A home gardener looking to deter deer from snacking on his produce built an ingenious DIY fence using entirely recycled material.
In a photo in the subreddit r/ZeroWaste, he showed off his handiwork.
"The gate was made from repurposed lumber, the archway from an old fence that broke after a tree fell on it, the log rounds are from dead trees we had to cut down, most of the t-posts were free or heavily discounted because they were damaged/rusty (I fixed and painted them)," he wrote. "Even the soil in the raised bed was made from my own compost, rotten wood from my property, and native soil. The only things I bought were the chicken wire and gate hardware."
Other users were impressed. "You are amazing," one person said. "Love your work!" another echoed.
The gardener continued, writing: "It's janky and not very pretty, but I'm still proud of it because I built it without proper tools or new materials! I'm also excited to have my own produce without all the plastic and stickers involved."
Other home gardeners had similar approaches.
"That's the way to do it! Old flat sheets are my winter cover/frost cover, sticks and logs outline by beds, old chain link gate for my 'door', cardboard for sheet mulching, free rain barrel," another wrote. "You definitely don't need to spend money if you can help it and it's usually better for the environment, too."
And a home garden such as this doesn't just save money by recycling materials. The practice of growing your own food makes a big difference when it comes to the monthly food bill. Between buying groceries and dining out, many households spend a large percentage of their budget on food. Choosing instead to save money by growing produce is becoming more and more popular. Additionally, food grown close to home is more nutritious; produce loses a significant amount of its nutritional value the longer it's in transit.
Locally sourced food is also healthier for the planet. By taking pressure off the global food supply, gardeners are taking dollars out of an industry that's responsible for nearly a quarter of the world's air pollution and dangerous chemical pesticides.
So, this gardener has plenty to be proud of: In addition to saving money, he's helping to create a safer, food-stable future for all…as long as the deer stay away.
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