Farms grow good sense, too...

Here's one you've probably heard:
"Use it up, wear it out,
make it do, or do without."

Probably depression era, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was BC vintage.

Where ever it came from, the idea behind it is as sound today as in the beginning. On a farm, one is freqently forced to improvise. You use what's at hand, for two reasons: 1) you are a long way from the neighborhood hardware/farm store, and 2) who wants to spend money when you can revel in brain power?!

This latch, on the farm when we moved in, is a wonderful example.






























It has served as the gate latch for chickens, and now the goat kids. I chuckle everytime I use it, and that's another thing - the joy that improvisation can give you, that self-satisfaction of making something do.

Today's project was coming up with a way to keep the salt and mineral mix for the goat kids from ending up on the floor. The small dog crate cups are a great size for two young kids, but typical of their species, the girls are into pawing at, climbing into and otherwise playing with anything new in their pen. The light weight cups were no match for their combined efforts, they were always on the floor, with contents scattered. We are frugal with our feed supplements, so this was an aggravating situation. After several tries at different hanging places, something more substantial was in order.
Recruiting Than, he and I spent some time in the barn workshop, and came up with a pretty nifty holder. With the aid of bolt-cutters (which were overkill for the job) we snipped out a section of used wire fence panel that was set aside for such projects (no self-respecting farmer throws anything away...), and with a little bending and some judicious use of Farmer's Right Hand AKA duct tape on any little sharp places, we secured the cups in a portable hanger.

Than is learning good thinking, reasoning, planning and executing skills. His dad is Mr. Fixit around the farm and the boys are getting some great coaching at repairing, creating, and improvising.

Some things that are a necessity to raise on a farm.

We consider them lifeskills.