So, everyone that saw the Knittinonthefly Pod Cast heard Katie call us "self proclaimed repurposers". And we are. I come from a very long line of Repurposers. After all, ya'll saw that wastepaper basket my Great, Great Grandmother made from the egg crates, didn't you??? Yup, that is the picture again on the left. Mom says something, that I always think of when I am giving something. She says that when she is giving something away to someone that, that doesn't mean it's final home is with that person. If that person doesn't have a need for the item, they are welcome to give it to someone else that does. Mom says that Every Item has a journey in this life and when it comes to our house it is our job to help it find it's way to were it is most needed.
So what does that mean? Well, it means that if you get something from me or my family it is yours to do with as you see fit. If you want it, keep it. If you don't, then give it where it is needed. If you think something isn't your taste give it to someone it is better suited too. Does it offend us? No way ... We are not perfect and can't know everything about everyone all the time. We try to get the perfect gift just like everyone else does but if we fail? It is our Fail. No big thing to us. We just learn something about that person and move on. Most times Mom tries to give what she calls disappearing gifts. NO, not the kind people have to give away ... LOL ... Mom is very much into giving food baskets. LIke for a Weddings and anniverary she puts together a date night basket. Cheese, crackers, maybe a movie and sometimes even a bottle of wine. For kids ... It is a junk food basket. Complete with their favorite pop or drink mix, chips, cookies and sometimes even a movie or craft kit. And at Bowling she doesn't even bother with the basket part. Even though Mom isn't much of a drinker she just buys the ladies what ever their favorite liquor is at the liquor store. (Just so you know I had to look up the spelling of the word Liquor ... It doesn't come up much in our house ... LOL).
So does that mean that we give away things that are given to us, too? Well, to be honest sometimes yes. Mom is very upfront with people when a gift is something that she can't use. For example, Mom gets perfumes and body washes from her co-workers and as many of you know I am allergic to alot of things. One of which is perfume. When that happens she just tells them "Thank you so much for the thought but I am sorry I can't use a _____________ Because (insert an explaination). Can I exchange it for a (insert something like a hug or a lunch date) If you would like it back to give to someone else or use yourself it wouldn't offend me or I could give it to someone I know of in need. If you don't mind" You would be surprised at the number of people who are not offended at all. Yes, from time to time it upsets people to thank them for a gift and then tell them you can't use it but Mom would rather be honest then end up with a bunch of stuff at our house that we can't use but we can't get rid of because it was a gift.
But to tell you the truth we don't feel repurposing is just for gifts. There are alot of other things we repurpose too. Household things like these two items...
So what does that mean? Well, it means that if you get something from me or my family it is yours to do with as you see fit. If you want it, keep it. If you don't, then give it where it is needed. If you think something isn't your taste give it to someone it is better suited too. Does it offend us? No way ... We are not perfect and can't know everything about everyone all the time. We try to get the perfect gift just like everyone else does but if we fail? It is our Fail. No big thing to us. We just learn something about that person and move on. Most times Mom tries to give what she calls disappearing gifts. NO, not the kind people have to give away ... LOL ... Mom is very much into giving food baskets. LIke for a Weddings and anniverary she puts together a date night basket. Cheese, crackers, maybe a movie and sometimes even a bottle of wine. For kids ... It is a junk food basket. Complete with their favorite pop or drink mix, chips, cookies and sometimes even a movie or craft kit. And at Bowling she doesn't even bother with the basket part. Even though Mom isn't much of a drinker she just buys the ladies what ever their favorite liquor is at the liquor store. (Just so you know I had to look up the spelling of the word Liquor ... It doesn't come up much in our house ... LOL).
So does that mean that we give away things that are given to us, too? Well, to be honest sometimes yes. Mom is very upfront with people when a gift is something that she can't use. For example, Mom gets perfumes and body washes from her co-workers and as many of you know I am allergic to alot of things. One of which is perfume. When that happens she just tells them "Thank you so much for the thought but I am sorry I can't use a _____________ Because (insert an explaination). Can I exchange it for a (insert something like a hug or a lunch date) If you would like it back to give to someone else or use yourself it wouldn't offend me or I could give it to someone I know of in need. If you don't mind" You would be surprised at the number of people who are not offended at all. Yes, from time to time it upsets people to thank them for a gift and then tell them you can't use it but Mom would rather be honest then end up with a bunch of stuff at our house that we can't use but we can't get rid of because it was a gift.
But to tell you the truth we don't feel repurposing is just for gifts. There are alot of other things we repurpose too. Household things like these two items...
You see a coffee can and a laundry soap tub. I see a gallon feed scoop and a feed bucket. That isn't the only thing a coffee can, can be used for. Remember the Electrical problems at the barn. Check this out ...
This coffee can with it's lid became weather proofing for the extention cords to get the heat to the calves in the barn.
Turned it over and weighted it with a couple of Bricks and there you have it. So what else do we repurpose on the farm? For starters barrels ... All shapes and sizes and they can be so many things....
Water troths for small livestock. The hoods keep wild birds from pooping in the water and spreading Coccidious to our livestock.
Cut one in half and Add two scrap pieces of 2X4 for legs and you get Feeders
Cut an opening and add some straw and you have a Dog houses
Cut a barrel into rings and you have plenty of tree rings to mark sapling trees so they don't get run over by farm equipment or the lawn mower. Okay, so yes, there are a ton of ways to repurpose Barrels but check this out ...
Yup, that is the foot warmer from under your desk at work but to us that is a baby warmer. Or what about this?
You know these totes they are the ones most of us use to keep yarn or fiber stash in ... Not here ... That is a chicken carrier. Here another one ...
This is a tub that cattle feed comes in. After the feed is gone it becames many thing around here... they are portable water troths. Or you can put them on pallets and they become compost transporters. You can even cut them down and make portable duck ponds out of them.... Not to mention the various planters you can make out of them. OH WAIT! Here is one you will love...
What are those calves drinking out of?? Yup, it is an old bathtub from when one of Dad's friends remodeled their house.
So are we extreme? Not at all... but let me point out that a real water troth costs about $80.00 and we need troths in every stall and pen we have. That comes to 8 water troths... That is $640.00 in water troths alone. The items we repurposed to use as troths??? FREE!!!
Bird boxes run about $25.00 each. those totes we use to move chickens are about $5.00 each at your local discount store. And the scoops and buckets?? Well, since Mom drinks the coffee the cans are free but a real scoop is $10.00 and Laundry soap is always in use here on the farm but real feed buckets are about $15.00 each. Not to mention that feed buckets and scoops have to be replaced because of things like getting overloaded with goats and sheep while trying to feed, happens often. LOL.
Do I think it is weird? Nope it just makes sense... So what have you repurposed to save money??
So are we extreme? Not at all... but let me point out that a real water troth costs about $80.00 and we need troths in every stall and pen we have. That comes to 8 water troths... That is $640.00 in water troths alone. The items we repurposed to use as troths??? FREE!!!
Bird boxes run about $25.00 each. those totes we use to move chickens are about $5.00 each at your local discount store. And the scoops and buckets?? Well, since Mom drinks the coffee the cans are free but a real scoop is $10.00 and Laundry soap is always in use here on the farm but real feed buckets are about $15.00 each. Not to mention that feed buckets and scoops have to be replaced because of things like getting overloaded with goats and sheep while trying to feed, happens often. LOL.
Do I think it is weird? Nope it just makes sense... So what have you repurposed to save money??
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