The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Smallholding => Equipment => Topic started by: SuzyJ on February 17, 2010, 01:30:39 pm
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I've been out in the stable yard today and trying to do a little tidying up after all the snow etc.
We have loads of old baler twine lying about which I do recycle in the summer and use to tie plants up etc but was wondering if you have any other inventive ideas of what I can with the stuff?
I tried making haynets years ago which worked well but we don't use them at all now.
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Can you crochet? You can make baskets from them, or even if you can't crochet, you can make coiled baskets quite easily with baler twine (waste not, want not!)
http://iml.jou.ufl.edu/projects/Fall08/Privett/howto.html
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Thanks for that. I used to crochet as a child but not sure I could do it now, making baskets might be a good idea so I'll have a look at the website you suggested. 8)
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Emergency dog leads, ;D
allways have some on me when i help on the farm
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When baler twine was "proper" i.e. made from sisal we used to make kitchen mats from it. Six lengths,plaited and sewn together with the string from feed bags, round and round until the mat was big enough.
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Put it in your pocket :)
You can never have enough bailer twine in your pocket, it always comes in handy...
Ta
Baz
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Of course Baz this does not apply now one could more than likely end up locked up if one did comply When I was a big lad and help on the farm the Mester would say are you equipped George? This he claimed was all a good boy needed in his pockets a shilling a good pocket knife and plenty of binder twine.And my word he was right in those far off days.You could buy fish and chips for your dinner if you drove the sheep to market You could tie up the gate with binder band and cut it off with your pocket knife Plus he gave you half a crown for droving What today?
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Baler Twine...aka = Farmers' Friend...the most underrated 'tool' on any farm/smallholding...used for a multitude of emergency and temporary repair jobs...security, safety, a third hand, etc, etc,...if Baden Powell had thought about it it would have been an essential part of any boy scouts pocket contents...but with so much surplus I'd love to hear what more permenant uses it could be put too?
Bring it on TAS members...lets have your words of wisdom!
Farmer, :farmer:
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Farmer one use for the long lengths around Claas Rolant is Knit a net for my kidney beans to climb up.When they are done cut the beans off at ground level and roll it all up nice and tidy.
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Okay, it's not an agricultural use, as such - nor one I would ever recommend :o
But it is a wee bit funny ! I vividly remember being told this story by my Mum. Many years ago (over 30 ;)), as well as farming, my Dad played in a band and regularly used to travel all over the place with all the bands gear in an old transit. On one trip something went wrong with the engine and they had to stop at a garage to fix it. My Dad went off into the shop while my Mum went round the front to open the bonnett. As she did she was met with the sight of all the vans' electrics tied up nice and neatly with baler twine :o :o :o Looking more like a string of fairy lights than anything else. As my Dad walked back towards her, she noticed a police car pull in so quickly shut the bonnett and they sat in the car (my Dad getting a serious head nip) until the police left and he could fix it and get back on the road.
But I use it for making frames for my peas and beans (at least I'm not likely to get arrested ;)) ;D ;D ;D
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They do say that without baler twine half of Britain's farm machinery would fall apart and all it's fences would collapse!!
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I suppose if you reeally want to, you can tie it into a woggle, if you are a Baden Powell devotee ;D
Another thing to do with baler twine is to use it for split ply braiding - something I intend to learn this year, from a split ply braiding 'expert'. It's quite rock n roll, because you use a drill to twine single pieces together, and split it later to create things.
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Its pretty much sterile so good for pulling lambs in an emergency, its also good for flossing your teeth if you get the synthetic twine and you pull out strands lol. Its also great as a belt for that 'compo' style.
Personally I always carry a knife and some twine everywhere I go, I doubt any copper would arrest someone with a legit use for carrying a blade. If you ask me when you with work cloths on and you have not got a knife then your not properly equipped.
Ta
Baz
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Whatever you do, don't throw it away because that is when you'll find that you need it for something, trust me, I write through experience. :)
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Haynets! Have just constructed some along my fence, tying lengths of baling twine up and down and zig zag around each thread - makes great haynet.