Tidy farm yards

older by the day

I thought I'd start a discussion. I was in two farm yards today, one was the cleanest most organised, I saw no plastic, bits of timber, pieces of metal thrown around. The other was like a warzone.

How do people keep the yard organised? Where do you store your bits and pieces.

staples7

I think one thing leads to another, if you have a farmer who likes things right then the facilities are generally good then naturally you won't have the likes of gates and pallets being held with baling twine to block sheds, entrances etc.

It like a domino effect then, if the above doesn't bother you then more likely shite will build up everywhere. buildings falling down, fertiliser bags and old pieces of timbers in every corner, Broken machinery, galvanise sheeting etc

Nice tidy yard good for the mind, id treat my house and garden, car etc the same way. It's costs very little extra to do things right and keep them that way.

Last point is I think id it sets that mindset of the next generation in the same inclination.

farawaygrass

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058322502/tidy-farm-yards

All I know is if money accumulated half as fast as rubbish I’d be very wealthy.

there is a bin company only 20 minutes from me so a few trips a year helps keep on top of things.

need more concrete though, we put 804 on a couple of yards years ago and they just get mucky and overgrown with grass after a few years.

Siamsa Sessions

Good topic for a discussion.

My aim to have the minimum stuff around the place, but it's an ongoing battle. I'm gathering bits of wire, broken cubicles, and any other metal/plastic in a corner of one shed and I plan to hire a skip in the New Year and fill it. There's a local company hire them out for a few days and they bring them away again then.

Another corner of the same shed has boards/planks from previous building projects. I'll keep a half-dozen of different sizes but I'm slowly cutting up the rest for the fire.

An ongoing battle and it'll never be fully "clean" but I'm content enough to be heading in the right direction. Or right direction for me anyway.

emaherx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058322502/tidy-farm-yards

"How do people keep the yard organised? Where do you store your bits and pieces."

I've been slowly trying to improve my yard over the past few years and the biggest improvement is reducing the bits and pieces, still a bit of a hoarder but trying to reform. Truthfully most of our bits and pieces should be organised into skip and recycling/scrapyard, what's left gets easier to find a place for.

I worked for a short while maintaining dairy equipment and I've seen every type of yard, there are some exceptional yards out there and their equipment is always well maintained, clean and easy to work on, on the flip side there are those yards that as soon as you drive in the gate you know the equipment is going to be in shite and filthy to the extent that it hinders tracing problems and everything taped together.

Danny healy ray

I've gone into farm yards recently and there is 5 grand of scrap sitting in a lot of them old gates machine bits of milking machine etc give a local scrap recycling man and ring and you will have a nice few pound for the Christmas

K.G.

First tip is don't buy rubbish.move away from bags and 20 litre drums as much as possible .silage wrap.it should actually nearly be banned but that's not going to happen.

Second. concrete,its great job to tidy up a.place and make life easier.but I d also say try to plan your building to be together and parallel and don't have dead areas or roadways between them.

Thirdly. Round up and graze on90.great stuff altogether.

And lastly for old lads like myself who grew up when money was tight.GET RID OF IT AND MOVE ON.the most fatal phrases for tidiness are "that might be handy" or " i might make something out of that"

older by the day

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121366115#Comment_121366115

Hoarding is my problem. But then again, if you have to go to the co op for a bit of steel they won't be long teaching you the value of bits and pieces.

emaherx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121366292#Comment_121366292

There is a happy medium though, there are bits which can be useful and that some of us will make something out of some day but if your hoarding gets so out of hand that you don't even know what you have then it's useless and just hoarding. I've definitely been saved numerous times while mid-harvest by a few bits of scrap and the welder and made a few useful items from scrap too but I also gather up plenty and send to the scrapyard as well.

No harm keeping a few bits that are handy, just need to be realistic about it too.

funkey_monkey

Got rid of a lot of stuff recently between the scrap man, a few skips and the local mart has a monthly auction.

At the auction I put in an axle, used fencing wire, and stuff like that. All sold either at the first or second attempt.

Would like to concrete the yard for a cleanliness and water management point of view, but will be expensive.

Can't get rid of everything, so as well having an area round the back, our surrounded by hedges that you can hide the stuff.

davidk1394

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121366594#Comment_121366594

Is there much interest for stuff in auctions ? I've a few rolls of wire, sheeted doors and a few other bits that I won't ever use again. Instead of scrapping them I'd like to sell them.

Conversations 3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121366643#Comment_121366643

Look up Hennessy Auctions near Portlaoise.

They have auctions once a month and there's some amount of scrap thrown into it.

