Saturday, August 6, 2011

Homestead Essentials Part 1

I would like to introduce you to an
essential piece of equipage for any
farm or homestead;
the proverbial "coffee can".

A container such as this,
is just right for hauling food to the chickens,
and then filling with gathered eggs for your trip
back to the house.

Even the smallest of child can understand
how to divide up one can-full of pellets
between 5 "wabbit" feeders.

Around here, all feed is measured and hauled
by the can.

1 cans/2 goats/1 day = 2 cans/day

I said "goats".

1 can/10 chickens/1 day = 2 cans /day
(an occasional guinea accounted for)

This particular piece of farm equipment
is becoming a rarity.

Some choose to go with plastic containers,
but on our farm,
we use cardboard
in a pinch.

 1/3 oatmeal container/7 bantams/day

With proper care and storage,
these essential pieces of farm equipment
can last many more years.

If left lying willy-nilly,
not only do you risk not having one
available when you need it,
but it can cause temporary blindness
in your animals.

So, be sure to store them out of reach of the animals
yet in plain sight of humans.
Storing them in this manner, may help prevent rust.

All cardboard containers should be stored out of the weather,
Spider webs are an indication of a dry area, good for storage.

Please stay tuned for more handy hints and tips
on how you can use things you already have,
in inventive new ways, to make your homestead
more self-sufficient;

such as fence posts doubling as claw sharpeners,

and your hatchback, as a goat playground.





Enjoy your weekend friends    :  ^)


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18 comments:

TexWisGirl said...

this was too cute! and sad about the metal coffee cans being 'antiques' now. i use the folgers plastic ones for bird seed scoops (at least they have good finger grips).

Clint said...

Good advice! A good invention might be a belt, specially designed to hold coffee cans. Kinda' like a gun belt. Hey, you never know when ya might have to make a quick draw.... :)

Gail said...

Loved this! We have the same elements, alas, ours are worn for in the spring with a scare of frost, they are also used to cover the early plants over night.

I have become a ice cream bucket user...for everything! I carry and feed and gather. I also use them for storage with the label written on outside with permanent marker.


Where would the farmer be without the coffe can? I, for one, would be totally lost.

Lisa @ Two Bears Farm said...

Love old coffee cans!

Donna said...

I used old coffee cans to transport feed for my cows. When I was a child, coffee cans were shorter and fatter, and made great containers for feeding dogs and cats. Back then, there was a "key" on the can that you removed and used to release the metal lid and open the can.

Kelly said...

I agree with you about the cans being so important. We actually order coffee from New Orleans (when we are able) and that comes in metal cans. Of course the coffee gets used first.;) I wonder if goats would eat coffee? Probably. Much Love. Love the goatee bottoms!

Liesl said...

Love your feed scoops! I bought swanky ones for the horses and they are always being pinched to feed the other animals!

Angela said...

It's a good thing I don't have farm animals because I wouldn't have the coffee cans to use to feed them with because we don't drink coffee! hehehe Love the last picture of the goats! They are nosier than real kids! lol

Have a Wonderful Day!
Angela

Shonya said...

So creative!!! :) I love the saying "necessity is the mother of invention" as we're always adapting to make things work around here! http://homestead-for-sale.blogspot.com/

Happier Than a Pig in Mud said...

It amazes me the way the goats get into everything! I have one or two of those essential tools around here too. Hope your pickles are coming along well:@)

Chatty Crone said...

Okay question - going blind was that for real or as a joke because he had his head in it?

Andy your chicken - thinks it's a goat!

Thanks for your tips!

Jennifer said...

Gotta love the coffee cans & oatmeal containers... they are so handy, I use both here on our little farm too :) I just love your goats, they are soooo stinkin cute!

Sonya Heilmann said...

Old coffee cans are so handy!

Annette said...

I use steel cut oatmeal cans -- same size and material as coffee cans. They are perfect for chicken scratch too. What kind of goat grain do you use? It looks yummy.

Randy said...

That last photo is priceless. I would love to have a couple of these cuties.

Sheeps and Peeps Farm said...

love those crazy, little goats!

missing moments said...

Great tips ... love that scratching post but those goats take the prize!

Brenda said...

The goats are so cute!! Was there a bag of food in the back? To funny.