All the things that can come out of the stable

Have you ever asked yourself how farmers get rid of all the cow manure their cows produce or what can be done with all that waste? Sure everyone says, knowing that the slurry can be used as fertiliser on the fields and also for the production of bio-gas. But, there are more offbeat ideas than the run-of-the-mill use. Two ingenious dairy farmers from the US use their manure to produce environmentally friendly and 100% biodegradable flower pots, the so-called  “CowPots”.

You may now ask yourself: “Don’t these pots disintegrate when you water your flowers?” The same thought has occurred to the two as well. Therefore, they have devised a method to prevent that from happening.

Both have owned a so-called methane fermenter for several years now. The methane gas is  removed from the raw manure and the liquid is separated from the solid substances. The remaining material is used as the base for the CowPots. The material is mixed with fertiliser fibers and finally dried in a tabletop kiln.

This simple manufacturing method enables the quick and inexpensive production of these flower pots. Repotting also becomes unnecessary because the flower pots dissolve in the ground within 3 to 4 weeks. Hence, saving on fertilisation and work effort.

Along with the CowPots, many other funny ideas can be found about things farmers take out of their stables.

One special type of product is marketed by Daniela Dorrer in her onlineshop: Barn air in the can. The mix of animal, feed and other odours, characteristic for a stable are bundled on a little piece of fabric. So, if you crave a whiff of fresh barn air, you can obtain it online for 6,- € .

Do you have any intriguing marketing ideas? Or have you ever bought any such product? Then let us know and share your experience with us. We look forward to your comments.