| | |  | Gardening & Horticulture | Home » » » » The Humanure Handbook: A Guide to Composting Human Manure, Third Edition | | | | | | | Product Promotions: | | | | | Description: | | The 10th Anniversary Edition of the most comprehensive, up-to-date and thoroughly researched book on the topic of composting human manure available anywhere. It includes a review of the historical, cultural and environmental issues pertaining to "human waste," as well as an in depth look at the potential health risks related to humanure recycling, with clear instructions on how to eliminate those dangers in order to safely convert humanure into garden soil. Written by a humanure composter with over thirty years experience, this classic work now includes illustrated, step-by-step instructions on how to build a "$25 humanure toilet," a chapter on alternative graywater systems, photos of owner-built humanure toilets from around the world, and an overview of commercial composting toilets and systems. | | | Product Details: | | | Author:
| Joseph C. Jenkins | | Paperback:
| 256 pages | | Publisher:
| Joseph Jenkins, Inc. | | Publication Date:
| September 01, 2005 | | Language:
| English | | ISBN:
| 0964425831 | | Product Length:
| 9.24 inches | | Product Width:
| 6.34 inches | | Product Height:
| 0.66 inches | | Product Weight:
| 0.93 pounds | | Package Length:
| 8.9 inches | | Package Width:
| 6.0 inches | | Package Height:
| 0.6 inches | | Package Weight:
| 1.05 pounds | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 98 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 98 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
153 of 156 found the following review helpful:
K.I.S.S.Aug 06, 2005
By Beverley A. Sutton
"bevhealthnut"
To anyone who believes that once flushed the contents of the toilet are "safe" and "away", I recommend reading this book. To those more informed who are looking at an expensive commercial composting toilet ... I recommend reading this book before you make your decision. K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple Stupid!
Joe Jenkins offers an inspiring, humorous, well-researched and well-written book. He makes what should be a very obvious point ... flushed "away" or thrown "away" doesn't mean gone ... it merely means "someplace else", and worse ... someone else's problem.
We live in rural AZ where, as far as I am concerned, deliberate water wastage should be considered a crime. Defecating and urinating into our rapidly diminishing, precious water supply is the true definition of madness! It is time for the world to wake up and remember what Nature has always taught ... the function of all organic matter is to enrich and replenish the soil.
For those worried about contamination and their health ... I offer these words (coincidentally from another composting toilet book that, other than this quote, isn't worth the paper it's printed on!):
"Healthy humans excrete healthy E. coli (only some strains of this bacteria can make you ill) and other healthy bacteria. If you are healthy, and you compost your excrement, then you use this on food crops, you will not infect yourself with any diseases that you did not have before"
Regardless, a properly designed and maintained thermophilic compost pile, as per Jenkins' instructions, will reach temperatures in excess of 160 F (71 C) and this is proven to kill all known pathogens (disease causing organisms) in 24 hours. He recommends that the capped (i.e. no new additions) pile stands for at least a year before use, absolutely ensuring its safety.
I simply do not understand how people can blithely trust commercial manure (from cows and chickens known to carry the most dangerous forms of fecal organisms) and yet are afraid of their own humanure?
Yes ... at times the book is a little repetitive ... but perhaps like many teachers Joe knows that many people have to hear the facts several times before they truly listen and understand.
We've been living on our homestead for just over a year now ... and our first "Joe Jenkins Method" humanure compost pile is capped and waiting for us to harvest its bounty next spring. Using his method ensures there are NO odors, NO flies, NO problem with marauding animals, and best of all ... NO WASTED WATER!
THANK YOU JOE!
47 of 48 found the following review helpful:
This Book Improved Our Lives!Mar 11, 2003
By katlupe
This book improved our lives as soon as I finished it! Thank you Joe Jenkins! After living for four years with a well known brand of composting toilet, the sawdust toilet in this book has finally given us simple living. I read this book cover to cover the day I got it. My husband built it in one hour and we started using it. Simplicity at it's best! Everything in this book makes total sense. I only wish I'd bought this book four years ago when we first moved to our homestead. I highly recommend it-it should be required reading to live in this country!
59 of 62 found the following review helpful:
This book rocks. A Microbiologist forgot to mention:Mar 29, 2005
By Lieutenant Homunculus
Keep in mind that the author of this book composts his humanure with all of his other compost material. By properly placing the humanure material in the center of your larger compost pile you will eliminate any sort of pathogen disaster that A Microbiolgist warns of. Granted, his concerns are valid, but don't despair, composting humanure is easy and sawdust toilets are most excellent party favors.
25 of 25 found the following review helpful:
 A good, informative book.Dec 31, 1999
By W. Eppick
Jenkins book is very good from the standpoint of understanding what is possible. Whether or not you wish to be this up-front in the handling of human waste is another question. His most important contribution however, is his analytical approach to the composting process. He explodes some myths about mixing compost to make it work, and shows how to create good compost quickly. He readily admits that he repeats himself in the book. This is true. The essence of this 195 page book could have easily been done in 75 pages. A useful book, and one that will give you the courage to do your own composting, even if you don't compost human waste.
67 of 75 found the following review helpful:
Answers those childhood questionsAug 31, 2001
By Elayne Hoover
"ghiasword"
I remember when I was 6 years old and first learned that manure = poop = fertilizer. I wondered why wild-animal poop was good for plants but people poop had to be flushed. It never made sense to me.
When I first saw this book, I thought it was a joke and I didn't even crack the cover to see what it was about. However, recently I decided to take up organic gardening and I ran across the Humanure concept again. This time, it was clear that the book is not a joke. It is serious! But it is also tremendously exciting. Now, whenever someone says the word "compost" to me, grin and my eyes light up. I can't wait to build my own sawdust toilet and finally add my own poop to nature's cycle, the way I've wanted to since I was 6 years old!
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