Monday, August 27, 2007

Where we keep our junk metal (and why)

As I've related our stories of taking scrap metal to the junk yard, some of you city-dwellers have wondered why we have all that junk, and where on earth we were keeping it.  So I'll take you on a tour of our junk ditch.  Every farm or farmette worth its salt has one.

Cliff uses lots of scrap and junk parts just building things.  In the previous entry, the trailer you see that the junk is piled on was made from scratch, by Cliff.  So if he thinks there's a possibility that he might use a part of something, or turn it into something else, he stores it down at the junk ditch, out of sight of the house.

Someone gave him an old sickle mower in the past.  It didn't work, but it was a John Deere #5, which is what Cliff uses on the bigger tractors.  So he kept it for parts.  At the junk ditch.

Lots of times people without 43 acres of their own will ask to store something here... "just for a little while".  Again, if you look in the previous entry, the long white metal things Cliff and the man are scooting back onto the trailer were something "stored" here by an ex-boyfriend of our daughter's.  Folks, she's been married for years!  I don't think he's coming back after his metal.

The calf hutches we kept are "just in case" I ever want to raise a bottle calf or two.  That's why the rabbit cage was there too, but I'm afraid it's of no use to anyone now.  Oh well, I didn't want rabbits any more, anyhow.

I should have taken these pictures before Cliff went to work, because he could have explained it all.  But you get the idea.

Looks to me like he could make up a whole new load!

Today's load brought $160.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

So let me see if I get this...some of it is old farm equipment...some of it people have left behind and some of it are old cars?  How did the car hood and such get there?

Anonymous said...

I think Cliff sounds like a very frugal, handy as a pocket in a shirt, type man, I know I'd keep him around LOL, thanks for sharing. gg/Jackie

Anonymous said...

Joy oh joy!  What fun I had looking at these.  I had such fun trying to figure out the one you "didn't have a clue about".  Bet I could too if I could see it in person.  Makes me feel so much better knowing someone else has "junk" lying around.  I must say though....Cliff is neater than some people I know.  Anyone not "in the know" would be surprised what value these little bits and pieces have to a really creative man like Cliff or C.Y.  They also come in handy to save money here and there and as you say one thing becomes another.  I actually saw a few pieces on your first trailer load that C.Y. would probably have saved.  We just need a ditch to put our "stuff" into.  C.Y. gets offended at the term "junk".   Great post!  

Anonymous said...

well the car hood on tires would make a nice picnic table LOL...and well I think visiting your farm would be a real treat..so much to see...to look at...and lotsa good exercise...don't find things like that on a good old city place...your tour of junk was just great....hugs...Ora

Anonymous said...

A "junk ditch".  Really!  A "junk ditch".  Well, I'll be.  Never in my days would I ever think you country folk would have a "junk ditch" and said "junk ditch" would be used and useful.  
We call them hardware stores but, I guess it's potato/potahto.
LOL!  

Anonymous said...

PS Quonset Hut, LOL...

Anonymous said...

Good job on the load for today!!!  Woohoo!!  Cash is cash is cash I always say!!  And it always feels good to get it.  Cool junk ditch... good idea.  Hugs,
Lisa

Anonymous said...

We don't get money for our junk, we get to pay to bring it to the transfer station in town.  I suppose there is somewhere here that we could bring our old metal to.  Hmmm.  Will have to look in to that!  

I liked the tour and completely get the concept of a junk ditch.  We don't have a farmette even, but we sure have a lot of stuff hidden out back.  LOL

Anonymous said...

I loved the Junk pictures.  Reminded me of the way my ranch looked.  Wnen I sold the ranch, the junk went with it...in the bill of sale... "and machinery.." .  Included in the junk was a fine working tractor.  The new owner was delighted wth that, but soon had to add a bigger one with a skip loaders and blade so he could have even more fun.
  I used to worry about having so much stuff that was unused until I wrote a letter of apology to the stuff...Hey that sounds weird, but it worked.  I quit worrying.
==Chuck Ferris