On New Minglewood Farm in upstate New York, Tammara Van Ryn and Chris Lincoln have their share of make-do systems for tasks from seeding to selling. These include some unusual applications for old appliances.

Last season they were having trouble with pepper germination when another farmer told them about the germination box he built. The box involved plywood, insulation, shelves, and hinges – in short more time and money than Tammara and Chris had. So, while doing other chores they ruminated on large insulated boxes until they spied the old refrigerator left over from their pre-walk-in days. A few slats for shelves, a heat mat attached to the door, and some duct tape to keep the door closed, and the next day they had six flats of germinated peppers.

This year, time in the refrigerator-germination box is part of their regular seeding schedule for heat loving varieties. This allows them to apply heat to up to 10 trays with one heat mat, rather than the two to three that would fit on the mat itself.

The refrigerator joins the used washing machine that functions as a giant-sized salad spinner and the drum of a water softener that forms the base of their dibble roller. Most of these items can be found free or for a nominal price compared to their commercial counterparts, and giving them new life on the farm saves landfill space!

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