The grass is greener on our side...

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Please click numbers above
to view photos of our Composting Project
(Photos : Clint Teichman) 

Barry Watson Agriculture and Estate ManagementCompost… one of those magical things that we don’t fully understand. Uses include soil conditioning, fertilization and the addition of humus or humic acids; it is also used as a natural pesticide for soil.

Here at Summerhill we make compost from our stable bedding materials. It is not a complicated process but does require a little elbow grease.

The composting project here at Summerhill is actually about 15 years old but the production on a grand scale is now in its third year. From March this year until now, we have produced just over 2500 Tons of compost and have applied it to our pastures both for grazing and hay production in preparation for the forthcoming summer.

From soil test results, we can see that where we previously had imbalances, we now have soil improvement in line with the biological principles of eco-stalwart Dr Albrecht. The application of compost on this scale has also made our “Organic” fertilizer practices far more efficient. We no longer use highly acidic, and poisonous, fertilizers that sterilize the soil and in turn wipe out all beneficial life under the surface.