Creative Uses for Baling Twine

Aidenbaby

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Do ya'll think it'd make good support "wires" for a grapevine? I've been meaning to get some kind of trellising or something up for mine and didn't think about this until now.
 

SKR8PN

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My farmer buddy gave me a whole roll of bailing twine last fall, and I was looking for some new uses for it. Thanks guys!!
 

Farmfresh

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Aidenbaby said:
Do ya'll think it'd make good support "wires" for a grapevine? I've been meaning to get some kind of trellising or something up for mine and didn't think about this until now.
Grape vines are pretty heavy, especially when full of grapes. That said I think the nylon type strings could be braided into a rope that WOULD hold them. The other factor to think about is longevity. I think even the nylon ties would degrade in the sun and not last too long. If it was me I would go with a more permanent solution for grapes. After all some vines can last and be productive for around 50 years!! :D
 

Aidenbaby

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Yeah, that's what I was afraid of. I've had this poor plant struggling for year. It's still only a foot tall because I never really used my time and resources to support it correctly. That is definitely changing this year.
 

justusnak

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I use mine in the garden for beans, peas..anything that climbs. By the end of summer....its still pretty strong. You all are pretty creative....I have a feed bag FULL of the orange synthetic twine. " just in case" LOL
 

Farmfresh

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My sis and I came up with another one to try last night. The mud mat idea got us thinking.

If you built a little weaving frame with a chunk of plywood and some nails you could weave multiple strands like a giant potholder project like we used to do as kids. If you made multiples of this giant potholder out of the nylon type of twine and stacked them then sewed them (with more twine of course) together, they would make a GREAT little doghouse pad. Insulating the dog from the cold ground, cushy, water proof and easy to wash and clean.

What do you think? Sounds worth trying to me.
 

patandchickens

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The "real" baling twine does not last super long outdoors, especially if you are needing it to support grapevines. It is fine for tomato ties and *temporary* fence/gate fixes, but a year is about the most you will reasonably get from it, and if stressed it'll be less.

The heavy-duty synthetic stuff (orange, blue, etc) OTOH lasts REALLY WELL outdoors. I have some used to hold slipboards (instead of gates) that is 3 years old and still going strong. It is *made* to resist sunlight and UV, to a reasonable degree, on account of it being a bad thing if your outdoor-stored bales come apart when you try to use them <g>. THAT stuff might well be ok for grapevines as long as you replace it every couple years, whenever it starts to look a bit weathered or 'suspicious'. (The thinner synthetic stuff, like used for small squares or for roundbales, lasts better than natural baling twine but not nearly as long IME as the heavy duty stuff).

Good luck, have fun,

Pat
 

Farmfresh

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Aidenbaby said:
FF, I just had to ask. Are you the designer of those City Biddy plans?
My friend down the street is the actual engineer on the project, however I have had MAJOR input into them.

You see MY kid had a pet chicken and HIS kid saw that and always wanted some. When she moved out, graduated from college and bought a house she called her dad one day to inform him that she had 3 chicks and needed a coop pronto. This motivated him to start work. Soon he was calling me up needing "what do chickens need to survive and thrive" lessons. SO ... I hovered around the project tweaking this and fixing that. When he was done and delivered the coop to his daughter (150 miles away! - the coop is designed to be built in components then assembled so he could even haul it in a hatchback ) he THOUGHT he was done with the job. THEN I delivered a load of new materials in his yard for MY coop! :lol:

After I used it for a couple of years, I loved it so much I thought we should share. At that point I asked :)gig :lol: more like HOUNDED!) him to draw up the building plans for sale. At that point I got my business license and uBuilder Plans was born. :D Now it is a combined effort. He still draws the majority of the plans and designs (he is an engineer after all) and I am in charge of marketing and ideas (sometimes I get doozies -MUCH to his dismay! :lol: )

The business has been going for a little over 2 years now and there have been City Biddy Hen Houses literally sold all over the world. We are currently working on a mobile coop - City Biddy Double WIDE that will hold around 15 mature hens and should be great for those Meat and Egg specials you often see from hatcheries. As the meat birds usually grow faster they will be sent to freezer camp leaving the egg birds plenty of room to live and lay. We are also finishing up plans on a Wall Hung "Stealth" Coop that will house around 3 birds.

I know.... I sound like a commercial. :hide
 

Aidenbaby

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I built one of those. My 5 girls are all squeezed into one. Probably not for everyhen but they seems to like it just fine. I must have been a horrible hen mama because when they're cold, they like to pile into the nest boxes. I was actually thinking of building a playhouse based on the design for my kids. I couldn't keep them out of the coop when I was building it.
 
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