Frozen solid - jobs for the weekend?

[Jimbo]

After breaking through the top inch of frozen soil this weekend, I managed to dig a trench for beans in the Spring.  After a trip to the Cardiff Riding School for a car boot-load of free horse manure, I filled my trench full, and stood back to admire my work, the steam rising up into the crisp Winter air.  Spookily awesome.

I have been reading a lot about manure recently (!), and was wondering how rotted is 'well-rotted' (I notice that the rotted variety is much better, and doesn't 'burn' like the fresh stuff).  Say, for example, I was to cover half-a ton of horse-manure / stable straw / sawdust with a tarp, how long should I have to wait before it 'matures'?

Strange question, I know, but I don't want to do more damage than good with what I have to work with, which is a very heavy clay soil, and I desperately need to add some texture to it.

[Jimbo]

[colleenemp]

Ahhhh...clay. Leaf mould is your friend for helping texture!
Get a load of leaves put them in bin bags, poke a few holes wet them with a hose, then ignore...there are some good pictures of the results somewhere on this site! Won't add much nutrients, but great for texture etc.

[Jimbo]

Thanks, Colleenemp.  And it's the right time of year to collect leaves!