Machines in bits and plastered with paint, and they sell too.

funkey_monkey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121366643#Comment_121366643

Ballymena livestock mart is our nearest one.

Mixture of stuff. Rolls of used wire do sell, used gates, doors, etc. used troughs, etc. home made strainers, bollards, etc. Old machinery in various states of repair - esp sowers.

I'd say scrap men or export men would maybe buy the bulk of it.

There is some decent stuff too, to be fair. Decent trailers, tractors, etc and the odd sale for deceased/retired farmers.

They have an inside auction of small stuff too - some of the shite there is mighty!

The concrete firms sell seconds there too.

Jb1989

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121366729#Comment_121366729

Ballyjamesduff and cootehill mart do busy auctions

Zimmerframe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121366829#Comment_121366829

I would be afraid to go, I would buy more s**t 😁

Cavanjack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121366115#Comment_121366115

“And lastly for old lads like myself who grew up when money was tight”

When money was tight???

Money is still tight round here!!!

selectamatic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121368177#Comment_121368177

I was literally about to post the same thing.

Tight cramped yards are the biggest lead to untidiness imo.

Not enough space for everything that's needed so stuff gets left in the way and thus the vicious cycle begins add in hoarding and you're well on the way to a nightmare.

Expanding yards, stoning and concreting is great but it's a fair dear endeavour to go at these days.

Farmer Phil had a video or two up showing a bit of farm yard maintenance and expansion, they made for good viewing.

From a cost perspective the best tip to anyone I'd always say is always try and be in a position to take free stone, road rippins, and stoney fill.

If you've space cleared for such things to be tipped it can go a long way to expanding and maintaining yards somewhat on the cheap.

cjpm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121368177#Comment_121368177

Jack - Did your luck with the begging letters improve any bit since you won the lotto??

K.G.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121368177#Comment_121368177

Ah that's just yer nature

Sheep breeder

A chap that works in the local co op always maintained you knew a farmers yard by his appearance, a fella covered in muck and two big dirty hands was a sign of a dirty yard, a fella in clean clothes was a tidy yard because he took pride in himself when he left the farm And with some of the local lads he would be dead on with his view, tidy yard is all about maintenance. This time of the year is about fixing, welding etc, second big thing is a skip every couple of years to take away rubbish, we use all wrapped bales and half ton meal bags for the plastic the minute it’s comes off the bales in to the bag on a stand to walk into the bag, done and finished with. My mother always says the yard is clean if you can walk around in your Sunday shoes.

tabby aspreme

There's an AES Civic Amenity recycling place near me and its great, if you have everything separate in the trailer , they take wood, metal, plastic, etc for 10c / kg

Hold My Hand

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121366865#Comment_121366865

This gave me a good laugh

Danny healy ray

there used to be collection centre set up around the country few years ago collecting used oil, sprays and the likes it was a mighty job altogether they should come around again

patsy_mccabe

I posted about this before, but for those with odd waste stuff to get rid of, check your local Central Waste Management Facility. There is one in Inagh in Co. Clare. The last time I was there I had the jeep packed to the hilt with black engine oil, old containers of weedkiller, electrical equipment .....you name it. The guy charged my €5 on the way in. They seemed to take eveything.

Cavanjack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121368385#Comment_121368385

It sure did. Money follows money .

Aravo

I recall the following conversation with a neighbour a few years back. It took place around the silage pit/yard area.

Neighbour: the place is spotless.

Me: do you know why that is

Neighbour: why

Me: because I cleaned it.

Now the place is not spotless by any means but most things have their place. He could be a good example that the lad in the co op sees on a regular basis.

Jb1989

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121368463#Comment_121368463

Though it used to be said, the well dressed man a lot of the time was the worst to pay for work done, where as the rough looking farmer would go out of his way to help you.

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121368177#Comment_121368177

Cavan 🙂

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121366690#Comment_121366690

I looked at that one time. There was an old stand for a tank that was just a bit of box steel that I thought might suit for something here. I thought it might make 70 or 80 quid. It didn't look that heavy. It went for about 300............... And it wasn't the only bit of junk that went for what I thought was silly money. There were a few bits and pieces which I thought went for the price you could get them new

Aravo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121369442#Comment_121369442

It's not unknown for some sellers to be bidding up their own items to the reserve. If item does not reach reserve and the seller is actually last bidder then no hassle to the seller.

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121369539#Comment_121369539

I think I saw, at the same online auction, a second hand bale shear go for more or less that same price (and unless I am mistaken there would be a buyers premium to pay as well) as we had bought the same model a year or two previously.

