Mounds of pallets stacked behind a business may look like junk to most, but to me it’s a major SCORE. I’m committed to sustainable, low-input farming (& living). This requires vision, hours of research & creative problem solving: “Dream it. Plan it. Do it.” It also requires a keen eye for what someone’s “junk” could become.

Pallets are used in the shipment of products; after which they become “trash.” With permission from store management, I sort through the piles of pallets destined for the landfill; identifying the heat treated wood indicated by an embossed “HT,” so as not to introduce noxious chemicals to the land or my food.

After identifying the heat treated wood, I then inspect the condition of each pallet to decide which have the potential to become something practical at the farm. This treasure hunt occurs at least weekly. I carry a crow bar & hammer in my car trunk at all times in the event I stumble upon an opportunity to quickly break down a good looking pallet. It’s a problem, really😄.

God’s still working on my farm pickup truck, so for now that means lots of awkward (but joyful) rides in my sedan packed full of wood…

…and/or strapped to the roof rack like a pro (lol).

The job gets done one way or another & I have a perpetual stack of free building material. When I’m done with tasks directly related to food production or have some aggression to release (lol), I make my way through the pile; breaking down the pallets into individual boards & meticulously saving any scraps & usable nails.

Yes, it’s hard work, but it’s totally worth it to re-direct usable waste from the landfill & produce a seemingly unlimited supply of free wood for the farm.

Loads of pallet wood builds in my future 🙂

Stay tuned.