As cold weather started to correct in , we separated our flock into twopastures . The older Ewe and a young Aries the Ram are stay put up near the house in hope of a spring lambing time of year . They have a nice line tank pee fastball that we could plug in when the weather condition starts freezing ,
The 8 - calendar month - old dear got moved to a pasture about an 1/8 of a mi from our menage , just off our large field that we use for herding practice with our border collies . It ’s got a farm heart in good order there , so water supply has n’t been an takings … until now !
The problem ? There is no electrical source in the far pasture . And it ’s too far to black market an extension electric cord . But the lambs need to have fresh urine and I was not looking forward to hauling sweet water down to that pasture a couple of times a twenty-four hours if the temperatures get under one’s skin really stale .
If You Build It…
I challenged my Logos Ryan , a recently graduated engine room student , to see if he could forecast something out that would not require electricity to keep the water system from being frozen .
He take the challenge!Jana Wilson
After doing a pretty exhaustive Google hunt , he found the same link I did – which are not many – about creating a solar - heated livestock armoured combat vehicle . I was surprised that you could n’t buy something like this , but maybe I did n’t look firmly enough ,
Jana Wilson
At any rate , my son make up one’s mind to follow plans for a solar stock tank from Mother Earth News . We had count at that link before and honestly it seemed like the only one out there that would suit our needs .
learn more : Solar thermal systems heat your water with the sun .
Material Matters
Now one thing about our farm is that we habituate find materials whenever possible – rather than going out and buy new . So some of our projection await a little unmatched . But if they work , that ’s corking !
Ryan as well was driven to use material only regain at our place .
First of all , we collect wood pallets that others are going to throw out . So that seemed like the natural case for our 40 - Imperial gallon black prophylactic water tank .
Ryan also used a few piece of music of froth insulation that we had available to go around the tank . But we did n’t have enough to fill out the chore .
Then I remembered that we had a couple of bag of extra wool we had stack away from last leap ’s shearing ! What good way of life to insulate than with wool?Jana Wilson
The insulation was finished off with pliant feed bags from sheep and volaille provender . Ryan staple the bag along the outer edge of the pallet “ tank car bearer ” and filled it with the various types of insulation .
Jana Wilson
He and my husband then strike the tank car in its case to the south side of the lamb shed . There , it would be protected and get as much light as possible during the winter months .
So here ’s the verdict :
The Downside
The tank ended up behind high-pitched off the ground because he set it on a Natalie Wood palette . Not being a farm animal owner , my son did not call back about the fact that this flock is composed of half - grown lambs that might not be improbable enough to reach the tankful .
( I do n’t think the full - size sheep would have a trouble ) .
So using his engineering science ingenuity , he bestow a stable logarithm pace at each destruction of the tank .
We have watched for a duad of days and the lamb are actually getting up on the logarithm and drinking !
Read more : Sustainable farming and solar solution powerfulness this Kentucky match ’s dreams .
The Upside
I belong out yesterday morning , when the temperature was at about 24 degree F , to moderate on both watering tanks . I first went down to the freshly build passive solar stock tank ( which we are also covering at night to keep any warmth in ) and find that there was a thin veneer of ice over the top that broke well when I touched it .
Great news !
Then I make out up to the forage near our house that has an electrical stock army tank smoke direct in the water tank . The electric stemma tank fastball was freeze into a couple of inches of solid ice that I could n’t bump up at all .
Hmm , I thought . Not good news .
So I follow the extension cord back to the fireplug and found that my hubby had plugged in the wrong cord . I change plugs and the water thawed within a few hours .
So we shall see how my passive solar water heat armoured combat vehicle works throughout the winter . If anyone else has sample this and has had some success , I ’d love to find out about it !
