If you’re an Australian farmer, then you’re always looking for easy and effective ways to streamline your work processes. Chances are you’re also looking for ways to be more sustainable. A common way to promote sustainability is to opt for the reuse and recycle philosophy.
One of the more effective ways to create less wastage is to use a vacuum sealer to keep produce and meat products fresh. Another effective way to save money and reduce the amount of stuff you throw away is by reusing simple items around the farm.
Reuse Your Baling Twine
It’s been said that baling twine is the Australian farmer’s duct tape. This is because, without too much effort, bailing twine can serve many purposes. Let’s take a look at a few of the more common ways we’ve seen bailing twine being used.
Tie Down Tarps
If you have bales of hay on your farm, you’ll have a ton of baling twine as well. Instead of throwing it away, consider putting it in a huge container. This will make it easy to grab a piece next time you need to tie something up or down.
An effective way to reuse baling twine is to use it to tie down tarps. Not only is the twine strong enough to hold the tarp down, but you also won’t require long stretches of twine to secure your tarp. Whatever you have on hand will work!
Secure Your Pet’s Water Bucket
Every farm has dogs. All farm dogs like to get up to mischief. That includes knocking their water bowls over. So, instead of refilling the water bowl plenty of times in one day, simply swap a water bowl for a bucket.
Take the bucket and use the bailing twine to tie it to the nearest fence. This will ensure the water bucket doesn’t get knocked over during rambunctious doggie play. You can also tie buckets to the fence for outdoor horse-feeding sessions.
Broken Fence Board? No Problem
It’s a good idea to keep some bailing twine in your back pocket when you’re doing the rounds on your farm. This will enable you to do a few emergency repairs without having to go back to the barn for tools.
If you’ve ever had broken fence boards, then you know what we’re talking about! Simply use a piece of your trusty twine to tie the fence board back to the fence post. You can even create a temporary gate latch in a pinch. You can make permanent repairs later on when you have more time.
Enhance Your Gift Wrap
Instead of spending a fortune on expensive gift wrap, why not opt for cowboy-styled gift-wrapping to create a unique look for your gifts? Opt for some plain brown paper and use the twine to tie a bow around it, and the recipient is sure to find it memorable!
Use Twine to Keep Your Horse Trailer Door Open
Tired of trying to wash out your horse trailer and having the door slam shut every few minutes? Well, why not hook a piece of twine through the door handle and tie it to a fence post? Voila—an open door for as long as you need.
Hang Fans
In the hot summer months, some farmers may want to hang a few fans in their barns or chicken coops. No need to go into town to buy expensive strapping. Use a few strings of bailing twine to hang your fans from the nearest rafter.
Braid a Rug
If you like rustic décor, your space may benefit from a homemade bailing twine rug. It’s as simple as crocheting or braiding the twine pieces into a rug. You can easily make several small rugs that will look amazing at door entrances. They will also prevent farm dirt from being tracked into the home.
Use in Your Garden
Just about every farm has some sort of garden. It may be a full-scale produce production setup or a few veggies for the kitchen table. Either way, use the twine pieces to tie vine veggies such as squash and cucumbers to the trellis.
In a similar way, twine can also work well to keep heavy flowers or shrubs from hanging on the ground.
Create a Makeshift Clothes
Clothesline broken? Well, the good news is that bailing twine is strong enough to create a permanent clothesline. You may have to tie a few pieces together to get the desired length.
Be sure to finish each knot off neatly to prevent it coming undone. This type of clothesline is also perfect for creating a makeshift clothesline when you’re camping.
Pets’ Toys
Pets don’t need expensive toys to keep them occupied. Simply drag a piece of twine in front of your kittens and see how amused they become. In fact, they won’t even know that they’re missing out on an expensive object!
Final Thoughts
Bailing twine has many purposes. With a little bit of creative thinking, you’ll easily find a ton of uses for yours. Not only will you save money on buying unnecessary and costly items, but you’ll be contributing to your goal of recycling!
