I've been trying to find a donkey or burro or mule for about a year now... Used to be, you'd find folks giving them away, but not now...

Donkeys are selling for $1k - $4k now, Pffft! Folks must be thinking of them as "alternative transportation."

I really need a little "manure factory" for my Victory Garden, LOL.

Meanwhile, until that happens, I'll be visiting my neighbor down the road to shovel out their barn for composting & pick meadow muffins out of their pastures for immediate use.

Goat berries tend to scatter out; chicken takes a while to build up; pig manure has to be composted for over a year...

A llama as a livestock guardian may be the best choice; llamas always put their poop in the same place each day, usually next to a gate. It doesn't burn plants, so that may be an option...

The cost of fuel for that manure factory has gone through the roof - they DEFINITELY do not want us owning animals... it makes us independant.

3 years ago, a 3 string (approx 100lb) bale of orchard grass, was $21... now, $32...

My 1100 horse goes through 55 of those in 6 months.

He produces about 30lb of manure a day. (that all goes into the veg plot to be ploughed under).

He also needs his feet trimming ever 5 weeks - $60

The vet calls 2 times a year for his shots and check his teeth - $500 a year.

You will feed 2 - 3 times and shovel poop every. single. day. No matter what the weather is, or, what your plans are.

Livestock of any variety are a big responsibility, are time consuming, and expensive. But, you will love having them and, once you do, you will not be able to imagine not having them.

I visited a cow milk farm years back on a sales call & don’t know a ton about farming, but he had about 50 yards long and about 10 yards wide & about 5’ high of compost that he said he could sell for $100,000. 😳. His guys were patching holes from a hail storm which is why we were talking about it.