Autumn is here and the days are getting shorter and although a long way off yet, there is something special about lighting a fire on a winters night. I have been giving a lot of thought into alternative fuel not only for the obvious environmental implications but also the financial benefits. I started to consider what I had available that could be transformed into a burnable material.
Charlie’s contribution
I have a lot of horse poop! So decided to try my hand at making burnable manure fire bricks.
I also liked the idea that Charlie is contributing to the household, every day, over and over and over again!
So, I armed myself with a pitch fork and barrow and decided to have a go.
The Recipe
Poop (tick)
Briquette maker (tick)
Covered area so they can dry (tick)
Patience (work in progress!).
The method
Take poop, fill mould, squish until compact, leave to dry for 3 weeks, burn!
Essential Ingredient – Charlie Poop
Take poop and fill mould
squish out excess poop water
remove compressed poop fire brick
Stack poop bricks and leave to dry
It took a couple of goes to get the right consistency, the first attempts collapsed when removed from the mould. I added water to the poop, mixed it in, and broke up the larger deposits, creating something similar to Weetabix before it turns to mush!.
It wasn’t a smelly business, I don’t find horse poop unpleasant (is that just me?). The bricks didn’t give off any foul odours either when drying, the smell evaporates as the manure drys out, or burning.
The Result
The fire lit well, I used a base of scrunched up paper and a little kindling. The brick burnt like coal, no flame but a slow smoulder. It gave off a really good amount of heat, more than wood alone and lasted a good two hours! I am marking this down as a great success!.
Twisted fire-starter
Basking in the glow of success
The gift that just keeps on giving..
As an added bonus, you can even use the poop water and the ashes as a fertiliser to spread over your veg patch!
So, the next time you go out poop picking in the field, I hope you look at each shovel load in a different light. Have a go, just think of the money you will be saving in fuel bills and you and your horse will be doing your bit for the environment…
Let me know how you get on.
Ingredients;
Manure – supplied by Charlie
Brick mould / Briquette Maker – supplied by Longacres garden center
Log burning stove / Open fire – supplied by my husband.
