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livingontheland - Re: [Livingontheland] Small-lot silage

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  • From: Elizabeth B. <spacecitydx@webtv.net>
  • To: livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] Small-lot silage
  • Date: Mon, 29 Mar 2010 21:00:59 GMT

I might be able to help shed some light here for you Harvey. I use a chipper/ shredder for dry fodder and when making wood chips and mulch. I have two sets of blades; one for wood and the other for food stuffs. Be sure to wash the blades between different crops. I use free burlap bags from the feed store but lately, they're charging me $1 per bag. Anyway, I use these bags to store sunflower and pumpkin seeds, dry fodder, wood chips and mulch as well as beet pulp. I make my own sugar from the beets and then dehydrate the remaining pulp. I fold the ends of the burlap over and do a quick running stitch by hand, along the fold to the bag. Gathering and bundling will pull apart with content shifts after a while. I use magic marker on old white sheets as name tags and plastic bags just get written on.

Inside my barn, I have 4x4 cattle panels on the sides, top and bottom. The back only has screening and hardware cloth because it goes up against the wall. I began my storage bins by cutting scrap 2x4's to make 1x1's and used these for a simple box frame. I then took rolls of free aluminum screening that I came by and wrapped this around the 1x1 frame along the bottom, back and sides. I then took cattle panels and cut each in half, evenly across the center, to make my three-sided storage bin with a closing top. Over the cut cattle panels I put 1/2 inch hardware cloth, the first went on normally and the second was put on the other the side, off-set, to the first hardware cloth making it all the more difficult for rodents to gain access. You're making 1/4 inch openings this way. I did use plastic ties to held the contraption together before I using the fence staples. Three small hinges and a couple of twist locks is all I have for the top.

I use everyday, unscented, bathroom and kitchen trash bags for green fodder such as corn, pea and bean vines. I've been buying food grade plastic drums but these are getting hard to find with many opting to use those 25 gallon resealable plastic food bags. I actually use a paper cutter to cut with because my hands won't handle a knife as they once did. The paper cutter is my version of a "guillotine."

BTW Harvey, are you growing your own living privacy fences for your chicken's edibles? If so, how do you like it?

Eizabeth



  • Re: [Livingontheland] Small-lot silage, Elizabeth B ., 03/29/2010

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