Originally Posted by Peter_in_Hungary

Flies don't like blue, which is why many old dairies were lime-washed with blue to keep out the flies.

Originally Posted by Peter_in_Hungary

More or less thats what happens. The old fashioned way of building them was to support the sides with wood and when the contents was within about 30 cm from the top you moved the wooden shed from the top and recycled it to the new position. The existing hole was filled (top 30cm) with earth dug from the new loo and a fruit tree of your choice planted on the place of the old loo. The wooden underground side supports rotted away and allowed the roots to grow as needed. It generally takes years to fill as there is no water used and the solids compost down over time reducing in volume. To use properly there should be a bucket of ash inside so that the days fresh deposit can be sprinkled with ash to keep both smells and flies at bay. In addition to that if the inside of the shed is lime-washed annually and some copper sulphate (get some from your local vineyard owner) is added to give a pale blue colour this will also help deter flies. Flies don't like blue, which is why many old dairies were lime-washed with blue to keep out the flies.

Originally Posted by fidobsa

My place still has the old earth closet type loo in addition to the normal indoor one. Mine is brick built and there is a concrete lined pit behind it which looks like it once had a wooden lid. I suppose this had to be emptied periodically.

Originally Posted by windyridge1

This is all interesting reading....thank you. If its an option I think I would like to try reed beds...

Originally Posted by Peter_in_Hungary

Reed beds can have a problem in Hungary, they need to be large enough to work in the cold of the winter when bacterial activity slows down and the lack of rain can mean that the winter size is unsupportable by the inflow water during the summer so the reeds die out. If there is a high enough water table and natural reeds then they can be OK but if they are artificial then problems can arise. Another point is that the authorities don't like them so permission can be a problem.

PS If the property has access to mains drains then you will have no choice but to connect.

Originally Posted by windyridge1

This is all interesting reading....thank you. If its an option I think I would like to try reed beds...

Rural Hungary - anything else eco friendly that you do that? Is it expensive over there for this to set up?

Originally Posted by windyridge1

We have, away from the forum received some quite negative feedback about Hungary from someone who travels there regarding ruthless/over zealous policing (parking tickets etc), being pestered by locals when they see foreign number plates etc but thats one person's opinion .....

Getting excited now...