shannie wrote:

A local farmer offered to drop me up a *little* cow manure last week. Came
home today and found an ENORMOUS heap of it in my lower field. My other half
reckons there's 3tonne of it! I have some questions that my seem daft but I
wasn't expecting quite so much and I can't seem to find the answers
elsewhere.

You lucky sod.. as long as he feeds his cows on ggood stuff that is..

1. I have two composters built with pallets, one in use and one waiting
empty for turning etc. Can I fill the empty one with manure and nothing else
or will I have to mix something with it , do I need to cover it or just
leave it open?

Yes but you'd be better to mix it with something else.. Wood chip (not
shavings) or even very strawy horse manure or shredded garden waste
would even it out ( and turn the 'other' material into compost)
2. If I can do this, how long before it becomes usable?
If you turn it.. coupla months tops.. If not, mebbe a year..
3. What am I going to do with the rest of it?? can I leave it where it is,
open to the elements and if so will it rot down and will it stay 'usable'
for a long time?

Tarp it.. if you can.. to prevent excess runoff... It'll be usable but
weeds and grass will gradually sow themselves during the year across the
top of it..
//
Jim