(This was prior to them becoming eligible under TAMS)

kk.man

I just can't work in an untidy yard ...from time time when I'm busy the workshop bench gets messy..I'd be in bad form when working in that environment.

tanko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121366865#Comment_121366865

It’s like going to Aldi to buy bread, milk and eggs and coming out with a trolley jack, angle grinder and a socket set.

Zimmerframe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121370857#Comment_121370857

Sometimes you get away with it, if you remember to get the bread, milk and eggs too. 😀

memorystick

I bought a JFC wrap holder this year. Seems like the right job. I also cut old timber and some pallets for kindle. Instead of pallets along gates for sheep, I use mesh. There's a load of scrap to be filled some day that I get a chance. Keep the stuff bought to a minimum.

Dunedin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121370787#Comment_121370787

Same as that here.

I can walk in the Sunday shoes all year round. Hate a messy yard.

but everyone to their own liking

cjpm

If anyone went around my yard in their Sunday shoes they wouldn’t be wearing them to mass anytime soon afterwards 😭😭

I’d love to have a tidy yard, unfortunately it’s very much work in progress at the moment…..

emaherx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121372130#Comment_121372130

"I can walk in the Sunday shoes all year round"

I know a few lads like that too, but I wouldn't let them in my house with them shoes after! 🤣

Zimmerframe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121371351#Comment_121371351

What are you using for the JFC wrap liner, I thought it was great when the bales had netting and "extra plastic", but now that our local lad uses the barrel wrap, it's very difficult to get the plastic off to be usable as a liner.

2smiggy

the bord bia man called to my home farm, and a few neighbours, and was a good man to point out faults. Our farm would be very tidy, and books kept properly, yet he seemed to take joy in pointing out faults.

He did not realise that the company I work with would have done work at his own farm. rubbish and shít everywhere. disgusting. Yet I'm sure his own bord bia inspection went well ...

Siamsa Sessions

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121374731#Comment_121374731

We're going on a tangent here but...

The Bord Bia auditor who called here a few months back asked me why my remedies record for dosing was so empty. I told him I do FEC tests and then only dose if necessary, which is the truth.

"Oh god", he said, "I couldn't operate like that. I dose all mine every 6 weeks by the calendar, like clockwork."

patsy_mccabe

I find it helps if you have a place for everything. Not easy, but if you know exactly where to return something to after using, it even reduces the stress of finding something again.

Also having a designated spot for every machine helps too. Having said all that, my place is still a mess. 😀

memorystick

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121374579#Comment_121374579

I cut the wrap to leave 4 straps to tie. Only on first one so I’ll let you know how it goes.

Say my name

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121374754#Comment_121374754

My bored bia man put no pass on my medicine book being sparse for dosing.

The way he talked I figured he was following what little I was putting up on social media and had his head in the zone before he came here.

Put up something outrageous on your YouTube channel Siamsa and you'll have all the bored bia inspectors clued in before the inspection.

dohc turbo2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121374830#Comment_121374830

I'm going to store a few ones off last year bales as all this year the barrel wrap and I opened a few to c how they turned out and near impossible to get the outer plastic off sound

Zimmerframe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121375143#Comment_121375143

Yeah it's close to impossible, kinda renders the JFC bin as useless.

Who would have thought some old silage wrap could be sought after. 😁

SuperTortoise

I'm still using last year bales, will be sure to save a few wraps as all of this years was barrel wrap. Thanks for the heads up, I haven't tried using the barrel wrap yet

I wonder going forward if you got 2 or 3 bales double wrapped along with the barrel wrap would it work? You could put a bit of paint on them so you know which to use.

Zimmerframe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121375412#Comment_121375412

The double wrap, might work although, it seems to "stick" to the barrel wrap, where it used to slide off the net.

Freejin

One of the biggest eye sores in my yard is the stack of used pallets that's growing year after year. Must be close to 80 pallets now of various different sizes. Tried a few of the pallet crowds advertising on done deal,but nobody interested as they were stored outside.

Cavanjack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121375892#Comment_121375892

Same as that. Done a good bit of building work in the last few years and I have a mountain of them and they are gone too wet and rotten for kindling. I’m thinking a few trips to the recycling centre might be the place for them. From now on I hope to store in a shed and cut for kindling when there is a manageable number.

Cavanjack

There’d be some hope of walking round my yard in your mass shoes this time of the year. In the summer maybe.

The farmyard is spread out and I could spend €30000 in concrete before I’d be happy stopping for a walk around before mass.