Pasteurize Manure before Making Tea?

[Cole_Robbie]

I'm trying to set up my first manure tea experiments. My manure will be black dirt scraped up out of the cow field.

What would be the difference in the end product if I pasteurize the manure first in the microwave? Or does pasteurization kill off too many good bacteria? I am leaning towards pasteurization, because I don't want bugs and insect larvae hatching out of my manure sample.

[RayR]

Being that microorganisms, insects and other critters are the life blood of any organic matter that produces what is beneficial to plants, what would be the use of sterile tea?

[Redbaron]

Microwave manure?

[KarenO]

Agree that sterilizing manure would defeat the purpose of using manure. The image of microwaving it made me smile though.

K

[Cole_Robbie]

Pasteurizing is not the same as sterilizing. Hot compost piles get up to 180 in the center, which is hot enough to pasteurize, yet the compost produced is far from sterile. I'm thinking if I don't do it, my sock of manure will be full of maggots.

[Redbaron]

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

Pasteurizing is not the same as sterilizing. Hot compost piles get up to 180 in the center, which is hot enough to pasteurize, yet the compost produced is far from sterile. I'm thinking if I don't do it, my sock of manure will be full of maggots.

If you are really that worried about maggots in manure, let the chickens peck through it. They will remove all maggots with pleasure and even add a bit of their own manure to it to repay you for the gourmet delicacy you gave them.

[Cole_Robbie]

I am steaming it at the moment. I sat a grill basket into my pressure cooker, filled it with water to just below the basket, and boiled it. The manure is in two socks in the basket. I am going to give the socks about 15 minutes per side, then put them into my 5-gallon bucket with air stones.

Do I have to add sugar, or anything else? I have fish emulsion, but I hate the way it smells.

My steaming socks of poop are not making the slightest smell at all, not even a dirt smell. The bucket of it I scraped up smells just very faintly of dirt.

[Dutch]

Robbie this whole thing sounds like a mad scientist conducting some unusual experiment on a fall evening with the cold wind howling outside. Keep us posted.
Dutch

[Cole_Robbie]

I did add some turbinado sugar, melted in water in the microwave, about a tablespoon.

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

I did add some turbinado sugar, melted in water in the microwave, about a tablespoon.

Thanks for the update. I love experiments, they're just like a box of chocolates, you just never know what you are going to get. Thanks Robbie!
Dutch

[Cole_Robbie]

Steaming it could have been overkill. I'm sure I will try an unsteamed batch soon. The brew time is only 24-36 hours, plus the material is in a sock, which should contain any larvae that hatch out.

Right now it is bubbling away in my kitchen like a mad scientist project. The water is dark brown and smells of earth, somewhat potently, but not a bad smell at all.

[Cole_Robbie]

Today, there's a layer of bubbles forming on top, which from what I read indicates it is beginning to near completion. I'll pull the plug tonight or tomorrow morning. The water is very dark. There's no smell until I lean into the bucket, but from up close, it smells just like worm castings.

[MissS]

If all is composted so well that it smells of dirt, why should it contain maggots? It sounds to me you are being redundant.

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

Today, there's a layer of bubbles forming on top, which from what I read indicates it is beginning to near completion. I'll pull the plug tonight or tomorrow morning. The water is very dark. There's no smell until I lean into the bucket, but from up close, it smells just like worm castings.

You might consider black strap molasses instead of sugar next time. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackstrap_molasses

Blackstrap molasses, or simply blackstrap, is the dark, viscous molasses remaining after maximum extraction of sugar from raw sugar cane. This residual product of sugar refining is used in the manufacture of ethanol for industry and as an ingredient in cattle feed. The term is an Americanism dating from the 1870s. First known use is in a book by detective Allan Pinkerton in 1877.

The third boiling of sugar syrup yields blackstrap molasses. The majority of sucrose from the original crystallizes through this process, though the calorie content of blackstrap molasses is still mostly due to the small remaining sugar content. However, unlike refined sugars, it contains significant amounts of vitamin B6 and minerals, including calcium, magnesium, iron, and manganese; one tablespoon provides up to 20% of the recommended daily value of each of those nutrients. Blackstrap is also a good source of potassium.

Dutch

[Dutch]

Turbinado, Demerara and so-called "Raw" sugars are made from crystallized, partially evaporated sugar cane juice, spun in a centrifuge to remove almost all of the molasses. The sugar crystals are large and golden coloured. This sugar can be sold as is or sent to the refinery to produce white sugar. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_sugar
Dutch