Using what we have

It is so tempting and easy sometimes to just go and buy what we need. So many things these days come ready made or in kit form. you don't need to think, you just go buy it and install it. With a little thought and sometimes some lateral thinking though, you can build what you need with what you have and it will do the job just as well, and often better, for much less. When we moved in here, I needed hooks to hang things on. I wanted lots of them in the utility cupboard under the stairs and on the wall outside the door for hanging hats, outdoor coats and dog leads. My dear other half raided the workshop and came up with some pine offcuts and some dowel. A few coats of leftover stain from doing the windows on the house and it looks fantastic. Better than a bought one!

Sheep shelters here get the same 'use what you have' treatment.  A few wooden pallets, some star pickets and some leftover colorbond from building the shed and we have a very solid and practical shelter. To build, stand a pallet on its side and drive a star picket down through the gap at each end.  Do the same with the other pallet so they are facing each other to make the ends of the shelter. Lay about three beams across between the pallets to make a support for the roof and nail/drill/tie them to the pallets.  You can use wood - we used some metal cross beam offcuts from the shed. Screw or nail your corro/colourbond or other roofing material to these beams. We also put colourbond across the back and screwed it each end to the pallets.  It didn't need supports and the whole structure is very strong, even in our high winds. If you wanted to be sure though, you could add cross beams or simply use a couple more pallets for the back.  The shelter in the orchard has an addition made to it, as well.  A few more pallets at the back, a bit more colourbond, and we have another shelter that provides a bit more protection from the weather and is perfect for lambs.  We have built our lamb pen around this. The chickens love hanging out in it too.