What have you repurposed while building ?

[Birdsong 82]

I keep baling twine from all my bales ( go through about 3-4 a week) Someone once said bailing twine makes any Homesteader MacGyver. And it’s so true. I love that you crochet slippers and such out of them. That is an awesome idea and I’d love to crochet when I actually have time. I have fixed many Goat and pig fences with it. Along with various other things I have used it for.

 

[Birdsong 82]

unfort


Unfortunately, dumps in our area of NC have signs all over the place (& staff that seems to always enforce it when I go) stating "No dumpster diving" & no removal of others' trash. Some of the things I've seen dumped would be EXCELLENT for reuse.

I recycle LOTS of things. This year - working on a yard fence of wood pallets, some free & some purchased. Hay string from both small square bales & round bales (different types of string & thickness), feed bags, re-use wire, plastic bottles. Sheets that had been donated to our spay/neuter clinic but were being thrown away - I brought 3 huge trash bags full (hubby MAD, but it's worked well for these apps, LOL). Here's current photos showing some of the things I've done recently.

Not all of it is finished - some put up "fast & dirty" to allow me to leave for a family death up in MT when the chicks still too small & going right thru the wire...

View attachment 1475230 View attachment 1475231 View attachment 1475232 View attachment 1475233 View attachment 1475234

I keep & use haystring A LOT. The pens below show where I've used a Boye plastic loom (walmart, michaels, amazon) and made "panels" that I then "stitched" onto the rabbit pens. Then before fully attaching, slide folded plastic feed bags under (started w/ cardboard - but humidity & rain made it moldy) for wind & rain protection. These are rabbit cages from TSC - 36x36x?tall.

View attachment 1475236 View attachment 1475237
This is the larger pen for the Orpingtons & bantamXs. I opened out the feed bags, cut it into equal strips (4 per bag - while watching a series on NetFlix during the hottest part of the day) and then "stitched" end to end w/ a rug needle and haystring (outside in the shad of a large tree not showing in the middle picture). Then "stitched" to the 2x4 fencing... The bantams can no longer go thru below, but the little buggers have figured out flying, so now we are catching them on an almost daily basis and putting them back in the pen...

View attachment 1475235 View attachment 1475242 View attachment 1475243

Have to get out side now - and will be building wood frames to put the 2x4 fencing on - panels that can be taken apart to be stored same sizes so can do rectangles w/ a roof to keep them from flying out...

Also make pony equipment & crochet usable in/outdoor slippers from the haystring

Edited to add - this thread blew up!!! I haven't finished checking out all the projects yet. Will do that tonite, tomorrow... & post other/better pics of some of our re-use projects.

You just need to find out if the man at the dump is interested in sports or something and get hubby to distract him while you grab. LOL

 

[Birdsong 82]

Yes I need to post some more pics too. I’ve re-purposed so much in the chicken coop and garden. I can’t believe how this thread blew up makes me feel like I might not be absolutely crazy after all. But all these ideas are so awesome the more I read the more I want to read

 

[Birdsong 82]

unfort


Unfortunately, dumps in our area of NC have signs all over the place (& staff that seems to always enforce it when I go) stating "No dumpster diving" & no removal of others' trash. Some of the things I've seen dumped would be EXCELLENT for reuse.

I recycle LOTS of things. This year - working on a yard fence of wood pallets, some free & some purchased. Hay string from both small square bales & round bales (different types of string & thickness), feed bags, re-use wire, plastic bottles. Sheets that had been donated to our spay/neuter clinic but were being thrown away - I brought 3 huge trash bags full (hubby MAD, but it's worked well for these apps, LOL). Here's current photos showing some of the things I've done recently.

Not all of it is finished - some put up "fast & dirty" to allow me to leave for a family death up in MT when the chicks still too small & going right thru the wire...

View attachment 1475230 View attachment 1475231 View attachment 1475232 View attachment 1475233 View attachment 1475234

I keep & use haystring A LOT. The pens below show where I've used a Boye plastic loom (walmart, michaels, amazon) and made "panels" that I then "stitched" onto the rabbit pens. Then before fully attaching, slide folded plastic feed bags under (started w/ cardboard - but humidity & rain made it moldy) for wind & rain protection. These are rabbit cages from TSC - 36x36x?tall.

View attachment 1475236 View attachment 1475237
This is the larger pen for the Orpingtons & bantamXs. I opened out the feed bags, cut it into equal strips (4 per bag - while watching a series on NetFlix during the hottest part of the day) and then "stitched" end to end w/ a rug needle and haystring (outside in the shad of a large tree not showing in the middle picture). Then "stitched" to the 2x4 fencing... The bantams can no longer go thru below, but the little buggers have figured out flying, so now we are catching them on an almost daily basis and putting them back in the pen...

