Basket Case

[digitS']

Or, "Box Case"

Isn't that the darnedest thing? I would have liked to see the 80+ great grandmother working to stitch this thing together! I took a picture without her noticing me . .

Along the same lines . . . Here are some of my hard-working 3-gallon garden buckets (in front of some of my hard-working hand tools!) They work hard so I don't have to !

I used to use 5-gallon buckets but that was so long ago that I can hardly remember the time. My next step is to use 1-gallon buckets .

Here are some actual baskets:

These are so commonly available! People buy them to decorate their homes and like any decoration, they get tired of looking at them. You find them in the thrift stores! They are cheap AND useful to gardeners !

The baskets are sitting in a container you might not think about using for veggies but why not? You find these black basins in Home Depot and Lowes. They are large enuf to sit inside a wheelbarrow and can be used for mixing concrete. If you haven't used them for mixing concrete -- use them to wash veggies! Anyway, that's what I do. (I've also got another one for setting flats in for watering the seedlings in the spring. )

Finally, there are really BIG plastic baskets at the Asian and Mexican markets that are very useful. Here are some tomato sauce ingredients from this morning:

Can you make a case for your baskets? And, what-not . . ?

Steve

 

[vfem]

You, like I, find the most useful of tools in the oddest of places. I use 5-3-1 gallon buckets all the time. Perfect for growing, harvesting and using to carry animal feed. I get them from my husband when he's done using them for actual construction projects. I also get baskets free from the farm we frequent. They sell them and use them up at their store location. They don't sell the one's they use, they just give me the used ones to get them out of their back room.

Thrift shops are awesome since I find a lot of things in their kitchenware section, like big banged up pots and colanders.

I'm about to go drop $50 on some need garden tools though, after some one stole my favorite shovel and rake I need dependable replacements. I've looked on craigslist, but it only seems people are getting rid of the tools they didn't use (or care for) only. So they look worse then used ones. Splintering handles and heavily rusted everywhere else. Then they want $20 or $30 for something that will not last me until next season, let alone 10 years!

As my husband says, "some people don't think their 'stuff' (he uses another word) stinks?!"

 

[retiredwith4acres]

I do basketweaving and weave my own baskets to use in the garden. I have a double wall picnic basket that is so multipurpose in the garden and carrying food to church and reunions. If I sold the basket it would cost at least $150 but that is one reason I weave, for my uses. Why weave a basket if it is of no good use! I also use buckets, many times a day with garden and chickens.

 

[digitS']

V, I've only been marginally successful at finding used tools. About the only thing I have that was used is a dandelion knife that gets too little work, a garden rake that is too wide and I don't often have a use for it, and a couple of hoes that are just fine. I like to use hoes that are nearly worn out as long as the handle is good. Well, I don't actually like hoes at all but the ones that have been worn down to a narrow piece of metal can be sharpened like a knife!

Since they last me for years, I'm willing to buy new tools.

Retiredwith4acres, I would really like to see your baskets. I think we all would.

I've noticed that Johnny's Seed offers lots of tools. One is a "garden hod" and I've wondered if something like that would be useful to me.

Steve

 

[hoodat]

I know what you mean. When a hoe gets worn way down it's really handy for getting into tight places and between plants. I just use it sideways between plants.

 

[lesa]

Love the hand sewn cardboard one!! I notice as the season begins- I use little quart baskets for picking (peas, etc.) then I graduate to a larger handled basket- and then the happy day comes when I go out in the garden with 2 bushel baskets!! I recently came across 2 very large buckets with rope handles. I think I will enjoy using them for garden clean up...

 

[DawnSuiter]

Of course we have our own variety of buckets, baskets, troughs & trays, and I just so happen to have a few photos
The chickens drink from 2 gallon for a group, or 1 gallon paint buckets for singles - in winter they have heated 1.5 gallon bowls plus we haul out a hot 2 gallon bucket of water.

Here you can see in our feeding coop piled up along one side, we are currently collecting all loose buckets, pots, troughs etc to get them put away and sorted for winter. The big plastic square bin is where we put the current bag of pellets for the poultry.

Typical picking & collection baskets

Kitchen storage above the cool air vent

Troughs & Tubs for seedlings

Does this count? I love this thing and what a GREAT place to grow carrots!

And my bread "basket" or crate, not sure, but it works great for this:

and those are the seedlings I'm planting in the ground this week!

I can NEVER find any old good tools! We have to buy a new pitchfork here every year, sometimes twice per year. Other than a hand trowl & claw thing, we don't use many tools at all. Maybe we're doing something wrong!

 

[Rhodie Ranch]

Once again, where is the LIKE button for Dawn's photos?

 

[lesa]

Oh Dawn- I love those bread crate things. I have a few of them and I use them for seedlings and also storing onions for the winter. I found mine in the dumpster!!

 

[DawnSuiter]

Awww! <blushing>
Thanks Murphysranch!
Lesa I found mine in the dumpster too!