For a number of years I transplanted into soil beds which had just been covered with about 8 inches of moderately fresh manure (horse or cow). I was improving soil by introducing the manure, and did not have a ready source of much plant debris. I was putting down about 8 tons of manure a week, and found that the transplants thrived in the straight manure beds. The plants obviously enjoyed the rich environment. Even by the later part of the season the soil was much more mellow, and became very porous and workable. I was more conservative than the organic certification guidelines about wait periods between application of manure and harvest of crops. Since I was amending acres of land, I could choose crops that were suitable for the manure beds, and put crops which I didn't want to get the manure exposure on areas treated in previous years. While it may be nice to add plant debris to animal manures when making compost, it is certainly not necessary. Animal manures will compost well on their own; adding some plant debris may help to capture some N that may otherwise be lost, but the final product of manure-only composting is quite good. These days, I generally do not bring in manure for soil for two reasons: I no longer need the external input, and unfortunately, many of the manure streams near me are contaminated with persistent herbicides. I've tested a beautiful, huge set of piles of llama manure just a couple miles from me which has aged for over 7 years now. It had easily detectable, damaging herbicides still in it. A small commercial grower had used some in their fields, and they lost the crops in that area. For now, if I import organic materials, it will be readily available yard waste, municipal compost and wood chips. Renais

While I won't begrudge anyone who wants to be more careful about food safety and manure, I really don't think it should be a problem for @hu-randomnumber. Food safety guidelines are generally about using 'fresh' (not well composted) manure, and IIRC are generally minimum recommended in the range of 4 to 6 months before harvesting. Horse manure that's been outside for two years or more should be perfectly fine. (General 'wash carefully' guidelines apply anyway - even compost from kitchen scraps or just soil have bacteria). Also, if you look around, manure application guidelines are mostly about cow manure - because it's most often from large dairy operations (where the average size in USA is something like 4000 head). That's where the commercial scale manure is. Horse manure is (in my opinion) less of an issue - digestive systems are completely different - more 'roughage' and more air in horse manure, mixed with drier bedding, and much more likely to compost well. And horse operations are smaller and manure much less likely to be held in a slurry pond or wet pile with no air. At any rate, again, to each his own, but personally I'd have zero specific concerns about well-aged horse manure as described in a vegetable garden, for me or my children.

bcomplex - Thanks for the advice. There is a box store shouting distance from my house, maybe I will check out the make-up of black kow. I don't have a truck just a big SUV. I've hauled stuff before by laying a big tarp in the back. I was trying not to buy stuff if I could find it elsewhere and knew exactly what I was getting (from the farmer). Wish I had started this in the fall. Oh well, next year. Kimmsr - You said "What do you expect adding this manure would do for your soil that what you already have done has not? " That is my exact question. I don't know. That is why I listed what I had already put in the beds, so that some of the wise folks here could say "go or no go". If you don't think aged horse manure will add to what I already have, let me know. (I'm sure if you had spoken that question to me rather than writing it, it wouldn't have sounded so harsh.)

Sara, I'm not far from Philly (in DELCO). If you don't mind, would you mind sending along the information regarding where you found that lovely stuff?! I'd love to get my hands on some Horse (or any other herbivore) manure, but the wife doesn't think that livestock would go over well here in suburbia! Any help would be appreciated. Thanks Sara. BTW, thanks to all who posted above. It would seem that some on here still don't understand the basics of how the decomposition and compost process actually works. While FRESH manure can be a problem in the garden, aged manure is a great BENEFIT! That manure is aged and now is the perfect time to add that (incorporated - tilled) into the top layer of the soil (especially before the ground has a chance to freeze - there was a hard frost in my area this morning). Manure is an excellent addition to any soil, because not only does it act as OM to help with water retention and drainage, it also acts as a slow release BALANCED fertilizer. Aged manure and composted manure from herbivores are some of the best amendments available to put into the garden. The only all-purpose material that I think would be better is vermicompost (worm poo). But don't worry, adding OM to your garden will attract more worms. ;^) Lloyd, you nailed the proper way to incorporate that material into the soil. (Stick around long enough, and you will end up a gardener!) Nice touch on the layer of leaves over the top of the tilled soil! (Note to Sara, be sure to moisten the leaves as you lay them on top - about 2 inches deep should be sufficient otherwise they will just blow away.)