HolyShit:ManagingManuretoSaveMankind

Inhisinsightfulnewbook,HolyShit:ManagingManuretoSaveMankind,contraryfarmerGeneLogsdonprovidestheinsidestoryofmanure-ourgreatest,yetmostmisunderstood,naturalresource.Hebeginsbylamentingamodernsocietythatnotonlythrowsawaybothanimalandhumanmanure-worthbillionsofdollarsinfertilizervalue-butthatspendsastaggeringamountofmoneytodoso.Thiswastefulnessmakesevenlesssenseasthesupplyofminedorchemicallysynthesizedfertilizersdwindlesandtheircostskyrockets.Infact,heargues,ifwedonotlearnhowtoturnourmanuresintofertilizertokeepfoodproductioninlinewithincreasingpopulation,ourcivilization,likesomanythatwentbeforeit,willinevitablydecline.Withhistrademarkhumor,hisyearsofexperiencewritingaboutbothfarmingandwastemanagement,andhisuncannyeyeforthesmallbutimportantdetails,Logsdonartfullydescribeshowtomanagefarmmanure,petmanureandhumanmanuretomakefertilizerandhumus.Hecoversthefield,sotospeak,discussingtopicslike:HowtoselecttherightpitchforkforthejobanduseitcorrectlyHowtooperateasmallmanurespreaderHowtobuildabarnmanurepackwithfarmanimalmanureHowtocompostcatanddogwasteHowtorecycletoiletwaterforirrigationpurposes,andHowtogetridourselvesofourirrationalparanoiaaboutfecesandurine.GeneLogsdondoesnotmincewords.Thisfresh,fascinatingandentertaininglookatanearthy,butabsolutelycrucialsubject,isasmallgemandisdestinedtobecomeaclassicofouragriculturalliterature.