Horse Manure Composting Aerated Micro-Bins for 1 to 4 Horses Description Goals & Objectives Current Pricing Upgrade Offer Order Form Example Systems FAQs

Description

The O2Compost “Aerated Micro-Bin Compost System” has been developed specifically to compost the manure, bedding and waste feed generated by 1 to 4 horses. In fact, it is well suited for all small farms or petting zoos with livestock (e.g., sheep, goats, chickens, llamas, rabbits, etc.). It is also ideal for homeowners and gardeners with large quantities of grass, leaves and weeds to compost and even summer camps with food scraps and waste paper.

The Micro-Bins were designed to be inexpensive, portable and easily expanded. The kit includes a small electric blower - normally used to blow up large inflatable toys - and a timer used in the greenhouse industry. While these components are comparatively inexpensive, our tests have shown that they work extremely well for this scale of composting and should provide years of service. This training program may be all that a small farm needs to take full advantage of aerated composting. It may also serve as an inexpensive starting point to learn about aerated composting and then determine whether a permanently installed, larger aerated compost system is appropriate.

The compost bin is free standing and consists of 4-foot wide by 4-foot high plywood panels connected together in either 1) sets of four to produce a square box (2.4 cubic yards); or 2) sets of six to produce a hexagonal box (6.0 cubic yards). The materials for the plywood panels are purchased and assembled locally, based on our designs (six alternatives). The kit may also be used to retrofit existing, non-aerated compost bins.

Our mission is to make the aerated static pile compost technology readily available to all organic waste generators worldwide. Our motto is, “Education before Legislation”, and our primary objective is to instill an attitude of agricultural sustainability and environmental stewardship for all generations that will follow ours.

Goals & Objectives

Our primary goal is to solve a universal manure management problem, simply and economically. Based on our experience; 1) most people resist change, and 2) few people will change if the new methods don’t save both time and money. Aerated composting involves no turning of the pile thereby saving a considerable amount of labor and equipment time. Also, because we convert a raw material into a value-added product, we save the cost of disposal and create a new profit center for those who choose to sell the finished product. In fact, there is a new trend among horse owners to reuse their finished compost as stall bedding, thereby significantly reducing the cost of virgin bedding materials.

By utilizing the heat generated in the composting process, we are able to destroy parasites, pathogens and weed seeds in the finished product. We are therefore able to produce a safe product with unrestricted use in gardens or back on pastures that are actively used for grazing.

Proper manure management can dramatically improve the health of your horses by significantly reducing:

• parasites and pathogens and related intestinal problems;
• invasive weeds and related health issues;
• dust, ammonia and related respiratory ailments;
• muddy conditions and related hoof problems; and
• flies and related eye and skin infections.

The topic of manure management and horse health is discussed in great detail in the newly published book, “How to be the Perfect Horsekeeper” by Karen Hayes, DVM (this book is available at www.theperfectstall.com). I encourage to you to buy a copy, read it and pass it along to your family, friends and business associates.

One of our key objectives is to help horse owners protect surface and ground water resources from manure-based contamination.

• Ammonia in very small concentrations is toxic to many species of fish;
• High BOD (i.e. biochemical oxygen demand) levels will suffocate fish;
• High nutrient levels, phosphorus in particular, will lead to algae blooms which will in turn lead to a reduction in dissolved oxygen and will suffocate aquatic life; and
• Invasive weeds brought in with animal feed will displace indigenous wetland plant species.

Controlling offensive odors and flies at the “muck pile” can be easily accomplished simply by inducing airflow through the compost pile. By adding a 6-inch thick layer to the top of the pile, odorous gases are absorbed and nutrients are retained in the finished product. The heat of composting destroys fly larvae and the compost cover is not a good breeding habitat. As a result, the horses’ quality of life is improved and your boarders and neighbors will stop complaining.

Current Pricing

A link to our Order Form is shown below. Simply download, print and either fax or mail it back to us. Our goal is to ship your Micro-Bin kit the same business day.

Upgrade to a Permanent Aerated Bay Compost System

All Micro-Bin purchases are eligible for a full-price ($675) discount on an O2Compost Training Program. In some cases, participants may discover that a small portable compost system does not meet their operating requirements and that a larger, permanent system becomes a “must-have” item. In this case, we will rebate the cost for your Micro-Bin System in exchange for the original Starter Kit blower, timer and temperature probe.

Order Form

Click HERE to download our Micro-Bin Order Form.

FAQs

This page is designed to assist our customers by posting and answering all construction and composting-related questions submitted to us regarding the Micro-Bin System. CLICK HERE to view our Micro-Bin FAQ page (updated as new questions arrive).