This quilt block shows a large brown and yellow fly with a trail of gray stitching on a blue background. Below it is a gray bucked with an orange label on it, and next to that a rust colored trowel. The largest item is a pile of black fabric with green marks on it representing manure. It has a white stitching outline around it.

Block-A-Day 201 – Jan And The Manure

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Today I continue my quest in creating and posting one block a day of the fabulous That Town And Country Quilt by the lovely Susan-Claire Mayfield. This is day two hundred and one of that project.

This quilt block shows a large brown and yellow fly with a trail of gray stitching on a blue background. Below it is a gray bucked with an orange label on it, and next to that a rust colored trowel. The largest item is a pile of black fabric with green marks on it representing manure. It has a white stitching outline around it.
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Wow, look at the size of that fly!

Our industrious gardener is at a nearby farm getting some fresh cow manure in her brand-new bucket with her brand-new trowel.

She is also wearing brand-new gloves. Her name is Jan, and she has decided to jump-start a slow compost pile.

Jan has realized she doesn’t have enough nitrogen and moisture to get things cooking.

This manure pile has been mixed with the wood chips the animals are bedded on and is starting to break down nicely. Jan will go home and layer it with more carbon (straw) and vegetarian nitrogen from unsprayed grass clippings.

She’ll be diligent in watering it just the right amount.

Regularly turning it will keep it composting. The internal temperature of her pile will reach around 135 degrees.

This temperature is sufficient to kill insects and plant diseases.

When the pile cools down and looks like dark, moist soil, she can add it to her vegetables and flowers.

I sure hope Jan has come to get this in a pickup truck.

About The Author

Tina

Tina

Tina Holley is a third-generation ranching widow, mother, and grandmother whose family roots in Grand County date back to the 1940s. Tina wears many hats and has been sewing for over 45 years... She added another “hat” when she purchased the Fabric Nook from her kindergarten teacher in 2015. Tina is passionate about guiding customers in achieving their personal and creative goals. Her goal is to empower and help make everyone’s idea a beautiful reality about which they can feel great. She began her artistic journey as a garment maker in middle school by designing and creating her own clothes. Later on, she took apart clothes from thrift stores and put them back together to improve her construction and alteration skills. In addition to her sewing expertise, she also knits, crochets, and is an award-winning quilter.

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