Countryfile viewers ‘put off their dinner’ as farmer uses human poo to fertilise crops in revolting scenes
FANS of BBC’s regional show, Countryfile, were disgusted as a farmer used human poo as a fertilizer.
Viewers were ‘put off their dinner’ as host Adam Henson revealed he wanted to use human excrement on his farm as a way to get rid of the flea beetle.
Countryfile’s Adam Henson had viewers grossed out in the latest episode of the BBC series[/caption]Henson runs the Cotswolds Farm Park which he inherited from his dad and works to protect rare breeds of farm animal.
Flea beetles are a pesky bug which love attacking plants, especially vegetable crops, which is bad news for any farmer.
After a disappointing yield last year, Henson told Countryfile viewers he wanted to try something different to ensure the next crops are better.
He specifically was worried about the flea beetle’s affect on his rapeseed crops.
Henson revealed he had been using human poo as fertilizer on his crops[/caption]That’s when he revealed the unconventional method he’d used.
“We’ve taken another rather unusual step to outfox that flea beetle,” Henson said on the BBC show.
“With the soil, we’ve added sewage sludge, which is basically human manure.
“It’s quite pungent and smelly. As well as not being able to see the oilseed rape, they can’t see it either.
He revealed the flea beetle had damaged his rapeseed crop as he cupped some of the human fertiliser[/caption]“All they get is a smell of sewage sludge. And actually, the proof is in the pudding.
“These oilseed rape plants are really growing well, in fact, some of the best crops that I’ve seen on the farm for a while.”
Henson smiled as he cupped some of the fertiliser in his hands: “So I’m delighted!”
As some viewers wondered how he went about sourcing the human poo, the presenter explained he got it from the sewage works.
Many fans felt disgusted watching him handle the human excrement[/caption]“We buy that human sludge from the local sewage works, where they’ve cleaned and pasteurised it, to kill any harmful bacteria or viruses,” Henson said.
“Our livestock don’t produce enough manure to spread across all our fields so it’s a great low-cost alternative.
“But using human waste like this is sometimes seen as a hot topic.”
But viewers were ‘put off their dinner’ by the revelation.
Fans took to Twitter to say the scenes ‘put them off their dinner’[/caption]One Twitter user wrote: “Sorry putting human poo on soil is not a good idea.”
Another added: “Oh yes let’s all look at human poo quite pungent and smelly!!! Really then why are you rubbing it in your hands. Why have this on at tea time ffs.”
While a third said: “He’s playing with human manure while I’m eating my dinner.”
A soil expert warned Henson using human poo was very controversial and not just because of the smell[/caption]Most read in TV
During the segment, Henson visited Dr Rubern Sakrabani, a senior lecturer in soil chemistry at Cranfield University.
The doctor said aside from the “yuck factor” of using human poo as fertiliser, the smell would be a real problem.
He also said human manure was divisive because of “man-made contaminants what we use in our daily lives” that can end up in the manure.