Anyone who has driven in recent days along the road toward Kruszyn, Tomaszów Bolesławiecki or Kraśnik may have noticed tractors and trailers working in the fields. As one farmer explained to us, this is a normal, annual process—the spreading of manure.
What is manure, and why is it used?
Manure is a natural fertilizer made from a mixture of livestock waste (such as that of cows, pigs or horses) and straw. It is one of the most valuable fertilizers used in agriculture because it:
- improves soil fertility,
- provides plants with essential nutrients,
- increases the humus content,
- supports natural biological processes in the soil.
In short, manure is to soil what compost is to a garden, only on a larger scale.
Why now, and why does it “smell like that”?
Autumn is one of the periods when farmers most often fertilize their fields. The timing depends on the type of soil, crops and weather conditions. Unfortunately, the smell is a natural part of the process—especially for 1–3 days after the manure is spread. It then disappears because the manure is plowed under and absorbed into the soil.
The farmer we spoke with emphasized: – For us, this is normal work. I know the smell may bother people, but thanks to this, the soil later produces good yields. It is simply part of the cycle.
The smell we notice does not indicate a failure or an environmental problem. It simply means that farmers are preparing the fields for the next growing seasons—using natural methods, as people have done for generations.
Can anything be done about it? If we are indoors, we can close the windows and wait for the wind to change.