Homemade V.S. Store Bought

[I am the Walrus]

Ever have a problem marking your swine or livestock for identification for sales or inventory purposes?
Farms supply stores sell non toxic jumbo marking crayons. All sorts of colors.
When we are separating stock or someone desires a particular piglet(s), we mark the pig with the crayon that eventually wears off. We stopped ear tagging awhile ago when some of the meaner pigs would rip them out and damage our stock creating the need for medical attention.

Have you ever tried to reach over to a mark a pig that is skittish? Good luck. They have eyes in the back of their heads. And are fast as lightning.
So when Joe says I want that one, I use my homemade crayon extension.

Materials,
Retired US flag mast, old salvage pvc pipe.

Throw a little feed in the pen, sneak the 6 ft pole over Joe's selection, and there is your target. Get the orange marked pig into the shute.
Also pre mark other colors for pigs not being offered in a flash.
Effective low cost improvement on an existing material at little or no cost.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Ever have a problem marking your swine or livestock for identification for sales or inventory purposes?
Farms supply stores sell non toxic jumbo marking crayons. All sorts of colors.
When we are separating stock or someone desires a particular piglet(s), we mark the pig with the crayon that eventually wears off. We stopped ear tagging awhile ago when some of the meaner pigs would rip them out and damage our stock creating the need for medical attention.

Have you ever tried to reach over to a mark a pig that is skittish? Good luck. They have eyes in the back of their heads. And are fast as lightning.
So when Joe says I want that one, I use my homemade crayon extension.

Materials,
Retired US flag mast, old salvage pvc pipe.
View attachment 1399920 View attachment 1399918
View attachment 1399919
Throw a little feed in the pen, sneak the 6 ft pole over Joe's selection, and there is your target. Get the orange marked pig into the shute.
Also pre mark other colors for pigs not being offered in a flash.
Effective low cost improvement on an existing material at little or no cost.

Handy Andy has found my thread. Take it slowly cowboy!

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Then my crazy wife narrowly runs me over with the lawn tractor because I'm blinded and walking into her path.

Gotta watch where yer walking Popeye. I have a tight schedule to keep.

 

[cavemanrich]

Have you ever had rain coming down for 8 days straight?
Have you ever had your boar drag his feed bowls out into the quicksand created by inches upon inches of relentless rain? Then this one is for you.
Yesterday evening I was weed wacking without glasses on like a fool. Was too lazy to go get them. Lord and behold! Projectile into my left eye. I drop the Wacker holding my eyelid pulled outward in hopes of my eye watering and self washing out the whatever that hit me. Then my crazy wife narrowingly runs me over with the lawn tractor because I'm blinded and walking into her path. Spent an hour or so washing my eye out.
The reason for this story is that the adventure set me back on the feeding schedule. I was feeding swine in the dark now. And in the rain with one eye.
I have a breeder boar separated from his mate in a temporary pen. The pen is flooded from the rains and I can't reach the feed bowls.View attachment 1399779
I'm not walking into quicksand in the rain with a boar with one eye closed.
So I went to the barn, grabbed a ten foot 1x2 and drilled a hole in the end and threaded a bent over utility hook into the pilot hole. Strapped scrap wood to it with a hose clamp to keep it from splitting if under prying pressure. Cable tied a cheap flash light. View attachment 1399784 View attachment 1399781 View attachment 1399783 View attachment 1399782 View attachment 1399780
So in the wet dark I was able to snatch out the feed bowls in seconds with my new illuminated snatching stick.
I can also wack the wifey over the head if she ever trys to mow over me as well.
Not to hard. I don't want to hurt my new bowl snatcher.

Necessity is THE MOTHER OF INVENTION...

Depending on who you ask, you might be considered a hoarder or a repurpose advocate.
I might be a little of both. I do throw away a lot of unuseful things, but there are a lot of things that can be reused so many times. Being a farmer you have to deal with flies on a day-in and day-out basis. Buying expensive fly traps is a vicious cycle. If you elect to purchase the fly traps once they are used up you have to buy more bait or you can find bait located around your farm and Save your money or more important things.
These are handy, don't throw them out!View attachment 1399873
The refill bait is almost as expensive as a new trap. Crazy!
Buy it once. And that's it. Wash it out, fill it up with protein and water and reuse over and over. I think this one is 5 yrs old. I have made them from coke bottles but they don't last very long. They breakdown too fast in the sunshine. I have been reusing these with almost zero expenses except for the price of bb's to dispatch the bait.
.View attachment 1399871
Add a few of these stinky guys and place the trap far from your beating path.
View attachment 1399872
Clean out and reset them weekly. If you are in good relations with your neighbor, I suggest not hanging close to their property line. If you are on the rocks with your neighbor, a perfect location to attract those pesky flies.

In my homemade flytraps, I use cat food or dog food as bait. Takes a lil longer to kick in, but does. I also save some of the fly juice as I dump the contents of a filled fly trap. It works instantly.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Necessity is THE MOTHER OF INVENTION...


In my homemade flytraps, I use cat food or dog food as bait. Takes a lil longer to kick in, but does. I also save some of the fly juice as I dump the contents of a filled fly trap. It works instantly.

cyclops has found his favorite thing. He is a major McGyver. Born with a screw driver in in hand. Ironic having a loose screw as well..

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

My SO made this for our living room

We used plywood and i stained it a dark maple. We didnt want the particle board stuff the store has because it wouldnt hold up over time. My sister got one from ikea and i just have to smile knowing mine will last longer than it will

 

[I am the Walrus]

Your toilet paper tubes or your paper towel tubes, do not throw them in the garbage!

Perfect fuel for starting bbq charcoal or wood in a chimney starter.

Project re use is about to begin. Discovered a giant hole in my friend last night.

Bummer. I have to fashion some steel into the bottom of my barrel cooker. The rest of the cooker is in great shape. I have some scraps around here somewhere I can mold and shape to fit. I would rather spend my money on steaks than a new cooker.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Your toilet paper tubes or your paper towel tubes, do not throw them in the garbage!
View attachment 1401941 View attachment 1401940 View attachment 1401939
Perfect fuel for starting bbq charcoal or wood in a chimney starter.

Project re use is about to begin. Discovered a giant hole in my friend last night.View attachment 1401934 View attachment 1401936 Bummer. I have to fashion some steel into the bottom of my barrel cooker. The rest of the cooker is in great shape. I have some scraps around here somewhere I can mold and shape to fit. I would rather spend my money on steaks than a new cooker.View attachment 1401937

Were having steak? yum..

 

[I am the Walrus]

Were having steak? yum..

Goat steaks

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Goat steaks