I've been watching Joel Salatin's talks on his farming methods. Been surprised to hear that there is a huge amount of 'low tech' innovation occurring in farming within the past 50ish years because long-used materials and parts that were historically expensive to produce are now order(s) of magnitude cheaper.
- His mobile chicken coops need to be lightweight. Before thin-bladed sawmills, milling lumber to be smaller than ~2" was cost prohibitive as each cut had a 0.25" kerf. Making 1"x1" planks would mean nearly half of the wood goes into the waste pile!
- Cheap electric fences allow pastured hog farming to be mobile. Pigs will wreck strong fences, but a lightweight deterrent allows quick placement and removal.
- His mobile chicken coops need to be lightweight. Before thin-bladed sawmills, milling lumber to be smaller than ~2" was cost prohibitive as each cut had a 0.25" kerf. Making 1"x1" planks would mean nearly half of the wood goes into the waste pile!
- Cheap electric fences allow pastured hog farming to be mobile. Pigs will wreck strong fences, but a lightweight deterrent allows quick placement and removal.