DUMB Questions from a Country Living newbie...

[brewdog]

Burning barrels are more bother than they are worth, IMO. I had four half-round galvanized steel window wells with flanges that were taken off basement windows, I just bolted each pair back to back, set the rounds atop each other, and tack welded metal bars on the inside. They have been used as a burn pit for 15 years now and still have not rusted out. I did dig sod out and set them in the ground, then lined the outside with stones.

I totally agree and what you said is a great idea using the window wells.

I prefer the Rock Ring firepit, and I clean it out once a year with my front loader and bury the ashes. We burn all of our junk mail and cardboard, and paper trash religiously once a week.

 

[robbyr]

My dad used to be a cropduster and we cut the top out of 55 gallon chemical barrels with hammer and cold chisel. Nobody has mentioned it, but my father in law always said having cats outside kept the snakes away. I didnt believe it til saw with my own eyes. Saw mama cat and kitten kill one once. They will be in the woods but not in the yard if you keep some cats outside. And I am a dog person.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Lead footing causes washboarding.

Larry,

Guilty as charged...

AWESOME Post. THANK YOU!

 

[MossflowerWoods]

And don't forget to enjoy the life in the country. It's all worth the effort.

I do. Man oh man I do...

I ain't never moving back to the city...

David

 

[JDgreen227]

I do. Man oh man I do...

I ain't never moving back to the city...

David

Smart guy!!! I lived in town for 16 years before moving to the country. Living in the city has one big advantage, shops, restaurants, big box home center stores, etc. are close by.

Now, for me, having to drive 20-30 minutes to get someplace MIGHT be a headache. BUT, out here, I can open a door in the morning, take my coffee and cats out to enjoy the sunrise, and walk around barefoot for two hours and in my sweatpants, talking to myself and the cats, and nobody is going to give a BLEEP, even if they do see me. Try doing THAT in town...:laughing:

I can do that seven mornings a week, while I MIGHT have to run into town once a week. NO COMPARISION.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

I can do that seven mornings a week, while I MIGHT have to run into town once a week. NO COMPARISION.

AMEN Sir!

I am right there with you (except no cats).

In the winter when the leaves fall I can see 1 or 2 lights from other homesteads. the rest of the year I can't see NOBODY!

It is so peaceful...

Be well,
David

 

[jonyyuma]

The best thing about country living is the big oak porch swing and a good cup of de-caf.

 

[moeh1]

Start a hole in a barrel end with a cold chisel, put an axe in there on an angle and hit it with a sledge so it keep tearing the cut open all the way around the drum top ( not trying to drive the axe thru vertically but pushing it around the edge). You can go around a barrel in less than 2 minutes very easily with a minimum of work and no damage to the axe. Neighbor told me this, thought he was nuts, so he helped me do one - fantastic.
The other great burn system is to get a washing machine drum, all the little holes give the combustion air, but are too small to let stuff out. You need to find an old one, not take your wife's apart....

 

[JDgreen227]

Start a hole in a barrel end with a cold chisel, put an axe in there on an angle and hit it with a sledge so it keep tearing the cut open all the way around the drum top ( not trying to drive the axe thru vertically but pushing it around the edge). You can go around a barrel in less than 2 minutes very easily with a minimum of work and no damage to the axe. Neighbor told me this, thought he was nuts, so he helped me do one - fantastic.
The other great burn system is to get a washing machine drum, all the little holes give the combustion air, but are too small to let stuff out. You need to find an old one, not take your wife's apart....

I keep my axes and splitting mauls sharp for cutting wood, not metal.

Has anyone tried cutting a barrel top off with a Sawzall and the proper blade?

I would think the washer drum would be way too small to hold much material.

 

[looknlearn]

About the bugs in the garbage. When we lived in the country we had a compost bucket as well. Food waste went into the compost bucket(except for meat products cause it went to the chickens or pigs) and went out nightly and was a 4 gallon bucket with a lid and was rinsed out daily. The garbage went out weekly or less and we tried to put only burnable waste in it( paper products mostly) and I don't remember having troubles with flies and we never used any chemicals I even thought that a grass covered drive way looks better.

We also raised our meat and stored it, grew a huge garden, had a cow for milk, ( my sister even made some cheese) and hardly bought anything thus didn't have much problems with food covered waste packaging.

It also helps to put noncompostable, fly attracting waste, in seal-able bags before putting in the garbage(but then you are burning plastic).

Here in NY it is illegal to burn garbage now anyway.

Sorry for the rambling post but hope it helps.