Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle

I am a farm wife…I diligently practice the trilogy of farm survival: reuse, repurpose and recycle.

This statement is from my essay, “I Am a Farm Wife” and was inspired by a chapter in my book, “Reuse, Recycle, Repurpose—The Farmer’s Trilogy.” June’s Junque is an excellent example of two-thirds of this trilogy: reuse and repurpose. Recently, Bill put the recycle part into action.

On our farm, anything made of metal that can’t be reused or repurposed is piled on a scrap heap to await a trip to a recycling center near Topeka. Last week, Bill decided it was time so he loaded the junk metal on a small trailer.

No, the trailer wasn't part of the junk being left at the recycling center. Even though it may look a little rough as a result of a tree falling on it several years ago during a windstorm, it’s still a reliable and important piece of equipment on our farm. It can haul 60 square bales of hay, the Ford 8N tractor or the mini-truck—but not all at the same time.

The items destined for the huge recycling magnet were:
1.   a broken mineral feeder for cattle;
2.   frame and springs from an old hide-a-bed couch (The springs couldn't be repurposed as a yard art trellis or, believe me, they wouldn't be on this pile!);
3.   old pieces of roof guttering;
4.   lots of old rusty baling wire (The pile was over seven feet tall before Bill mashed it down!);
5.   a bundle of even rustier woven wire; and
6.   stuff I couldn't identify.

But wait…what was this on the bottom underneath all this junk? They looked like steel cylinders and were painted “John Deere Green.”

Those cylinders apparently came off a piece of farm equipment. Anything “John Deere Green” has huge yard art potential. Why didn't I know about these? No way were they going to the recycling center!

I grabbed one of the cylinders and tried to pull it from under the scrap pile. It was heavy and only came partway out. I dug through the pile and found a bolt sticking out near one end that had caught on another piece of junk. I finally liberated my potential yard art treasure and laid it on the ground. There was a second cylinder, as well as longer pieces connected together. I trotted to the house and told Bill I had scavenged items from his load. He fished out the other cylinder before he left. The longer pieces were too tangled up in baling wire to take off the trailer.

Here are my “John Deere Green” pieces of future June’s Junque. I don’t know yet how they will be repurposed. I’ll just wait for a burst of junque inspiration. That’s the fun part!

When Bill returned from his trip to the recycling center, he told me the cash he received for the load was just short of $100 due to me scavenging his load!