Photo: Hestemoj

We gardeners are well aware of the value of manure in enriching the soil. But did you know that there is a festival entirely dedicated to poop? Yes siree, it’s the North American Manure Expo, which takes place in Chambersberg, PA on July 15.

Despite my immature smirking, manure is very serious business, because in addition to boosting soil nutrients, it can also be a major threat to waterways by overloading them with nutrients and producing what are known as “dead zones.”

The show brings together government, scientists, intensive livestock producers, manure applicators and the companies that manufacture the equipment used to store it, stir it, and spread it all around.

OK let’s get back to the smirking. This festival does not take itself too seriously, thank goodness. In fact, organizers are holding a contest, open to the public, to choose a slogan for this year’s expo. Among the entries submitted so far:

• Manure Expo: where nobody stands behind their product
• You provide the creek, we provide the paddle
• We do doo. Do you?

The contest closes on May 15.

There’s a lot going on in the world of manure. With so much of it to deal with, the agriculture industry is always looking for new ways to use it productively and dispose of it safely. The show will feature demonstrations of new pumps, recycling methods, and technology to remove nutrients such as phosphorus that causes algae blooms in fresh water.

The first Manure Expo was held in Wisconsin in 2001, and it seems to have gotten bigger every year. If I were in the Chambersberg area, I would go.