To update this thread, the manure tea showed a lot of promise. I watered one tray of Fox Farm seed starting mix with the tea, and another with water. Both trays had 100% germination, but the one watered with tea germinated and grew faster. It was on its second set of leaves when the other seedlings still had just two. The difference was very noticeable.
The bucket of tea is still bubbling away in my kitchen. I now have a rooted cutting in it, a house plant called Wandering Jew. It's doing fine, but considering its previous home all summer has been one of my cat's outdoor water dishes, I don't think it's that picky.
It seems to be a consensus view that the tea is best only after a short brewing. You're supposed to make frequent new batches. I don't really understand that, though. I wonder if I could keep a constant brew going if I grew a live plant in it. That would live the bacterial/fungal organisms a constant source of food and a place to live.
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