21 April 2009
If you have a pile of sticks to pick up, this post will come in handy. For years we have picked up sticks around our yard so that the lawn mower can mow with as little injury to itself as possible.
We have always used the wheelbarrow, and though it worked well, many times the sticks would topple out when more were placed on top of the pile (on the wheelbarrow which could only be filled so high).
Last time we changed things up a bit: instead of a barrow, we used a blanket. It was a good change that made everything flow more smoothly. The tutorial below may seem rather simplistic (perhaps even neolithic), but it did take us years to figure it out (us girls anyway).
The easy and efficient way to pile and transport sticks:
• Take an old, large, and ratty blanket (one you wouldn’t mind getting scratched up) from your spare closet (or your local mission store) and lay it on the ground near all those nicely spread out sticks.
• Pick up the sticks and make a pile of them on the blanket. Continue to place them on top of one another until you are finished picking up the sticks.
• Pull the blanket to their final destination (the burning pile, the stick pile, the bed of the truck, etc.), and dump if desired.
• Ta-Dah!
If only I would have known…
I always had to pick up sticks when I was younger and I hated it! I had a big cardboard box I would lug!
Great tip! :)
This is one of our jobs too. We haven’t had to do much of it since we moved, but this tutorial would come in SO handy!
My Grandma used this method. She always came up with ways to make things easier. (Very cute tutorial ;) )
Love you deary, looking forward to seeing you!
Marie :)
Thank you for this helpful post, Emily Rose!
Also, thanks for the great “Homemaking Notebook” idea you posted a while back. I printed the post off and plan to make on of the notebooks soon! Thanks!
Elizabeth
We used to have to do this, but now, we don’t live in an area where loitering sticks are a problem, and we don’t have a yard to mow, even if we did! This is a good tip, however, because it can probably be used for other things as well.
Oh, and good job on figuring it out. It would have taken me years, and might never have figured it out! :D
Have a very bright, very cheerful day!
Miss Eyebright
That is SUCH a good idea! We usually use a wagon, but the sticks still fall out, and never lay right : ) We will have to try that next time we pick up sticks!
Jessica
What a great ideas and just in time. We have a winter’s worth of these to pick up this weekend. We usually use a wheelbarrow but, as you said, the sticks go all over the place.
My husband has used an old sheet for autumn leaves, we just never thought of this. Thanks!
We use this same trick on leaves and nuts. We have oaks and hickories all around the house. We load up a tarp and pull our yard matter out to the hayfield and burn, burn, burn!
I constantly have a yard full of birch twigs, this would work great for that (because usually I want to use the twigs in some crafty project.) And you’ve got skills to make cleaning up the yard turn out so lovely in photos.
Great idea, Emily Rose! You are so sweet. Recently we went to help a woman from our church pick up sticks from her yard for the same purpose as you did. We used a wheelbarrow and we constantly had to go and dump it on the pile. Next time I’ll bring up this suggestion! :) Thanks for the helpful post!
~Annie~
Clever!
We’ve been doing a lot of gardening over the last couple of weeks with my Dad’s parents being here. It has been lots of fun!
Wonderful idea! We pick up LOT’S of sticks too! Now all that I need to do is go find a blanket. Oh and a question that I had asked before, but had no reply;
” I am 13, I was wondering if I could sell things on ETSY? I sell clip on earrings, and pierced style earrings, and matching bracelets. All for children in Africa with Malaria.”
Just wondering, and what a great blog! I LOVE photography too! ~ Thanks ~
Blessings,
~Bree~
Quite clever and cute! I’ll have to keep that idea in mind.
I jsut found your blog today..first time visitor. I just caem from Joy’s “new look” on her blog…I just wanted to say what an incredible job you did with the design!!!!
If you could just email me and let me know what it take to get my own button made for my blog..I was just wondering…thanks so much and I plan on checking your homeschooling posts…I homeschool myself and am also looking for great ideas..things learned..or whatever else women are willing to share :)
Hi Emily,
We learned to do this with our leaves(from our grandmother next door) as we have TONS in the fall–it works great!