A freezer truck box repurposed

written by

Sandra Ressler

posted on

May 31, 2022

You may remember that before we built our new walk-in freezer last fall,
we were using two large truck-box freezers for meat storage.  What do
you do with large truck boxes that are no longer in use??

We really needed more space for our baby chicks. so one of the truck
boxes got moved out into the pasture and we installed heat lamps, fans,
and waterers, and turned it into a chick brooder house.  The baby chicks
need external heat until they grow their feathers, so they live in the
brooder house for the first couple weeks.  Then they're moved into the
green houses (you can read about the greenhouses here).

Image



Initially, the chicks take up about 1/3 of the space, but as they grow,
we expand their space to include most of the truck box, with a little
space left to store the feed and such.

Image



We're thinking we'll put the other truck box on wheels to make it easier
to move, install nesting boxes, and turn it into a home for the laying
hens.  More about that when we actually do it.

More from the blog

Maple Syrup in October?!

Maple Syrup in October?!

You know how some people do "Christmas in July" events?  How about maple syrup in October?!  Actually, I'm told it IS possible to make syrup in the fall...any time the weather fluctuates between freezing and thawing, sap is drawn up into the tree and can be harvested.  Apparently the yield (amount of sap/number of gallons of syrup) is not as good, and also the flavor is not quite as good, but we don't have experience with that. Obviously we aren't there yet weather-wise...it's still too warm.  And no, we aren't tapping trees in the fall!  But last spring, we saved bottling time during the busiest sugaring days by filling a 40-gallon barrel to use later.  A few days ago we opened that barrel and bottled the syrup.  So it felt a bit like sugaring season.  And that maple aroma when you walk into the sugar house...I never get tired of that!! Grade B Maple Syrup This past spring we ended up with a bunch of end-of-the-season syrup that we felt was not up to our flavor standards (we have a reputation to protect!) so we weren't planning to sell it.  However, we have since realized that we can make it available as "Grade B" syrup. A few years ago the USDA changed the grading system for maple syrup.  The new system has four Grade A syrups: Grade A Golden:  Delicate taste Grade A Amber:  Rich taste Grade A Dark:  Robust taste Grade A Very Dark:  Strong taste This was done because many people were confused by "Grade A" and "Grade B", thinking that Grade A was a superior quality.  In reality there is no difference in quality, only in texture and taste.  So it's more a matter of personal preference. While the official grading system has changed, many people still refer to "Grade A" and "Grade B" syrup.  Grade B syrup, typically produced later in the season (when sap has a lower sugar content and more microbial activity), has a darker color, bolder flavor, thicker viscosity, and increased minerals.  It is often used in cooking and baking.  Grade B syrup is hard to find as a retail product because much of it goes to bakeries and such.  We now have it available while supplies last.  You can order it here.

Read more
Return To Top

Elm Run Farms

  • 16808 Burkhart Road
    Orrville OH 44667
  • 330-317-7283