A scrappy situation

Driver's seat

Perfect sleeping spot

One of the most delightful distractions, living on our farm, are the antics of our animals. Our youngest addition, Penny, has settled in quickly and is finding farm life pretty relaxing. She has just learnt to climb into the tractor cabin and seems to think the driver's seat is her spot.
On occasion, of course, life on the farm is exhausting, especially for a little cattle dog.

The pile is getting smaller

On the subject of exhaustion, scrap metal removal has been the focus of the past few weeks (or months-feels like years).

With the warmer temperatures arriving, the potential of harbouring a family of venomous snakes is very high.  The massive pile needs to go.

When we first moved onto the property we decided straight away that the various piles of scrap metal, had to be removed. We found them in the paddocks, in the morass, under the fallen sheds, stacked in the hay shed, feedlot, old dairy, old house and even the piggery.

Tonnes of metal in various forms - wire, car bodies, stoves, old bikes, kitchen sink, wheels, kettles, machinery in all states of disintegration combined to make a monster pile.

Unfortunately there is no money in metal these days and it has taken numerous phone calls and enquiries to find a business who would take it away without charging us!

Beyond restoration

Scrap metal anyone?

So far we have filled two massive skips, one smaller skip and will no doubt fill another massive skip before we are done. While the skips are provided free of charge, it is our responsibility to fill them.

Without the right equipment, it is down to the tractor forks and bucket, lots of patience and a decent group of back muscles to keep loading and picking up the gazillion tiny pieces of broken equipment and barbed wire.
To add insult to injury, I was randomly chatting to our neighbour about the scrap situation and he said some years ago, they finally got rid of a ton or two of scrap metal and received a cheque for $8,000 - how things have changed!

Everything ended up in scrap piles, including the toaster

The only items worth salvaging are the copper, brass and batteries. It's a shame we don't have as much of these, as we do, the worthless scrap.

A view from the skip

On the other hand, to some people, our scrap is of value. Today, a woman came by and bought a heap of galvanised sheets we had put aside as scrap (we have already kept a large pile for future projects). She also eyed a wall of weatherboards off the old house which were laying on the burn pile. She has taken a trailer-full home and I presume is pleased to get goods so cheap.  To this end, Facebook, can be a cheap and useful tool to get rid of any unwanted items.

We still have much to sell, much to do and at the end of the day much to smile about.

Until next time,

N