thom@ewj01.UUCP (Thom Leonard) (09/18/85)
I wonder not so much ``is this safe?'' as ``how can we do this so it is safe?'' I've recently heard of Welsh gardeners digging a trench in the vegetable patch where the next season's crop of leeks will be set out. The household members, under cover of darkness, would squat over the trench and deposit their daily contribution, covering it with a bit of soil, gradually moving from one end of the trench to the other. The leek seedlings were then set into the trench, which was refilled with dirt as the leeks grew. The result: giant leeks, with long, white, well-blanched stems. Because these were always cooked, there was apparently little trouble with transmission of pathogens. F.H. King's classic *FARMERS OF FORTY CENTURIES* describes the abundant use of nightsoil on the agricultural land of China, Korea, and Japan. King gives much credit to this practice for the relative permanence of Oriental agriculture up to that time (1911?), and warns that unless we in North America adopted similar practices, we were heading for soil bankruptcy. Perhaps the massive inputs of nitrogen fixed by fossil fuels has delayed the fulfillment of King's prophecy. Regardless, human feces and urine are valuable resources that we could make better use of than we do. Olkowski and Olkowski, writing in *THE CITY PEOPLES BOOK OF RAISING FOOD* state that urine is safe to use in the garden. Any problem of increased acidity could be alleviated by addition of lime. Supposedly, there is enough nitrogen in one person's annual to all the nitrogen requirements of that same person's annual vegetable consumption. But feces seem to pose more of a problem. Can we safely compost human waste on a household or local level, and will the resultant humus be an appropriate garden fertilizer? Some suggest that even composted human feces should not be used in the vegetable garden, especially if those that eat the vegetables are fond of salads. Instead, these people recommend that such compost be reserved for orchard and ornamental crops. Suggestions, ideas, comments please. Thom Leonard, East West Journal, Brookline, MA USA
wrmoe@houxf.UUCP (W.MOE) (09/23/85)
Although it is not a direct application of "nightsoil",
The Milwaukee Sewer Plant used to (still does?)
manufacture and market Milorganite brand fertilizer.
It kept our lawn green.
-Warren Moe (formerly of 'Tosa)