I’ve told you all about the wonders – finally – of my grape bin feeders.
But you don’t have to live in wine country to acquire this feeding solution. These bins are used for any kind of produce… fruit, olives, tomatoes… Ask your local growers.
So, if you need to get your hay out of the dirt, mud and wind, this is a great solution. Just purchase a bin that is no longer serviceable for the grower (doesn’t stack well anymore), but perfect for you. (You can purchase them new, but they are spendy.)
Below is a note from a friend of mine in Grass Valley who solved her feeding issues with bins.
FROM FRAN (This is my friend who took Princess LaaaamaLaaaaamLaaaama.):
We live on a very windy exposed ridge with 3 horses, a donkey and a llama, lots of acreage but NO horse barn. I desperately needed a way to stop hay blowing away and getting trampled into the mud when fed on the ground (you can see the mud in the last photo – ugh!!). Thank you, Pilot Peak Winery! We picked up three hefty grape boxes, drilled some drainage holes, and voila! (They have more to sell, great price – contact Len Stevens at Pilot Peak Winery.)
I could fit two in the bed of my truck. This is a much more efficient idea.
New and clean! She gave a feeder to each equine. No muss, no fuss. And, no more loss to wind! Deep enough to prevent the horses from throwing it all around, but low enough to clean and reach.
Fran used bungie cords tied to her posts. A good idea.
HOOK THE BINS TO YOUR FENCE POSTS
I see that they drilled holes and used bungies to keep the bins close to the fence. You will need to do something like this because the horses will push the bins around – if they can.
All you need to do is drill holes. Drill holes in the bottom for drainage. Drill holes in the sides to tie them off.
This is my drill and drill bit. You need a spade bit like this to burrow a hole into the heavy plastic. I do it easily. It isn’t difficult.
This is one of my bins. I drilled that hole you see. I think bungies are a better idea than baling twine. But I use baling twine on this one because it is tied to a wood post and therefore doesn’t fray to split (twine doesn’t hold up against metal posts).
