've used well-rotted muck because there's always a few ears of barley amongst the straw and enough survives to sprout after it's been spread. Theoretically? Yes. In practice, no! I’ve even had barley sprout where I’ve used well-rotted muck because there’s always a few ears of barley amongst the straw and enough survives to sprout after it’s been spread.

]]> By: dibnah http://stonehead.wordpress.com/2006/12/07/building-a-muck-heap/#comment-836 dibnah Thu, 07 Dec 2006 13:00:17 +0000 http://stonehead.wordpress.com/2006/12/07/building-a-muck-heap/#comment-836 would not a muck heap create enough heat to kill any weed seed? would not a muck heap create enough heat to kill any weed seed?

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