There is another way to make soil/fertilizer, that requires no poop, but it requires for you to have allot of iron and diggings(holes) atound your town. It uses boxes, worms, dug-up soil, and shredded vegetables.
Yes you can, but it consumes time to replenish the digged up soil and what ever tools you are using to dig them, if you have to dig that is( i mean if you forget to scoop with basket). Though I’m not sure if you can place the soil in the chests with a basket.