Otter River Black Gold cow manure compost is a fully composted, organic soil amendment made from real cow manure — not raw manure, and not a synthetic fertilizer. It improves soil structure, feeds beneficial microbes, and adds real nutrients back into your garden, beds, and lawn. We carry it two ways: a classic blend for general use, and a version blended with peat moss for extra moisture retention. Both are lab-tested and made without PFAS/PFOA.
What Makes This Compost Different
• Fully composted, not raw. Both blends are finished compost, safe to work directly into soil around plants — no "cooking down" required on your end.
• Lab-tested nutrient content, batch by batch. We don't just call it good compost — both the classic blend and the peat moss blend have their own Penn State Extension lab analyses backing up nutrient content, pH, and organic matter, and every bag carries a QR code linking to that batch's results.
• PFAS/PFOA-free. Tested clean, which matters more every year as more gardeners screen compost sources for this specifically.
• Made for real Mid-Atlantic soil and seasons — not a mass-market bag off a big-box shelf.
Two Ways to Buy: Classic Compost vs. Peat Moss Blend
Both start from the same composted cow manure base. The difference is what's blended in, and what that changes for your soil.
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Organic Cow Manure Compost
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Cow Manure Compost with Peat Moss
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What's blended in
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Composted cow manure, aged forest products, organic high-carbon wood ash
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Composted cow manure, peat moss
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Texture
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Standard compost texture
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Lighter, fluffier — easier to work by hand
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Moisture retention
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Good, standard for finished compost
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Higher — peat moss holds several times its weight in water
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Soil pH effect
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Slightly alkaline (lab-tested pH 8.0) — good for soil/plants that don't love acidic conditions
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Slightly acidic (lab-tested pH 6.8) — a plus for acid-loving plants
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Soluble salts
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4.72 mmhos/cm (moderate)
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3.33 mmhos/cm (moderate, on the lower side)
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Carbon:Nitrogen ratio
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29:1 (mature, stable compost)
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34:1 (mature, stable compost)
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Best for
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All-purpose feeding and soil conditioning, especially naturally acidic soil — vegetable beds, flower beds, lawns, new plantings
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Sandy/fast-draining soil, hydrangeas/azaleas/blueberries, lawn overseeding prep
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Which One Should You Choose?
• Want a straightforward, all-purpose soil amendment, or have soil that's naturally on the acidic side? Start with our Organic Cow Manure Compost (lab-tested pH 8.0, slightly alkaline).
• Have sandy or fast-draining soil, or growing acid-loving plants like hydrangeas, azaleas, or blueberries? Reach for the Cow Manure Compost with Peat Moss (lab-tested pH 6.8, slightly acidic).
• Not sure? The peat moss blend is the safer default for beds that dry out fast between waterings or that need a lower pH; the classic blend is the safer default for general-purpose feeding or if your soil already runs acidic.
