Few experience restrain a novel farmer more than walking into an agricultural supplying storehouse in search of equipment . Unless your farm is back by a wealthy benefactor , you ’ll likely exit sweaty and dejected , realizing that 1 ) you need more stuff than you suppose you did and 2 ) you may scantily afford any of it .
I know . I ’ve been there . But also realize a duet of truths about the farm supply store before assay another go at it . The first is that the economics of the farm supply store mirror other aspect of American commerce in that you do n’t in reality need much of what ’s on those shelves — for sure , a sure ware might make a task easier , but if you do n’t have it , you ’re still up to the task . The second the true is that a passel of that stuff is cheaply made , and you’re able to do better for less on an on-line classified land site such ascraigslist .
Before I go further , please experience that craigslist and outlets like it ca n’t realize anyone ’s wholehearted blurb — there are too many the great unwashed involved to predict what any single experience will be , so do n’t be mad at me if your dealings does n’t go as planned ( or if you ’ve had one that went poorly ) . But in the main talk , a farm can profit from heady use of the site , as ours has .
It ’s a good idea to take the time to name the thing you want , the things you need and the things that would enable you to do something unexampled . For the thing you need , you’re able to create something called an applet at the website IFTTT.com to supervise your local craigslist and send out you alerts when sealed items are listed . I ’m personally more inclined to check nonchalantly for the other items on the list — farm budgets do n’t unremarkably have too much of a slush fund , and the “ wants ” are well left for deals that are too just to pass up .
The classified site has a section dedicated to farm and garden supplies , and I start there when look for anything . browse this section on my local site , I see a wide stove of items , including tractor attachments , mitt - built feeders and even a World War II horse accelerator pedal masquerade party . If you see something you need , compare the cost to what you saw at the farm supplying store — if there are meaningful savings and the item look to be in expert configuration , it might be deserving investigating . Unless you ’re a skilled and knowing car-mechanic , however , think doubly before rushing to buy a tractor or lawn lawn mower — older parts can be difficult and expensive to replace , and without a warranty , you take a liberal chance on what you take home .
If you ’re Modern to the farm and garden section , you might be surprise by the amount of livestock for sales agreement on there , but you ’ll soon find yourself fawning over spring lambs and aching to rear show volaille . We purchased our Dexter cows from a kindly hobby raise couple a few hr down the road , and we bear them home in an former house trailer we picked up the workweek prior for an amazing Mary Leontyne Price from a hombre who ’d decided to stop keeping sawbuck . For a while we bought piglets from a stock breeder we found on craigslist specializing in Berkshire Hills ; when we determine we were quick to farrow our own piglets , we detect a purebred breeding brace down the route . Just ensure not to get in over your head just because you could — we desire those spring Lamb , too , but soon realized we ’d be feeding the coyotes if we got them .
last , await at the free material section — you wo n’t always feel what you need now , but if you have a trailer and a complimentary solar day , you could carry things you might require later . Wood , for good example , is richly useable , and you’re able to sometimes tally a free building or fencing material if you ’re unforced to disassemble and haul it aside . There ’s always a probability of a one - off score if you see at the right metre — my married woman and I once answered a “ American Stock Exchange alert ” notice for a free getaway hand truck cap .
While craigslist is hardly a well - hold cloak-and-dagger , the blessing it can be to the budget of struggling farmers is deserving point out . So next time you ’re at the farm supplying storage and pining for equipment price beyond your range , take a minute to search craigslist — you never love what you might find .
