What to do with all those feed bags?

yup - the paper bags compost very well - i use them as well as flattened cardboard boxes around shrubs and young trees - cover them with old hay and keep the whole works from blowing away with a few small rocks - no weeds for 18 - 24 months and good moisture retention - just watch for rodent and grub damage

 

I save them and the dog food bags and use as a double layer under new raised beds in the gardens. Sure kills/keeps the weeds down and do gradually decompose. Also I have used them as insulation in the chicken house and milk house - just sort of roll up loosely and put between the studs and then nail boards over that.

 

I line the garden paths with them - they get wet once and stay put, keeping the moisture in but the light out so the rest of the garden benefits but the paths stay clean and free of weeds...I have to replace them half-way through the summer, but I have plenty!

-Sarah

 

Last summer I filled every bag I had with sticks and smaller firewood, kindling stuff. Then put them where they would stay dry. My landlord had lots of old vehicles around for parts and I stuck some of the bags in the vehicles, some under the wide eaves etc. Then when heating season commenced and it was impossible to gather sticks I had plenty. The bags themselves can be torn up as you use the kindling and used to help start the fire.

 

I have heard of people using them for their garbage in the house. My cats like to sleep in them in the winter if you put a bit of straw in them.

 

I use them under mulch, so long as they don 't have a plastic layer or lining.

 

Right now there are two rabbit feed bags and one goat feed bag on my carport filled with aluminum cans to take to the recycler in town....

We've also used them as garbage bags but some of these other ideas sound great!

 

I have a question... when using the bags (or any paper) as mulch/compost, does it matter if the paper is colored, or shiny? I seem to remember hearing to take the shiny/colored pages out (when dealing with newspaper).....

 

Does it matter if they are shiny? Not that I've noticed, except that they are a little harder to get good and wet.

I've heard people say that the dyes are bad and can leach out, but so does the ink in reg newsprint. I don't really think you are likely to get too much of a concentration of dye or ink in your garden anyway.

 

I use them for many things. We always have plenty! I use the plastic lined ones for holding the rabbit manure (I have people who will buy it for a dollar a bag) I also will open the bags flat and staple them on the inside of the barn walls to help with the drafts in the winter (80 year old wood barn is drafty) In the spring I pull them off. I also use them as garbage bags they are stronger then plastic and I figure I have already paid for them! I have used them in the garden as other have mentioned. Just have to watch as the one feed mill has gone to the plastic coated bags so now I have two stacks of bags.
Denise

 

Denise, you don't happen to live in north arkansas, do you?

 

Some feed stores will buy their sacks back. You have to make sure you open them using the string and refold them and keep them clean.

 

I use them for garbage bags, and also they burn very well so they make good fire startin's in the woodstove. Right now I have a couple on top of the duckling brooding pen to keep in the heat -- they insulate nicely.

 

Southerngirl, I live up in Eastern Washington State. The desert side of the state!

 

We use them for the rabbit manure and also keep one next to the kitchen garbage can for small cartons and anything paper. Those go to the fire pit and are lit filled as kindling. The plastic ones that come with the salt for the water conditioner came in real handy after the hurricanes for cleaning out the fridge and freezer. Nothing leaked through those on the way to the dump.

 

Most of my feedI get comes in those burlap like bags, and they buy them back for a $1.00 so I get some $$ off my feed bill... some of the feed thoguh does come in the paper bags. So far all I have used them for was to fill with other paper things to burn, BUT now that I have seen all these great ideas we will have to try some of them.

Sarah

 

Well, I can finally contribute an answer that no one else has done/mentioned.

I live in the country and My Sister lives in the city. And of course she is still pure country at heart.

I use the pretty stamped bags (Purina has the prettiest) and wrap her CHRISTMAS PRESENTS.

I then use the brown "inside bag" to wrap the boxes for mailing.

In the winter, I sometimes use them (cut the size of a car floormat) in the car for floormats when it is very wet. You then just toss'em.

I cover the top of my poultry cages so that the birds in the cages do'nt get pooped on.

Line the trunk of the car/or bed of the truck to protect the vehicle or the stuff you are hauling.

And of course, the most important, for discarding the coons and possums that get in to the chickens.

 

I have two IFs for your situation.

IF your feed mill/store deals in bulk feed (not pre bagged) many will allow you to BYOB (bring your own bag). You can recycle your bags in this way IF you are willing to by the bag sewer which would seal the bags again. (however many stores who deal in bulk feeds will also be willing to sew up the bags with their bag sewer)