View attachment 1475235 View attachment 1475242 View attachment 1475243

Have to get out side now - and will be building wood frames to put the 2x4 fencing on - panels that can be taken apart to be stored same sizes so can do rectangles w/ a roof to keep them from flying out...

Also make pony equipment & crochet usable in/outdoor slippers from the haystring

Edited to add - this thread blew up!!! I haven't finished checking out all the projects yet. Will do that tonite, tomorrow... & post other/better pics of some of our re-use projects.

It just me. Crocheting bailing twine perfect for making my goats coats this winter!!!! Thanks for the idea. Awesome

 

[Leaguinea]

I have re purposed calf hutches as guinea pens.
The one shown on the right is for a set and she is starting to act broody (might get some keets)

The hutch on the left contains last years hatch of 6 mixed sex.
They were a bit cramped in there so last week i used some scrap lumber I took from the dumpster at work and reused some welded wire and old 2x2 goat mesh I found on the farm and added an addition to the back of the hutch. I am not finished by any means but bit by bit i am giving them more room to live and play.

This picture shows the front view of the calf hutches and the doors that were made out of scraps. (also shows one of the free rangers up in the mow.

The hutches and pens are inside the barn because of the harsh winters we have and the amount of snowfall we get and the fact that the barn, although not airtight and insulated at least adds protection against the fierce elements.

 

[Birdsong 82]

I have re purposed calf hutches as guinea pens.
The one shown on the right is for a set and she is starting to act broody (might get some keets)
View attachment 1475322
The hutch on the left contains last years hatch of 6 mixed sex.
They were a bit cramped in there so last week i used some scrap lumber I took from the dumpster at work and reused some welded wire and old 2x2 goat mesh I found on the farm and added an addition to the back of the hutch. I am not finished by any means but bit by bit i am giving them more room to live and play.
View attachment 1475323

This picture shows the front view of the calf hutches and the doors that were made out of scraps. (also shows one of the free rangers up in the mow.
View attachment 1475324

The hutches and pens are inside the barn because of the harsh winters we have and the amount of snowfall we get and the fact that the barn, although not airtight and insulated at least adds protection against the fierce elements.

Nice barn! That’s huge! Those boxes you made are nice too. There’s so many things you could do with that box too.

 

[Pensmaster]

Very cool! What do you use for bait?

Last resort I had some chicken fat from my sons cooking that day. Store bought fat chickens. However any leftovers meat wise and with some success spent grain I get from the brewery in town. The spent grain is meant for chickens but a small amount in trap seems to work. Keep water in it for the draw. It does get to smelling so put in a place out of way. The spent grain works for raising meal worms as well. Trap will eventually draw flies not the meat bees, unless it’s kept fresh for the wasps.

 

[Birdsong 82]

The picture at the top which somehow showed up twice is in old Suet cake holder I found in the shed. Now it holds treats for the chickens. The second picture is a trellis I made out of bamboo that I scavenged from a friend who had scavenged from another friend yard. That’s double scavenging. I love it. The third picture is a trellis I made after cleaning up tree debris after a storm. I put an old ladder that was no longer safe to use on the inside of it for stability and tied it together with jute. The last picture is my greenhouse frame that are used as an arbor after the plastic broke off on it. I grew my pumpkins on it. The cool part about that is it has shelves on the inside. I found some old scrap fencing and zip tied it to the frame for the pumpkins to climb out. Now I’m Taking the two small in flimsy trellis that I can’t use in my garden and give it to the chickens to play on. I know all of those are in for the chickens but I figured it might spark some reuse ideas for others

 

[Birdsong 82]

Repurposing for goats. Top picture is an old recycling tub that was broken at the bottom. I put hay in there but Romeo fell asleep with his head in it. Lol. What a hog. The second picture was something I made out of scraps of wood we had left over. It was supposed to go under the big hayrack to catch the extra hay waste But it seems that Lucy and Romeo Had other plans for it

 

[Birdsong 82]

Last resort I had some chicken fat from my sons cooking that day. Store bought fat chickens. However any leftovers meat wise and with some success spent grain I get from the brewery in town. The spent grain is meant for chickens but a small amount in trap seems to work. Keep water in it for the draw. It does get to smelling so put in a place out of way. The spent grain works for raising meal worms as well. Trap will eventually draw flies not the meat bees, unless it’s kept fresh for the wasps.

Thanks! I already have several empty tubs somewhat like that. I’m on it!