Do It Yourself

With winter coming on, you still have time for some Do It Yourself Projects. Most wont take more than afternoon. I’m sure you have been planning to do some of these ideas already, just need that swift kick in the butt to get at it.

A rain catchment system , you can start with any size containers you want. but 55 gallon barrels seem to be a natural. You can buy these at many stores, like home depot and the like, set them up in a series, cutting a hole and adding a plastic pipe to connect to the next barrel with overflow at the top of the barrels. Be sure to include a connection to drain the water, a hose attachment is easy to do at the bottom of each drum. Even if you are in a place that does not have much rain fall you will be surprised at the amount of rain that builds up and you can fill a few 55 gallon drums very quickly. Extra water is always nice to have. You do not even have to drink it, water your plants and critters with it.

A container garden is perfect for herbs. You can use 1 gallon containers and larger.

Plant any herbs, one to a container, depending on the size the herb attains when mature. This is classic way to grow tomatoes. cucumbers grow well in containers, as do squash. You can even provide a lattice work for them to grow on. Peppers respond well to the container garden . Almost anything you want to grow in a container will do well, with just a bit of maintenance. Many of us have all kinds of buckets just taking up space, that,s what got me going. They are easy to move so you can follow the sun or bring them into a shelter on the coldest days and nights . I use one of those heavy duty wagons to move several plants at once. You reap the bounty and it is really free food you grew yourself. Some like to hang the containers or even grow the plants upside down. By growing your own, you know where it came from, no nasty additives etc.

Don’t have chickens, but always wanted them? Building an inexpensive chicken coop is not hard to do. I saw some metal frame windows at the swap meet, 5 bucks each. They are about 6 by 5 feet that lets in the light and the warming sun and stops the wind. A few boards and chicken wire is not expensive. I used some old drawers for the nests and installed an old door I had on hand. Be sure the coop is critter proof. Lots of plans on the net to help you with ideas to slap it together. Now you have fresh eggs and the chickens are not full of some goofy hormones… cost less than a 100 bucks total. Maybe you want ducks or quail or pigeons? The cost should be the same or very close.

One of my daughters raises exotic chickens. Some are very pretty. Some are goofy looking, but they sell for 10 bucks each and up to 50 bucks each. Breeding pairs are more. Many different kinds of pigeons, from racers to tumblers. You can also sell squab as a side line.

On the net are plans for building your own smoker, from an old refrigerator, so you can smoke your own meats. The projects I saw are very straight forward and seems they could be done in an afternoon. I have never done this but as soon as my old box dies, the one in my mancave, that’s how I will recycle it.

Many times, just by driving down the road or through a few alleys, you will find broken fridges that are being thrown out. If I find one that’s my next move. It’s a great way to preserve food, from fish to fowl, to whatever you wish to smoke.

Small projects have a way of not getting done, but they can provide you food for very little effort. Do it yourself. You will feel better. With today’s prices for food, whatever you can do to cut that cost is money in your own pocket and not in the stores pocket… I like that.

By Dude McLean

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